What Happens Behind The Scenes on Last Comic Standing and More News from the NYC Clubs
Jeffrey Gurian is a writer and comedian in New York who loves to Jump Around. Follow his regular column, right here, to find out what’s happening in comedy, and who Jeffrey Gurian ran into this week in and around New York. This week, Jeffrey stopped at Gotham Comedy Club, Carolines, The Slipper Room, New York Comedy Club, The Cellar and more!
Jerry O’Connell Performs Stand Up at the Slipper Room to Celebrate Seth Herzog’s 11th
Seth Herzog is already starting to celebrate his upcoming 11th anniversary of doing Sweet his weekly show at James Habacker’s fabulous Slipper Room, on Orchard Street. I went down to cover the show and also to do a set, which we had been talking about for a long time. When I arrived, early, Todd Barry was already there sitting alone backstage like the stage manager. And of course he killed on stage. Jena Friedman was on the show and told me she was going to Edinburgh to do a solo show on August 17th, and it’s a show called American Cunt. A lot of girls seem to be embracing that word these days, kind of the way Black people use the “N” word, maybe to take away the power and the ugliness from it. After a while it just becomes another stupid word!
And it was a great surprise to see TV and film star Jerry O’Connell on the show. He was not there with Rebecca Romijn, but by himself to do some funny back-and-forth with Seth. They were old friends and you could tell by the fun energy they created on stage. Jerry and I got to bond after the show on some similar interests we have, and I look forward to seeing him in LA later this summer, cause I may go, and that’s where he lives! And of course Seth always does a special segment with his Mom, Kera. She happened to call while the show was going on, to tell him she was stuck in traffic and was having a hard time getting there. He took the call right onstage, and told her to come anyway, and when she did they did a cool segment together. They even danced when some cool music came on. Very entertaining show as always. I can see why it’s been going strong for 11 years, which is kind of a rarity in NYC where people get bored so easily. Seth Herzog also warms up the crowd for Jimmy Fallon every night and that is also something to be proud of!
A Peek Behind the Scenes at Last Comic Standing
I called Cyrus McQueen to congratulate him on moving ahead on Last Comic Standing, and got a funny story from him on LCS goings on! Cyrus was the reservationist at Gotham Comedy Club for several years. He said,
Making the Top 100 on Last Comic Standing was truly a dream come true. Some 2,500 comics were actually scouted this season by Wanda Sykes and producers of the show. So to not only make it to Invitationals, but now the Semifinals, has me pinching myself! Everyone involved with the production of the show has been so supportive; from the Executive Producers on down to the wardrobe department. Everyone involved seemed to be focused on making Season 9 the best season yet. But the other comics have also made this experience as great as it’s been.
One funny story that came out of this first round actually happened in the green room. In many ways the atmosphere in there felt like being in a pressure cooker. So many comedians. So much nervous energy. At times, the tension would build as one by one, we waited for our date with destiny. People were pacing. Some were in their notebooks. Some could be seen mouthing their jokes over and over to themselves. In this moment Ian Bagg, one of the more irreverent comics to come out of the competition, decided to diffuse this tension. As people were coming back in, one by one, either having wowed the judges, or having had the judges give them less than stellar critiques, Ian managed to get a roomful of sad, nervous, stressed comedians laughing in unison.
One female comic had gotten bad feedback from the judges and came back cursing and rueing the whole production. After she disappeared to the bathroom, Ian set about turning over all the tables and chairs in the green room. We’re all just watching him, not knowing what to make of this, when a producer comes back and asks what the hell happened with the furniture. Ian, without missing a beat, and in his unmistakable cadence goes, ‘I don’t know! That girl who was just fighting with the judges came back here and went crazy! Flipped over all the furniture! It was scary, right guys?!’ We all, as they say, ‘lost our shit.’ Some 20 plus comedians just on the floor rolling. I’ll never forget it, or the experience itself. Good times!
New York Comedy Club Celebrates A Milestone; What’s Next for Sam Morril
Seth Herzog wasn’t the only one celebrating an anniversary; it was New York Comedy Club’s first anniversary under new ownership, and partners Emilio Savone and Scott Lindner were celebrating by having a marathon show starting at 9 P.M. with over 16 comics, plus a party. Well, it’s always a party there anyway but when I got there I ran into Sam Morril, Mike Cannon, Corinne Fisher, Reg Thomas, (Jordan Rock’s partner in crime over at Karma Lounge, who told me that thanks to me he’s Google-able … LOL ), Jamie Roberts, Emma Willmann, Larry Beyah, Ricky Velez, Madison Malloy, and Aaron Berg. Aaron is just so quick and so funny, with non-stop rips on the audience and they love it.
Corinne Fisher has a show in the upcoming Fringe Festival called The Comedienne Project with Katie Hannigan. Corinne is kind of a free spirit, and innovator in her comedy career and says she and Katie were tired of doing shows of all female comics that were named things like “That Time of the Month”and predictable stuff like that. So instead she and Katie are doing two 20 minute original sets each where neither of them talks about men, sex, or relationships, common themes for many women comics. She says “women are more than just pussy jokes, and more than our relationship with men.” The festival opens August 15th and they will be doing five shows at Under St. Marks, directed by the great Ted Alexandro!
Eric Neumann who used to do my late night show at The Comic Strip was there and is making moves, and was excited about his upcoming Carolines on Broadway Breakout Show coming up on September 1st. He’s done some MTV promos, and stuff like that but it will be his first time headlining a Carolines show, so how cool is that? At some point I had to leave the New York Comedy Club celebration and gave Sam Morril a lift up town on his way to do a set at Stand Up New York. We had a chance to catch up cause since he moved to the West Side I don’t run into him as much anymore. He’s got some cool stuff coming up, an @Midnight and a Conan spot, besides a recurrent thing he’s doing on Red Eye with Joe Machi, called Machi and Morril where they start out talking about news stories but wind up ripping each other apart with insults as only two good friends can do!
The Naked Show Passes the Torch
And speaking of powerful women comics, I ran into Kaytlin Bailey who told me she’ll be doing one more Naked Show and then turning the reins over to her comedy partner Alison Klemp because she feels she’s taken it as far as she can, and she wants to focus on her one woman show Cuntageous and maybe tour it nationally before doing it again in NY, and entering it in next year’s Fringe Festival.
Dante Nero Shooting a Feature; Harry Terjanian’s New Web Series About the Porn Industry
Dante Nero plays all the clubs, was on NBC’s Blacklist, and was Patrice O’Neal’s co-host on The Black Phillip Show on XM radio. And now Dante is shooting a feature called Circle of Eight about a SWAT team and a drug dealer. He of course plays the drug dealer! It shoots in New York at the end of the year.
Harry Terjanian, an Andy Kaufman Award-winner is Dante’s current co-host on the Beige Phillip Show, which is now running for three years, and is done out of Dante’s own studio in Brooklyn. I hadn’t done the show in a long time, and took that long drive out to Brooklyn in Friday afternoon traffic to sit in with these two guys and talk shit about relationships, personal empowerment, overcoming obstacles in your life, conquering fear, and all kinds of good stuff. The show usually runs an hour and fifteen. Before we knew it we had done an hour and forty. Harry’s got a web series with Josh Accardo called Dating On Set, a behind the scenes look at an adult film company, and the dating lives of people in the porn business. Harry writes and edits and Josh created it and stars in it. The first season is up on You Tube and they’re working on the 2nd season. It shoots in Cali, where there’s a lot more porn stars.
When I got there I ran into Wali Collins who had just done another segment and was using his expertise as an ex-architect to give Dante some advice on remodeling his beautiful brownstone that he calls home. Lots of comics had other careers, and are really smart! Wali is also a motivational speaker with his Y’Nevano book, pronounced “Ya Nevah Know”, about living a regretless life and motivating yourself to accomplish your goals.
Marion Grodin and Gotham Team Up for Charity
Went to Gotham to catch Godfrey do his thing, which is always cool and got to catch up with host Marion Grodin who’s planning another comedy/charity event for Help USA coming up on October 6th at at Gotham, where Chris Mazzilli greenlights so many charity events, and as of now, the show will be her, Mario Cantone and Judy Gold as the entertainment.
Stopped by The Stand and got to congratulate Vladimir Caamano on his Howie Mandel gala in Montreal the week before. He said it was the best week of his life and he couldn’t ask for more, because besides the Howie gala he got to feature for one of his idols, Sebastian Maniscalco in two different shows. Great to see someone who’s truly grateful for the breaks they get.
Club Owner P.J. Landers New One Man Show
P.J. Landers used to own Comedy Village which was in the spot of the former Boston Comedy Club, Barry Katz’s old place. Now he produces shows at The Grisly Pear on MacDougal Street down the block from The Cellar. He’s also got a one man show at the Davenport Theatre as part of the 16th annual Midtown International Theatre Festival. It’s a moving piece called Universal Dad about the actor father he didn’t meet until he was 29 years old, after tracking him down to Cali and flying out to surprise him, only to lose him only six months later to a fatal illness. He did a great job and there were several stand-ups in the audience. As I walked in I heard someone calling me, and it was Dante Nero who hadn’t mentioned to me that he was coming. We sat together. I also saw Jordan Ferber, Franke Hudak and a couple of other comics as well.
Seen at the Cellar
I stopped off at the late show at The Cellar after going to finally see Trainwreck, It was cool that Estee Adoram, legendary Cellar booker, was still at “the table” a bit after 1 A.M. so I could congratulate her on her appearance in the film. Keith Robinson was also there and I got to congratulate him as well for his funny scene with Marina Franklin as a couple in the movies where he gets into it with Amy’s boyfriend played by gargantuan heavyweight wrestling champ John Cena, who’s basically a building with clothes. Cena’s character keeps talking during the film, ( typical White people! LOL) disturbing Keith and his date! Personally I think Keith would have mouthed off to him in real life as well. Amy Schumer proved her worth as a serious actress. Major kudos to Amy!
Also at the table was Ben Bailey, Ryan Hamilton, Sherrod Small, Dov Davidoff, Ricky Velez, Mike Vecchione and Rich Vos who took the time out of his conversation to make fun of my fanny pack. I explained to him and the rest of the table why I needed it. I keep my beeper, Walkman, and 8 track tape player in there!
I think I gave you guys enough! I’m OUT!!!
Jeffrey Gurian is a comedian, writer and all around bon vivant in New York City. Subscribe to his YouTube channel. Below, photos, Jeffrey performing at Sweet and Jeffrey with Todd Barry, Dante Nero and Harry Tarjanian, Seth Herzog and Jerry O’Connell.
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