Jon Stewart and Pete Davidson will host a star-studded comedy benefit to mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the unlikely comedic duo announced on Monday. 

What You Need To Know

  • Jon Stewart and Pete Davidson will host a star-studded comedy benefit to mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11 in New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sept. 12

  • The current lineup includes Dave Attell, Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, Ronny Chieng, Michael Che, Jimmy Fallon, Colin Jost, John Mulaney, Colin Quinn, Amy Schumer, Tom Segura and Wanda Sykes

  • Davidson's father, a firefighter, died after running into the World Trade Center on 9/11; Stewart has long been a vocal advocate on behalf of the Victim Compensation Fund

  • All proceeds from the show, “NYC Still Rising After 20 Years: a Comedy Celebration," will be donated to 9/11 charities

The special, dubbed “NYC Still Rising After 20 Years: a Comedy Celebration,” will feature nearly a dozen other high-profile comedians in New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sept. 12. While the lineup is still subject to change, it currently includes Dave Attell, Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, Ronny Chieng, Michael Che, Jimmy Fallon, Colin Jost, John Mulaney, Colin Quinn, Amy Schumer, Tom Segura and Wanda Sykes. 

“We wanted to put on a fun celebration to honor this great city’s resilience,” Stewart and Davidson said in a joint statement. “It’s nice to be able to do this with friends and people we love.”

Both comedians have personal connections to the Sept. 11 attacks. 

Davidson’s father, a firefighter named Scott, died after running into the burning Twin Towers on that fateful day in 2001. The “Saturday Night Live” star was only seven years old when he lost his father, and the tragedy has gone on to greatly influence Davidson’s work. 

Stewart, a born-and-bred New Yorker, was deeply moved by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In the first episode of “The Daily Show” following the event, then-host Stewart tearfully described previously seeing the World Trade Center from his home. 

“Now it’s gone, and they attacked it ... This symbol of American ingenuity and strength and labor and imagination and commerce — and it is gone,” he said at the time. 

In the years since, Stewart has become a vocal advocate on behalf of the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund, which provides funds to those who have been diagnosed with a 9/11-related illness. The 58-year-old has gone to Capitol Hill numerous times to ensure the health of first responders and their families are appropriately taken care of by Congress. 

Late last year, the city of New York awarded Stewart a Bronze Medallion for his advocacy on behalf of the victims of 9/11. 

Tickets for “NYC Still Rising After 20 Years: a Comedy Celebration” go on sale Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 12 p.m. EDT. All proceeds will benefit 9/11 charities. 

Anyone hoping to attend the event must be fully vaccinated and will be required to show proof of vaccination upon entry. Guests can present a physical copy of their vaccine card, or can by use the New York State Excelsior Pass or NYC COVID Safe App.