The Count Basie Center for the Arts will host the first-ever “Roast of New Jersey” on Saturday, Feb. 28, bringing together comedians, television personalities, and sports figures for a night of jokes aimed at the Garden State.
Jeff Ross, known as the “Roastmaster General” for his work on Comedy Central Roasts, will host the one-night event at the historic theater in Red Bank.
The comedy lineup also includes Joey “Coco” Diaz, known for his role in “The Many Saints of Newark” and his “Uncle Joey’s Joint” podcast, and Brian “Q” Quinn from “Impractical Jokers.” Former New York Giants running back and current WFAN radio host Tiki Barber will also take part.
Other performers scheduled to appear are Rich Vos, Chris Gethard, Bonnie McFarlane, Donnell Rawlings, Natalie Cuomo, Chris Covert, “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Joe Gorga, and Vinnie Brand, owner of the Stress Factory comedy club in New Brunswick.
A mystery guest will close out the evening by defending New Jersey.
The event is part of the Count Basie Center’s centennial celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the theater on Nov. 11, 2026. Other planned initiatives include community collaborations, a Walk of Fame, and the debut of an outdoor ParkStage venue in Freehold next summer.
Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through thebasie.org, the Count Basie Center box office, and Ticketmaster.com. Members receive early access to tickets.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nj.com ’













