Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Matt Friend Is Bringing Communities Together with Comedy Shows Featuring Surprise Celebrity 'Drop Ins' (Exclusive)


With the help of Bilt Rewards, Matt Friend is bringing comedy back to the neighborhood!

PEOPLE can exclusively reveal that the comedian, 26, is partnering up with the rewards program for renters to announce a new addition to its Neighborhood Benefits program. Friend has been named Bilt Rewards's director of neighborhood experience, comedy and will help organize a comedy series for rewards members that gathers local communities in beloved venues.

From "historic restaurants to hidden gems," Friend and Bilt Rewards will transform them into "intimate comedy venues for one unforgettable night" and recruit local up-and-coming stand-up performers as well as established comedy legends.

"I'm unbelievably incredibly excited to announce this and tell America about this new series we're going to be doing," Friend exclusively tells PEOPLE. "Essentially we're going to bring communities together through laughter — not to sound corny, but it's the truth!"

"We're going to create a series of incredible comedy shows at locations you wouldn't necessarily expect to see comedy throughout the country," he continues, adding that users in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Washington DC will have access to these experiences.

In addition to laughs, each event will include curated light bites and complimentary drinks for rewards members.

Matt Friend at 2024 LACMA Art+Film Gala at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on November 2, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

The celebrity impressonist says that the first show will take place at Lucali, an upscale restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, and will feature "an incredible lineup of comedians."

"It's going to be a blend of up and coming comedians. We're also going to have the occasional celebrity big name drop in to come pop in to do a set," he teases.

Friend also shares how his new partnership with Bilt Rewards hits a place close to home.

"I'm really excited because this is also kind of the way that I got started doing standup and comedy while in school at NYU," he explains. "And we're really going to focus on that neighborhood feel, only for Bilt members to experience comedy [in a way] people haven't experienced before."

Matt Friend speaks onstage during the 2024 NHL Awards Show at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on June 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty 

"Let's face it — life's too short for boring rewards programs," CEO and Founder of Bilt Rewards Ankur Jain said in a press release. "That's why we're turning your neighborhood into a stage with Bilt's Neighborhood Comedy Experience Series. Because what's better than earning points for paying rent? Laughing so hard that you forget you just paid rent."

Bilt Rewards members can catch Friend and other hilarious comedians at these carefully curated events, all throughout the month of December.

New York City: December 10th at Lucali

New York City: December 11th at Stephan Weiss Studio

Washington, DC: December 8th at 1789

Boston: December 9th at Yvonne's

Chicago: December 15th at Lazy Bird

Los Angeles: December 18th at Manuela

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Bilt Members can purchase up to two tickets per show exclusively in the Bilt app. Tickets will drop on Nov. 27 at 12 pm EST alongside this month's other Rent Day benefits, with early access for Platinum Members at 11:50 am EST.

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