Environmentalists are readying for a big night of comedy a day after the presidential election.
The Natural Resources Defense Council will be holding its annual Night of Comedy on Nov. 9, about 24 hours after the big showdown between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
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The comedy gala, being held in New York, is used as a way to inspire donors to be extra generous in the coming year in helping to fund the group’s environmental advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and elsewhere.
This year would-be donors are being given the chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to the Big Apple to see the show, featuring “Late Night” host Seth Myers, who will be hosting the night of stand-up.
Also on the bill is former “Daily Show” comedian John Oliver, who now has his own show on HBO, and comedian Sarah Silverman.
For a minimum $10 donation, anyone can enter the drawing for a chance to win two tickets to the show, a pass to the after-party with the cast, as well as airfare to New York City and one night’s hotel accommodation.
The added incentive for donating early, and winning a chance at a limited number of tickets, is the promise of “very special guests” being announced soon. Who could that be? Al Gore? Leonardo DiCaprio? Clinton herself, perhaps? Who knows at this point.
In recent years, the event has framed the environmental challenges facing the country by drawing a who’s who of Hollywood notables with big media types.
The group’s annual comedy gala has been used to mourn elections in which Republicans have done better than their Democratic rivals.
Myers, who has hosted the event the last few years, said in 2014 that the election results were not great “if you love the environment” after the Senate and House fell back into Republican hands that year.
“We have politicians, politicians who won yesterday, politicians who when you ask them about climate change and present them with science, they say, ‘I’m not a scientist,'” Myers said. “That’s what you’re up against, NRDC. You have to educate people like this.”
Oliver, who has been hosting his comedy-news show “Last Week Tonight” on HBO, has been taking particular aim at Trump over the last year. On Sunday, he offered the Republican nominee his Emmy award if he loses.
“Of course he wants an Emmy. It’s a woman, it’s gold and it’s proportionate to his tiny hands,” Oliver said on the latest episode of his show on Sunday.
Oliver won the Emmy last month for best variety talk show for “Last Week Tonight.”
