On October 24, 2025, comedians Kate Berlant and Jacqueline Novak took the stage for a discussion with New Yorker staff writer Rachel Syme at the 26th annual New Yorkers Festival, a weekend of conversations, screenings, performances and more. The festival, which became the hallmark of the magazine, was held in New York and brought together leading representatives of literature, cinema, comedy, television, politics and medicine.
Kate Berlant comedian, actress and writer. Her solo play Kate, directed by Bo Burnham, received acclaim in four sold-out runs. She has produced two comedy specials: Cinnamon in the Wind and, with John Earley, Will Laughter Kill You?, which was nominated for a Critics' Choice Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. Berlant's acting credits include “Dream Script,” “Don't Worry Darling,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “Sorry to Bother You.” On television, she can be seen in the series “A League of Their Own,” “Search Party,” “The Other Two,” “Characters” and others.
Jacqueline Novak is an actress, comedian and podcaster from Los Angeles. Her popular solo show, Get on Your Knees, debuted in 2018 and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance in 2020. The off-Broadway show was named a “Critics' Choice” by New York magazine. Time. Novak's Netflix special “On Your Knees,” directed by Natasha Lyonne, was nominated for an Emmy Award. Novak has appeared on the “2 Dope Queens” podcast and will soon appear in Kogonada's feature film “Big Bold Beautiful Journey.” She co-hosts the health comedy podcast POOG with Kate Berlant. Her memoirs: “How to cry in public“, published in 2016.
Rachel Symestaff writer New Yorkercovering Hollywood, style, television, books, theater, music, city life and other cultural topics since 2012. Her cultural criticism and reporting, which focuses primarily on women's lives, artistic production, history and fame, has also appeared in New York magazine. Times Magazine, GQ, New York, Vogue, Rolling Stone, And Vanity Fairamong other publications. She is the author of “Letter writer Saima”, which was released in January of this year, and is currently working on a non-fiction collection for Knopf.
