Stand-up comedy is finding a home in Oxford, with a growing group of local comedians working to make live comedy a regular part of the city’s entertainment scene.
At the center of that effort is the Oxford Comedy Collective, formed earlier this year by a group of comedians who had been performing together at an open mic at Moe’s Penny Bar. The collective now produces monthly shows around Oxford, while its members are also creating independent events, including a Sept. 16 roast of former Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin at The Lyric.
For comedian and producer Walt Karr, a Batesville native, the journey started only a few years ago.
“I’ve always loved to laugh, and I figured out pretty young that I really enjoyed making other people laugh too,” Karr said.
Although he grew up watching stand-up comedy, Karr said he never seriously considered performing himself until 2023.
“I finally decided I wanted to give it a try, but I had absolutely no idea how to get started,” he said. “I didn’t know where to find an open mic, how you got on a show, or really anything about how stand-up worked beyond watching somebody do it on stage.”
An Instagram account led him to the open mic at Moe’s Penny Bar.
“I showed up, told some terrible jokes for about 60 seconds, and pretty quickly got hooked on it,” Karr said.
That open mic eventually helped produce something larger.
At the beginning of 2026, Karr, Connor King, Ayric Bradley, Chris Green and Glisto Rice formed the Oxford Comedy Collective with the goal of building a stronger stand-up community in Oxford.
The group has since grown to include performers such as Shay Shuffield, Jake Purvis, Keenen Darnell Kareem and Lucian Blackbourn, among others.
The collective has also developed a relationship with the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, which Karr said has been a major supporter of its efforts.
Oxford’s diverse population has helped shape the group.
“Oxford is really a melting pot of people from all over the country, and the Collective isn’t any different,” Karr said. “Everybody brings something a little different to the table.”
Finding an audience in Oxford
Karr believes the timing is right for Oxford to develop a larger comedy scene.
Stand-up has become increasingly accessible through streaming services, podcasts and social media, where clips can introduce comedians to audiences who might never have visited a traditional comedy club.
“When I was a kid growing up in Mississippi, stand-up comedy to me was Jerry Clower cassette tapes and ‘Blue Collar Comedy Tour’ DVDs,” Karr said. “That’s not the case anymore. Stand-up is everywhere.”
And, he said, Oxford audiences have responded.
“The audience was already here,” Karr said. “I think what was missing was just having more people consistently giving them something to come see.”
Collective shows and open mics have been held at venues including The Powerhouse, Quack’s, Proud Larry’s and The Old Henry.
The audiences can be just as varied as the venues.
“We’ve had Ole Miss students sitting in the same audience with people in their 60s and 70s, along with young professionals, longtime Oxford residents and people who have driven in from surrounding communities,” Karr said.
That mixture is part of what he enjoys about performing in Oxford.
“If you can get the college student and the 70-year-old sitting three seats away laughing at the same joke, you’re probably doing something right,” he said.
Roasting Lane Kiffin
The comedy scene will move to one of Oxford’s larger stages Sept. 16 when Karr produces and hosts “The Roast of Lane Kiffin” at The Lyric.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The lineup includes Memphis comedians Ryan Bush and Colton Ales, along with Oxford comedians Ayric Bradley and Chris Green. Karr said additional local personalities and surprise participants are also planned.
The idea came to him after watching a celebrity roast on Netflix.
Then, the next day, Karr read a Vanity Fair article about Kiffin.
“I literally laughed out loud while I was reading it,” Karr said. “I remember thinking, ‘Somebody should roast this guy.’ And then I thought, ‘Hey, I’m somebody.’”
Kiffin is not involved in the event and, as of now, is not expected to attend.
Karr said the former Ole Miss coach will not be the evening’s only target.
“It’s also an opportunity to poke fun at all things college football: Ole Miss, LSU, the SEC, coaches, fans, media, all of it,” he said. “Most of the fire will definitely be aimed in Lane’s direction, but at the end of the day it’s a comedy show, and nobody is completely safe.”
Karr said he wants the evening to feel more like an event than a typical bar comedy show.
“Get dressed up, take your significant other out to dinner on the Square, have a few drinks, and then come over to The Lyric and laugh at some really funny comedians making jokes about a guy we can all agree we don’t like,” he said.
He offered one warning.
“It is a roast, though, so people should come prepared to laugh at things they probably wouldn’t hear at Sunday dinner.”
The Lyric allows guests under 21 with a $5 underage fee at the door, but Karr said the show will feature adult language and themes.
Floor tickets are $25 and balcony tickets are $40, before applicable taxes and fees, and are available through The Lyric Oxford.
Building something bigger
For Karr, however, one successful show is not the ultimate goal.
He wants Oxford to become a place where new comedians can get their start while more established touring comics see the city as a worthwhile stop.
“I want somebody who’s sitting at home right now thinking about trying stand-up for the first time to have somewhere in Oxford where they can actually go do it,” he said.
Oxford’s location could also work in its favor. Karr noted that the city sits between several established comedy markets, including Nashville, Huntsville, Birmingham and Fayetteville.
“If a comic has a Thursday date in one city and a Saturday date in another, Oxford can be a great place to fill that Friday,” he said.
Karr believes Oxford already has much of what is needed to support that growth.
“We already have the restaurants, nightlife, hotels, tourism and audiences to support live entertainment,” he said. “The goal now is to keep building the comedy infrastructure around that and eventually make Oxford a regular stop for comedians touring through the Southeast.”
For now, his message to Oxford is simpler.
“Come support local comedy,” Karr said. “The only way we continue growing comedy in Oxford is if people keep showing up, buying tickets and giving these shows a chance.”
Those interested in upcoming shows, open mics or trying stand-up themselves can follow the Oxford Comedy Collective at @laughoxford on Instagram and Karr at @waltkarrcomedy.
