The Scleroderma Research Foundation Will Honor John Stamos with the Bob Saget Legacy Award at This Year's Cool Comedy • Hot Cuisine

Matt Friend, Ron Funches, and Lisa Ann Walter to perform, with host Jeff Ross and special guest Seth Green

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF), the country's first and leading nonprofit investor in medical research into scleroderma, will present John Stamos with the Bob Saget Legacy Award at this year's Cool Comedy • Hot Cuisine. The SRF also announced the evening's comedy lineup to date: Matt Friend, Ron Funches, and Lisa Ann Walter will perform, with Jeff Ross returning as host and Seth Green joining as guest co-auctioneer for the live auction. More special guests are to be announced. The SRF's signature comedy-and-culinary benefit pairs live stand-up with a multi-course gourmet dinner curated by celebrated chef Susan Feniger. Cool Comedy • Hot Cuisine takes place on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles. 

Introduced in 2023, the Bob Saget Legacy Award recognizes individuals who, like Bob, have used their voice to raise awareness and funds for scleroderma research. A longtime friend of Bob's, Stamos has been a committed supporter of scleroderma research and the SRF's mission for decades.

"John Stamos was family to Bob in every sense of the word, on screen and off," says Kelly Rizzo, event co-chair. "In the years since we lost my husband, John has honored his friendship with Bob by showing up for the scleroderma community time and again. In presenting him with the Bob Saget Legacy Award, we're celebrating his generosity and his commitment to the fight for a cure."

An Emmy-nominated actor and producer, John Stamos has built a career spanning television, film, and theater, from his beloved role as "Uncle Jesse" alongside Bob Saget on "Full House" to memorable turns on "General Hospital" and "ER." Off-screen, Stamos has long lent his voice to causes he cares about, like ending scleroderma. In 2023, the Stamos family created three blue scleroderma awareness bracelets to celebrate Bob's memory and dedication to the cause, produced in partnership with My Saint My Hero, donating 100% of the proceeds to the SRF.

This year's event reunites several past recipients of the Bob Saget Legacy Award: Jeff Ross, the actor and comedian known as the "Roastmaster General," returns as host, while New York Comedy Festival founder Caroline Hirsch and Grammy-winning musician John Mayer return as co-chairs. They're joined by SRF Board Members Susan Feniger and Regina Hall, who also continue to serve as co-chairs this year. Past recipients of the award also include Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz.

"As one of this Foundation's founding board members, I've been so proud of the progress we've made towards finding a cure, and Bob has been at the heart of it all for decades," says chef Susan Feniger. "The Bob Saget Legacy Award celebrates and continues his work, and no one represents it better than John. Honoring him is our promise that everything Bob gave to this cause will carry on."

The 2026 lineup brings together a range of comedic voices. Stand-up comic, actor, and writer Ron Funches, known for his warm, offbeat style, has appeared in series including "Undateable" and "Loot," voiced Cooper in the "Trolls" films, and most recently competed on "The Traitors." Matt Friend, the viral impressionist whose political comedy special "America Laughs with Matt Friend" on CNN, has become one of the sharpest young voices in celebrity and political impersonation. Lisa Ann Walter, who plays Melissa Schemmenti on ABC's Emmy-winning "Abbott Elementary" and starred as Chessy in "The Parent Trap," returns to her stand-up roots for the evening. Special guest Seth Green, the actor, writer, and producer behind "Robot Chicken," and known for "Austin Powers," "Family Guy," and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," will help lead the live auction.

"Bob was my brother, and he cared about ending scleroderma like nothing else," said Jeff Ross. "And this lineup? Ron, Matt, and Lisa Ann are going to tear the roof off that room. Bob would've loved every minute of it."

All proceeds from Cool Comedy • Hot Cuisine will directly support the SRF's mission, funding cutting-edge research programs and educational outreach. The evening's comedy lineup will be announced in the coming weeks.

Since 1987, Cool Comedy • Hot Cuisine has been a cornerstone of the SRF's fundraising efforts, raising over $30 million to fund research aimed at finding a cure for scleroderma. Cool Comedy • Hot Cuisine was organized and produced for decades by the late Bob Saget, whose sister Gay lost her life due to complications from scleroderma. As a proud member of the SRF's Board of Directors, Bob devoted himself to raising funds for scleroderma research, was a dedicated champion for the scleroderma community, and tirelessly drove the mission of the SRF forward for 30 years.

Sponsorships and tickets for the event are now available. For more information about sponsorship opportunities and ticket purchases, please visit srfcure.org/events/cool-comedy-hot-cuisine.

The SRF is the United States' leading nonprofit investor in scleroderma research. Scleroderma, often misdiagnosed, is a rare and often life-threatening autoimmune disease that can cause fibrosis in the skin and other vital organs. In the most severe cases, complications can damage the heart, lungs, and digestive system. The SRF finds, funds, and facilitates the most promising, highest-quality research aimed at improved therapies and, ultimately, a cure for scleroderma.

About the Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF)

The Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF), a 501(c)(3) organization, was established in 1987 with a mission to fund and facilitate the most promising, highest-quality research aimed at new treatments and, ultimately, a cure for scleroderma. Led by a Scientific Advisory Board composed of some of the most highly regarded scientists in the nation, the SRF's research program actively seeks out the leading scientific minds from disparate fields, including autoimmunity, immunology, genetics, and fibrosis, to join the scleroderma research community. In addition to its core research program, the SRF has also led the formation of several large-scale projects aimed at accelerating scleroderma research, including the highly innovative CONQUEST platform clinical trial—a first of its kind in rare autoimmune diseases. The SRF is also dedicated to educating people living with scleroderma and their caregivers about how to best manage the challenges of the disease. Stay engaged with the SRF at srfcure.org and via social media: Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Media Contact: Julie Richter, [email protected], 480-818-8022

SOURCE Scleroderma Research Foundation