CNN TO AIR "AMERICA LAUGHS WITH MATT FRIEND" - A CNN POLITICAL COMEDY SPECIAL

FRIDAY APRIL 24 AT 11PM ET ON CNN AND STREAMING IN THE CNN APP

Washington, D.C. (April 21, 2026) - CNN will air an exclusive political satire and late-night comedy special hosted by famed comedian Matt Friend on Friday, April 24 at 11pm ET.

The special, produced by CNN, will be filmed from the nation's capital and will celebrate the longstanding tradition of combining comedy and politics to bring people together from across the political spectrum during the weekend of the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, an event focused on honoring journalism and the First Amendment and awarding scholarships. The hour will feature a monologue from Friend as well as appearances from special guests and surprise elements.

"Comedy and politics have always had a unique connection, and I'm excited to bring that bipartisan energy to Washington with CNN for this special. We are in an increasingly divided country and world. For my show with CNN, I aim to poke fun at everyone and allow room for all to laugh in a Johnny Carson spirit.

"For decades, from Sid Caesar and Carson to Norm Macdonald and Bill Maher, comedians have helped us reflect on public life in America. As Aristophanes said, 'Comedy is allied to justice.' This is going to be a truly fun, unpredictable night of impressions, satire, and surprises, and I can't wait for people to see it," said Friend.

Matt Friend is a comedian, actor, host, and impressionist whose wit and wildly accurate impressions have made him one of entertainment's most exciting breakout voices. He has amassed more than 5 million followers online and has appeared on The Howard Stern Show, Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Today, and more. His impressions span more than 250 voices, including Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Timothee Chalamet, Paul Giamatti, and Howard Stern. In 2024, Friend hosted the NHL Awards to record-breaking ratings and delivered a surprise performance for President Biden at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Most recently, he served as ABC's official red-carpet host at the 2026 Oscars, helping drive a 13% viewership increase for the network's post-show broadcast.

The comedy special adds to CNN's growing collection of satire programming and will stream and be available on demand for CNN's streaming subscribers and pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV and mobile apps and Cable Operator Platforms.

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