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BACK ISSUES INTERVIEWS Stand-Up Comedians Jim Norton Robert Kelly Donnell Rawlings Brad Stine Tammy Pescatelli Leighann Lord George Sarris Nick DiPaolo Russ Meneve Shang and more By Tasha Harris, NYC Comedy Journalist STAGE TIME The Magazine That Stands Up For Comedy |
I always wanted to be a comedian, so I was a comedian for about a year. Then as I was doing
comedy, I didn’t realize it entailed going out every single night, waiting around, praying to get
on, praying to get passed and then you have to hit the road. As Eddie Brill said, “It takes five
years to find your voice.”
I have no problem working hard and paying my dues. It’s just the going out every single night –
that was the part that really didn’t thrill me that much. I made a lot of great friends in comedy
so after a year I didn’t want to just walk away…I said, “Alright, let me stay in this business but
get on the other side of the coin.” And I got on the industry side as a producer.
I said, “Okay, there’s a gap missing here. Why don’t we start a new festival in New York that
focuses on emerging talent and we’ll pad it with established comedians to help draw attention
and we’ll fusion it together and we’ll make a comedy festival out of it?”
One of the reasons why it’s call the New York City Underground Comedy Festival is first of all,
the first year we held it at the Laurie Beechman Theater, which is underground. The second one
is that “underground” means that, it’s the people a little below the radar. We have big names…
They’re special guests and they’re helping us out and we’ve grown to that point where we get
big talent because they like the idea.
comedy, I didn’t realize it entailed going out every single night, waiting around, praying to get
on, praying to get passed and then you have to hit the road. As Eddie Brill said, “It takes five
years to find your voice.”
I have no problem working hard and paying my dues. It’s just the going out every single night –
that was the part that really didn’t thrill me that much. I made a lot of great friends in comedy
so after a year I didn’t want to just walk away…I said, “Alright, let me stay in this business but
get on the other side of the coin.” And I got on the industry side as a producer.
I said, “Okay, there’s a gap missing here. Why don’t we start a new festival in New York that
focuses on emerging talent and we’ll pad it with established comedians to help draw attention
and we’ll fusion it together and we’ll make a comedy festival out of it?”
One of the reasons why it’s call the New York City Underground Comedy Festival is first of all,
the first year we held it at the Laurie Beechman Theater, which is underground. The second one
is that “underground” means that, it’s the people a little below the radar. We have big names…
They’re special guests and they’re helping us out and we’ve grown to that point where we get
big talent because they like the idea.
| George Sarris and Eddie Brill |
When I first had the idea two and a half
years ago, I walked up to Eddie Brill, who
I didn’t know from Adam and I told him the
idea and he said, “Where are you holding
it?” And I said, “Laurie Beechman Theater.”
And he said, “I’ll do it.” I didn’t even ask
him. I was just pitching him just to see if he
thought it was a good idea. I was praying
Eddie would show up because I knew if
Eddie showed up, it would help put us on
the map. Eddie showed up every single
night unannounced and went up and
Jim Gaffigan came one night and did a
special surprise set, so I knew we were born
after that.
years ago, I walked up to Eddie Brill, who
I didn’t know from Adam and I told him the
idea and he said, “Where are you holding
it?” And I said, “Laurie Beechman Theater.”
And he said, “I’ll do it.” I didn’t even ask
him. I was just pitching him just to see if he
thought it was a good idea. I was praying
Eddie would show up because I knew if
Eddie showed up, it would help put us on
the map. Eddie showed up every single
night unannounced and went up and
Jim Gaffigan came one night and did a
special surprise set, so I knew we were born
after that.
I had no idea that it would be successful as it was and the next year, Jim and I – Jim
Mendrinos, the co-creator, took on a bigger role of really saying, “Okay, let’s grow this thing
instead of keeping it three nights, three shows in one venue and went to 106 shows (three
were canceled) in all five boroughs. We did about 20 libraries and three or four hospitals.
At the Columbia Presbyterian Hospital show, they actually closed-circuited, TV’d, the comedians
into the rooms of the people too sick to go down and see it and it was some line-up. It was
Eddie Brill and Jim David.
Another highlight of last year was the Dean of the Friar’s Club, Freddie Roman headlined a
show at The Bitter End. The Bitter End used to be what The Comedy Cellar and lot of these very
hot clubs right now are. That was the epitome of where you played: Woody Allen played there,
Cheech & Chong, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin and Robert Klein.
Freddie Roman hosted a show for us there last year and in our opinion, he helped us earn
that title, “National Comedy Week,” so we announced that the first honoree for the "Traditions
Award" will be given out to Freddie Roman this year at his own special tribute show.
Our festival is more of New York all coming together. We take on shows – there are so many
shows; there’s a lot going on that doesn’t get much attention.
There’s a lot of comedy shows with quality people, people who have been on Comedy Central
and they’re playing in all these little rooms and run all these little rooms. What we do is we run
our own main stage shows and we also take under our wing independently-produced shows such
as The Comedy Social and Jewish Girls Gone Bad.
The philosophy of the festival is to help emerging comedians and we’ve done that. Carmen
Lynch was chosen the first year for Aspen. Wendy Spero went on to be named “The Best of
2003” by Time Out New York. Last year, a few people were picked up by Nickelodeon, some
people are writing for Nickelodeon. One guy got picked up by a big management company
and college bookers saw a lot of people and made some selections. A lot of work has been
generated for all our efforts, so we’re pleased.
Mendrinos, the co-creator, took on a bigger role of really saying, “Okay, let’s grow this thing
instead of keeping it three nights, three shows in one venue and went to 106 shows (three
were canceled) in all five boroughs. We did about 20 libraries and three or four hospitals.
At the Columbia Presbyterian Hospital show, they actually closed-circuited, TV’d, the comedians
into the rooms of the people too sick to go down and see it and it was some line-up. It was
Eddie Brill and Jim David.
Another highlight of last year was the Dean of the Friar’s Club, Freddie Roman headlined a
show at The Bitter End. The Bitter End used to be what The Comedy Cellar and lot of these very
hot clubs right now are. That was the epitome of where you played: Woody Allen played there,
Cheech & Chong, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin and Robert Klein.
Freddie Roman hosted a show for us there last year and in our opinion, he helped us earn
that title, “National Comedy Week,” so we announced that the first honoree for the "Traditions
Award" will be given out to Freddie Roman this year at his own special tribute show.
Our festival is more of New York all coming together. We take on shows – there are so many
shows; there’s a lot going on that doesn’t get much attention.
There’s a lot of comedy shows with quality people, people who have been on Comedy Central
and they’re playing in all these little rooms and run all these little rooms. What we do is we run
our own main stage shows and we also take under our wing independently-produced shows such
as The Comedy Social and Jewish Girls Gone Bad.
The philosophy of the festival is to help emerging comedians and we’ve done that. Carmen
Lynch was chosen the first year for Aspen. Wendy Spero went on to be named “The Best of
2003” by Time Out New York. Last year, a few people were picked up by Nickelodeon, some
people are writing for Nickelodeon. One guy got picked up by a big management company
and college bookers saw a lot of people and made some selections. A lot of work has been
generated for all our efforts, so we’re pleased.