Comedy for Koby

Comedy for Koby was launched in 2008 to benefit The Koby Mandell Foundation. Stand up comic Avi Liberman founded Comedy for Koby and continues to organize and host all of the shows.

In May 2001, 13-year-old Koby Mandell was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist alongside his friend, Yosef Ishran, while exploring a cave near his home in Tekoa. Shortly afterward, The Koby Mandell Foundation was founded by Koby's parents, Seth and Sherri Mandell, to help other families afflicted by the loss of a loved one to terror. Seth Mandell welcomed the chance to create an event that would give people the chance to laugh and described it as a fitting memorial for their son, as he loved comedy and the ability to laugh. Seth Mandell coined the name Comedy for Koby.

COMEDIANS:

AVI LIBERMAN

Avi Liberman has performed on numerous television shows from Comedy Central to Showtime to three appearances on the Craig Ferguson Show. He has done shows for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and started the biannual Comedy For Koby tour in Israel benefitting children of trauma. Avi has a documentary about the tour entitled Land of Milk and Funny and has written a book called “Stranger Gigs” detailing his adventures in comedy. When the war in Israel broke out, having just finished a Sukkot special for the foundation, Avi decided to stay for 2 months doing shows for Reservists on numerous bases, families of soldiers and evacuees from the South.

TALIA REESE

Talia Reese is an accomplished stand-up comedian who regularly performs at New York City’s famous comedy clubs and events throughout the U.S. and Canada. She has been recognized by The New York Post as a “Hot Ticket.” The Jewish Voice described her brand of comedy as “Over the Top Humor.” In addition to headlining all kinds of fundraisers, Talia has also opened for Caroline Rhea, Gilbert Godfried, Nick Dipaolo, and most recently shared the stage with Jim Gaffigan and Nick Cannon. Talia and her sold-out shows have been featured in The New York Post, Daily News, Newsday, Wall Street Journal, Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel (and many local publications). In Talia’s comedy, she can either take a deep dive into her Modern Orthodox lifestyle, riffing on her life as the wife of a “really frum guy”, a former Big Law associate and Long Island mom. It’s a lot to talk about! Talia’s comedy has been celebrated by a range of audiences from late-night singles to Hasidic women in Monsey, NY.

BRIAN SCOTT MCFADDEN

Actor/Comedian/ Brian Scott McFadden is one of the funniest stand up comics working in the industry today. A regular on the NY comedy club circuit, Brian’s act includes high energy performances and some of the most unique, incisive and hilarious routines around. Brian made his debut on The Late Show with David Letterman and has become a multi­dimensional performer. Brian is both an accomplished stage actor, who has played Hamlet in New York and a versatile voice over artist with a vast range of accents and character voices in his repertoire. Brian has appeared on the big screen in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty with Ben Stiller, Ice Age II with Ray Romano and Robots with Robin Williams and Halle Berry. 

ANDY PITZ

Some people (mostly therapists) have told Andy that there were pretty good odds of his getting into comedy or some other profession for attention-seeking middle children. A lifelong fan of comedy, Andy has been performing standup professionally since 1990. Hailing from Buffalo, NY Andy currently lives in New Jersey and loves it. He’s been on TV a number of times, highlighted by appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and was also on Star Search, but that was pretty lame. The other two shows were really fun and awesome experiences. The topics Andy talks about change all the time, of course, but lately he’s been focusing on fatherhood, technology / social networking and just everyday things that he gets obsessed with.

The Koby Mandell Foundation is the largest provider of emotional support services in Israel to those who have lost their loved ones to terror.

Host or Publisher Reese Entertainment Corp.