Rivers, Carlin, Ramis and Berle Help Break Ground for New Comedy Center
Joan Rivers, George Carlin, Harold Ramis and Milton Berle are no longer with us, but their children and family members, Melissa Rivers, Kelly Carlin, Julian Ramis and Marshall Berle (who is actually the nephew of the late great comedian), grabbed ceremonial shovels and helped to break ground for the construction of a new National Comedy Center in Jamestown New York on Saturday, according to wgrz. The groundbreaking ceremony took place during the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival which honors Ball in her hometown. Nick Offerman and Jerry Seinfeld were in town to headline the annual festival.
#Jamestown I'm ready for you. Are you ready for the Carlins? @RegLenna @LucyDesiMuseum #NationalComedyCenter pic.twitter.com/SNGShTDRmD
— Kelly Carlin (@kelly_carlin) August 1, 2015
Comedian Paul Provenza attended the ground breaking ceremony tweeting “FINALLY some real respect for #comedy!” Regis Philbin, Barbara Gaines, former executive producer for Letterman, and former head writer Steve O’Donnell were also on hand for the ceremony. Regis, Gaines and O’Donnell were part of a Late Night restrospective that took place at the Comedy Festival and to help launch the center.
The 45 million dollar Center has plans to celebrate comedy in all its forms including stand up, multimedia and written comedy. It’s been reported that plans remain in the works for a holographic comedy club, and a comedy school.
The center is projected to open in Spring of 2017
At the ground breaking for the new #NationalComedyCenter in #JamestownNY. FINALLY some real respect for #comedy! pic.twitter.com/71WKeguOLI
— Paul Provenza (@PaulProvenza) August 1, 2015