June 19, 2019
UPDATE: The day before it was to happen, OZY Fest was cancelled by Mayor Bill De Blasio due to a record-breaking heat wave.
Since 2016, media company OZY has held OZY Fest in New York’s Central Park, bringing together music, comedy, talks, cooking, and more. For 2019, the festival moves out of SummerStage and onto the Great Lawn, Saturday & Sunday, July 20th & 21st:
SATURDAY, JULY 20th
| Ally Stage John Legend, 9:00 PM While John Legend (QRO photos) began his career contributing to other people’s work (Kanye, Dilated Peoples, and more), he’s since built an impressive career all his own, and not just in music, as he’s one of only fifteen people (and the only black man) to achieve EGOT: won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, everything from “Glory” in Selma to playing Jesus Chris in Jesus Chris Superstar. He comes to headline OZY Fest (QRO photos at a festival) off of last year’s A Legendary Christmas and being the winning coach on the most recent season of The Voice. |
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| A R I Z O N A, 8:00 PM Actually from New Jersey, A R I Z O N A have rocketed up in the electro-pop scene, from opening gigs & festivals to headlining tours & 2017’s debut full-length, GALLERY. |
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| Ronny Chieng, 7:15 PM Trevor Noah (see just below) brought one of his Daily Show senior correspondents with him to OZY Fest, Ronny Chieng, who has done everything from cover silly news to serious, as well as star in Crazy Rich Asians. |
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| Trevor Noah, interviewed by Carlos Watson, 6:15 PM South Africa’s Trevor Noah had huge shoes to fill when he succeeded Jon Stewart as host of The Daily Show, and fill them he has. He’s managed to bring an international and person of color perspective to the show, without it losing its American base. He began as a stand-up and still regularly gets up from behind his desk, like his special appearance at OZY Fest. |
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| Also: John Kasich, interviewed by Mike Allen, 5:30 PM Stacey Abrams, interviewed by Laurene Powell Jobs, 4:45 PM V Bozeman, 3:45 PM ‘Money Mindfullness’ Panel with Alex Rodriguez, Cindy Eckert & Andrea Brimmer, 3:00 PM Mark Cuban, interviewed by Fay Schlesinger, 2:00 PM Jazzy Amra, 1:00 PM Alex Rodriguez & Carlos Watson: Welcome to OZY Fest, 12:00 PM Alex Rodriguez, Marcus Samuelsson & OZY Fest Headliner: ‘Rock the Vote’ Welcome Brunch, 10:30 AM OZY Fest’s Day One talks include former Ohio governor John Kasich, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, and famed billionaire Mark Cuban. |
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OZY Stage ‘For Anyone Who’s Ever Dared To Dream’, 5:30 PM A panel sponsored by Blinded By the Light Thaunda Ducket, interviewed by Carlos Watson, 4:45 PM ‘The New Rules: Hollywood’s Mega Agent’, 4:00 PM Jeremy Zimmer and Carlos Watson ‘Love, Self Love & Risk’, 3:15 PM Jameela Jamil, Natalia Wynn & Fay Schlesinger Interactive: Live Tinder, 2:45 PM ‘Pink Tax’, 2:00 PM Jameela Jamil, Desi Lydic, Sherry Baker & Elizabeth Vargas Malcolm Gladwell, interviewed by Carlos Watson, 1:00 PM Elizabeth Vargas, interviewed by Fay Schlesinger, 12:00 PM |
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Broadway Theater Unapologetic, with Vicky DeVille & Vivian Feldman, 6:45 PM Cooking Demo: Esther Choi, 6:15 PM The Loudest Voice, 5:15 PM Live Magic: John Stessel, 4:45 PM Blinded by the Light, 2:15 PM Cooking Demo: Marcus Samuelson, 1:30 PM The Loudest Voice, 12:30 PM Cooking Demo: Mix Plate, with Kiano Moju & Alex Lau, 12:30 PM Cooking Demo: Marcus Samuelson, 12:00 PM |
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SUNDAY, JULY 21st
| Ally Stage Miguel, 6:30 PM Miguel Jontel Pimental (QRO photos at a festival) rose from his 2010 underperforming sleeper hit debut All I Want Is You and its label’s dissolution to acclaim with 2012’s Kaleidoscope Dream, 2015’s Wildheart, and 2017’s War & Leisure, incorporating R&B, funk, hip-hop, rock (QRO photos), and more like a latter-day Prince. |
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| Tove Lo, 5:30 PM Out of Stockholm, Ebba Tove Lesa Nilsson – a.k.a. Tove Lo (QRO photos at a festival) – has written for numerous other artists like Icona Pop, Ellie Goulding, and Hilary Duff, but 2013 hit single “Habits” has made her a leading lady all of her own (QRO live review). |
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| Dulce Sloan, 4:30 PM Another Daily Show correspondent at OZY Fest ’19, Dulce Sloan rose from friends encouraging her to try stand-up to becoming a breakout Comedy Central star. |
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| Kat Cunning, 3:45 PM While she started in Broadway musicals like Dangerous Liaisons and Cirque Du Soleil’s Paramour, and has been on HBO’s The Deuce & Netflix’s Trinkets, Kat Cunning (QRO spotlight on) comes to OZY Fest for two sets (see below), behind her own singles “Make U Say”, “Baby”, & “Wild Poppies”. |
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| Also: ‘Shark Tank’, with Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec, Mike Moe and Jim Cramer, 3:00 PM ‘Future of Happiness’, with Deepak Chopra, Tyler Norris and Fay Schlesinger, 2:15 PM Delacey, 1:30 PM Spike Lee Q&A, 12:45 PM Megan Rapinoe, interviewed by Laurene Powell Jobs, 12:00 PM OZY Fest Headliners: ‘Rock the Vote’ Welcome Brunch, 10:30 AM |
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OZY Stage Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, interviewed by Mike Allen, 6:00 PM Last year, OZY Fest had former New York Senator and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (QRO photos) – this year, it has her Senatorial successor, Kristen Gillibrand, playing to a home state crowd during her own run for president. |
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| Sean Spicer, interviewed by Carlos Watson, 5:30 PM Tom Rhodes, 4:15 PM ‘The Next Big Thing’, 3:30 PM Jim Cramer, Marc Lasry Meditation with Deepak Chopra, 3:00 PM Live Poetry with Mecca Verdell, 2:30 PM ‘Breaking Big’, 1:45 PM Spike Lee, Rachael Ray, Barbara Corcoran and Carlos Watson Beto O’Routke, interviewed by Carlos Watson, 1:00 PM |
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Broadway Theater Blinded by the Light, 6:00 PM Shangri-La, 4:00 PM Cash Pad, with JoJo Fletcher & Jordan Roberts, 2:30 PM Dr. Oz, interviewed by Eugene Robinson, 2:00 PM “Good Deaths” with Pr. Ira Byock and Eugene Robinson, 1:30 PM Cooking Demo: Rachael Ray, 12:45 PM Cooking Demo: Padma Lakshimi, 12:00 PM |
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