The news is getting harder to ignore and sometimes, harder to believe.

From bizarre headlines and internet rabbit holes to political absurdity and stories that sound completely made up but somehow aren’t, comedy has become one of the ways we process what’s happening around us.

The News, But Make It Funny brings together comedians, journalists and digital creators to The Neighbourhood Festival to explore this strange relationship between news and humour, why certain stories become jokes, whether comedy can keep our attention, and what happens when people increasingly consume news through comedians, memes and social media.

The format is intentionally conversational, anecdotal and interactive, rather than a traditional panel.