the comic's comic

Larry King's stand-up comedy tour. Who does he think he is, Glenn Beck?

Larry King has announced dates and times for a stand-up comedy tour. Who does he think he is, Glenn Beck or something? Wait. Hold on. My sources are telling me that Glenn Beck actually did mount his own stand-up comedy tour. Who does Glenn Beck think he is anyway, Keith Olbermann? Wait. Hold on. That actually might have made some sense. I think we could all see Olbermann telling jokes, because he used to seem quite adept at the quips, didn't he?

But this Larry King stand-up comedy thing? It's not news to me, since I told you King was going to do stand-up comedy back in December when King was packing up shop at CNN, and showed you that he already was doing something resembling stand-up for years.

So where and when can you see the 77-year-old chatter make the funny-hahas? Don't everybody log onto Ticketmaster.com all at once now.

Here are the dates for Larry King: Standing Up

Torrington, CT (April 14 at the Time Warner Theatre)
Wilkes-Barre, PA (April 15 at the Kirby Center for the Performing Arts)
Westbury, NY (April 16 at the Theatre at Westbury)
Baltimore, MD (May 13 at the Hippodrome)
Atlantic City, NJ (May 14 at the Music Box)
Reno, NV (June 10 at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino)
Las Vegas, NV (June 11 at the Mirage Hotel)

King also will include audience Q&As during each performance.

Aziz Ansari's video job application

Why is Aziz Ansari looking for work, and doing so on video for the Producers Guild Awards?

Let's watch and find out:

 

Oh, it's a joke. I get it. Ansari doesn't actually need work, because while it's true that he'll be on hiatus from his current role on a network primetime sitcom in NBC's Parks and Recreation, and he'll be seen later this year in the film, 30 Minutes or Less, he has plenty of stuff on his plate. Several movie projects in development, in fact. All of it pretty much green-lighted with the help of Judd Apatow, the guy who also happened to host the PGAs this year.

If you do want to book Aziz Ansari for your next project, though, it's also true that he's represented by UTA -- and 3Arts. For stand-up bookings, go through Mike Berkowitz at APA.

For all of the other stand-up comedians who truly do need work, just ask me. Maybe we can figure something out together.

Watch Andy Kindler perform stand-up on Late Show with David Letterman. Am I right, ladies?

Andy Kindler is a correspondent for Late Show with David Letterman, but on Friday night, all of his correspondence came in the form of stand-up comedy.

In this set, Kindler explores his own dilemma about the recent movie, The Dilemma, and alleges to be the first comedian to use what's now a very common phrase. "Am I right, ladies?" He is right, ladies. He is right. Roll the clip!

 

The Pajama Men in "Last Stand to Reason," four nights only in Brooklyn

It's OK if it takes you a minute to figure out The Pajama Men.

Yes, they are two men onstage in pajamas, and you get the gist of that straight away. But what is it exactly that Shenoah Allen and Mark Chavez are doing? It's not quite sketch. It's not quite improv. In the first minutes of "Last Stand to Reason," their production that earned them two 2010 Chortle Awards nominations, the duo weaves back and forth, swapping the character of a ticket-taker on a train ride with the dozens of passengers on it. For the next hour, Allen and Chavez continue on their quick pace through multiple narratives that intertwine, and every so often, they'll encounter a moment that even seems to surprise each other. It's in these playful moments that they're at their most enjoyable.

Like when Allen and Chavez are swapping secrets. Or when Chavez is showing off his skills shuffling a deck of cards. Or even when Allen finds himself saying the word "crisps" instead of chips.

After all, they've won big awards at the festivals in both Edinburgh and Melbourne, although the pair is neither British nor Australian. They're New Mexican. Go figure.

"Last Stand to Reason" became the highest-selling act ever last year at London's Soho Theatre. These two men from New Mexico in their pj's aren't going to set any new records this week with their first tip into the waters of New York City at St. Ann's Warehouse in DUMBO. But give them more than a minute to figure it out, and maybe someday they will.

Ticket information: The Pajama Men in NYC.

 

Comedy at SXSW 2011

Love comedy? Want to know where to find comedy at SXSW? For the first time in its 25 years, Austin's SXSW festival has included comedy across all three facets of the South by SouthWest festival, from Interactive through Film and Music, so you're just going to have to spend a few more days enjoying the best BBQ and friends than you were expecting.

I'll update this post as needed.

“Stand-up comedy at SXSW touches on all the best things about our event,” says SXSW Managing Director Roland Swenson. “Great comics are masters of live performance, the best story-tellers and pioneers in new media. We're incredibly proud that so many great comics choose to join us here.”

Here's what's on tap (schedule updates as provided!)

Saturday, March 12

A conversation on the movie Super, with James Gunn, Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page

Being funny on Twitter (without getting fired)

A conversation with Todd Phillips

Cracked.com presents you Cracked Live! @ SXSW: 5-8 p.m., West Tent, Brush Square Park (for badgeholders), half-hour show featuring Cracked.com's Michael Swaim, Soren Bowie, Dan O’Brien, Katie Willert and Cody Johnston, followed by a party.

Brett Gelman, Dave Foley, Howard Kremer, Michael Ian Black, Scott Aukerman at Esther's Follies

Doug Loves Movies taping

Comedy Death-Ray at Esther's Follies, with Scott Aukerman, Michael Ian Black, Dave Foley, Brett Gelman, Howard Kremer, Kevin Pollak

Sunday, March 13

Late Night Comedy meets Social Business

A Conversation with Paul Reubens

Social Media and Comedy: F*** Yeah!

Comedy Death-Ray Radio at Esther's Follies

Comedy showcase "Dark, Bitter and Sweet" at Esther's Follies: Anthony Jeselnik, Ben Kronberg, Matt Bearden, Marc Maron

Just For Laughs festival auditions at Cap City Comedy Club

Monday, March 14

The Female Funny: Is it different for girls?

The Nerdist podcast taping with Chris Hardwick

John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show (in Austin) with John Oliver, Pete Holmes, Al Madrigal, Kumail Nanjiani, Brendon Walsh.

Tuesday, March 15

Funny or Die live Twitter stream show with Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant

How alternative comedy kings have met the masses

WTF with Marc Maron

Comedy showcase "Talk Nerdy to Me" at Esther's Follies: Chris Hardwick, Eugene Mirman, Doug Benson, Tom Lennon

Friday, March 18

The Benson Interruption 

Ether's Follies: (early) Darryl Lenox, Eugene Mirman, Hampton Yount, Jena Friedman, Kurt Braunohler, Tig Notaro; (late) Amy Schumer, Ben Kronberg, Bryson Turner, Chelsea Peretti, Chris Cubas, Glenn Wool, Joe Derosa, Rob Cantrell

Saturday, March 19

The Benson Interruption

Esther's Follies: (early) Ben Kronberg, Bryson Turner, Chelsea Peretti, Chris Fairbanks, Hampton Yount, Joe Derosa, Tig Notaro; (late) Amy Schumer, Chris Cubas, Darryl Lenox, Donald Glover, Glenn Wool, Jena Friedman, Kurt Braunohler

Elsewhere around Austin...

The Comedy Store is bringing in comedians from the store to perform mutiple nights as well (pictured at left).

Cap City Comedy Club has Paul Varghese headlining during the bulk of SXSW (March 16-19), with Alex Koll and Doug Mellard the week starting it March 9-12.

The New Movement Theater has an all-female lineup on March 17 with Lashonda Lester, Amber Bixby, Maggie Maye and Kath Barbadoro; Ben Kronberg and Chris Trew, followed by Brooke Van Poppelen and John F. O'Donnell on March 18; and Joe DeRosa with Andrew Tompkins and John F. O'Donnell on March 19.

The SXSW film schedule also includes a documentary about Conan O'Brien's 2010 concert tour, a documentary of NYC's indie comedy scene -- Tell Your Friends! The Movie -- Mel Gibson as a ventriloquist in The Beaver, Paul, Dane Cook's new movie, and other selections.

Comedians attending SXSW include: 
Scott Aukerman, Matt Bearden, Doug Benson, Michael Ian Black, Kurt Braunohler, Rob Cantrell, Chris Cubas, Joe Derosa, Chris Fairbanks, Dave Foley, Jena Friedman, Brett Gelman, Donald Glover, Chris Hardwick, Pete Holmes, Anthony Jeselnik, Howard Kremer, Ben Kronberg, Tom Lennon, Darryl Lenox, Al Madrigal, Marc Maron, Doug Mellard, Eugene Mirman, Kumail Nanjiani, Tig Notaro, John Oliver, Chelsea Peretti, Kevin Pollak, Amy Schumer, Brody Stevens, Bryson Turner, Brendon Walsh, Glenn Wool, Hampton Yount

Bill Hader cracks up even when he's explaining SNL's "Stefon" character to David Letterman (VIDEO)

Credit Bill Hader for giving John Mulaney credit throughout this panel chat on tonight's Late Show with David Letterman, as Hader cracks up explaining how he cracks up whenever he performs the "Stefon" character on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update.

"I've laughed every -- dress and air -- I've laughed every single time, because it's just ridiculous," he said, before bursting into another round of giggles. "You're not supposed to laugh. But Seth Meyers will start to go, and I'll see cue guy, the cue card guys will start laughing, and then, now it's gotten to the point where the guy putting on my mic will go, 'You are dead, buddy. You are going to laugh first thing out of the gate.' And then sometimes John Mulaney will change things as we walk out. I'll be walking out and he'll go, 'The club promoter's name is now Gay Liotta.' I'm like, 'Why did you just do that to me?'"

You've read about how Hader and Mulaney came up with Stefon. Now watch and listen to Hader explain it (and his new fan base) to Letterman!

 

Jim Jefferies explains the joys and perils of drinking to "Lopez Tonight" audience that clearly enjoys drinking

If you know anything about comedian Jim Jefferies, it may be that he's Australian, that he has lived in the U.K., that he really likes to drink, and that he doesn't care if you're offended by anything that he says. On last night's Lopez Tonight, however, Jefferies informed the audience that his doctor told him he needed to quit drinking.

The Lopez Tonight audience clearly is made up of many women who love the idea of getting drunk. Jefferies learns them on how they're amateurs if they need drinking games to do so.

Also: You can say "shitload" on TBS.

Roll the clip!

 

Quotes, notes and news on The Greg Giraldo Fund and assorted benefit plans

Last week's benefit concert for Greg Giraldo's family, "The Big Time Comedy Show," was a big-time success at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. Jerry Seinfeld, Lewis Black, Dave Attell, Colin Quinn, Nick DiPaolo, Jim Norton, Eddie Brill, Ted Alexandro and Jesse Joyce all brought just the right amount of humor to the event, aided by host Tom Papa.

Greg's widow, Maryann McAlpin-Giraldo, and the couple's three young sons were in attendance, too. Midway through the two-hour event, Maryann read a statement to the packed audience:

"From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here at this event tonight. I'm very lucky and blessed to have so much love and support from so many people during this difficult time in our lives. My children will always remember how many people loved and respected their father. My own focus is to take my family's tragedy and turn it into something positive and good for others. Addiction is an illness that affects the entire family, and often the true victims are children. We're launching this fund in Greg's name to help children living within families of addiction. I believe that children must be educated, encouraged and empowered, and given the tools they need to make different choices in their lives. If anyone is interested in getting involved, there's information in the handouts you received tonight. I also am very lucky to have some of the best comedians in the world here tonight. These were not only Greg's contemporaries. They were his good friends. Please join me in thanking them for all of their time and support."

The hand-out brochure included information for The National Youth Recovery Foundation and The Greg Giraldo Fund.

Most of the comedians at last week's benefit concert stuck to delivering jokes that Giraldo would be proud to hear, although from time to time, they did acknowledge the man whose life they were celebrating.

"Thank you so much for coming. This is such a nice thing that you've done," Seinfeld said.

"How many phone calls did it take? A couple of phone calls. If Jerry said 'No,' we'd be screwed and there'd be like 40 people here. So Tom (Papa) made one phone call, and somehow he's being credited for being Mr. Charitable of 2011," Colin Quinn quipped, rushing over to fit in a set after his own one-man Broadway show.

"You're good people for coming down for this, because Greg, as you just saw, was one of the best fucking comics I've ever seen in my life. And I can't do it justice. We're all in awe of him, and we always will be." -- Dave Attell

"Greg was a great friend and a great comedian, so this is obviously sad, but also a joyous celebration. It's funny, because as the day approached, and even today, Greg's voice has been in my head all day, saying, 'Alexandro, if you can't get laid after my benefit, it ain't ever going to happen, dude. So, we'll see Greg. We'll see." -- Ted Alexandro

And after a highlight package of clips from Giraldo's stand-up specials and Comedy Central roast appearances, host Tom Papa also had a few words about his fallen colleague: "That was funny. Too damn funny. We started at the exact same time, and we would write material. It was our first year, and he was writing jokes about the differences between Protestants and Catholics. I was like, 'Dude. I'm working on a fart joke for six months.' Greg was completely off the hook. He was great."

This is only the beginning, of course, for fund-raising efforts for The Greg Giraldo Fund.

Giraldo's family and management are planning a similar all-star comedy benefit in Los Angeles, and Comedy Central is interviewing comedians for a separate tribute show.

At Columbia University, meanwhile, students and alumni have been putting together a Greg Giraldo Comedy Festival in March at his alma mater (Giraldo was a member of Columbia College's class of 1987, before going on to Harvard Law School). Todd Barry and Robert Kelly are the latest to sign on for the festival, which will take place March 7-8 at the university's Miller Theatre. Others slated to perform include fellow Columbia alums Gabe Liedman, Reese Waters and Lang Fisher, student comedy groups such as Chowdah, Cody Hess, Max Cohen, Christian Finnegan and Dwayne Perkins. All proceeds from the festival will go to the Giraldo Fund. 

The Comedy Awards announces inaugural nominees; April 10 ceremony to air across MTVNetworks

The Comedy Awards has a website and now also an inaugural slate of nominations.

In addition to categories for TV, film, stand-up and more, they've included a slot for the fans to submit their own work in Best Viral Original. Awards will be handed out March 26 in New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom, and then broadcasted across multiple MTVNetworks channels -- Comedy Central, Spike, TV Land, Vh1, CMT and Nick at Nite -- on April 10.

Here are your nominees:

COMEDY SERIES
"30 Rock"
"Eastbound & Down"
"It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia"
"Modern Family"
"The Office"

COMEDY ACTOR — TV
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Tracy Morgan, "30 Rock"
Danny McBride, "Eastbound & Down"

COMEDY ACTRESS — TV
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"
Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Betty White, "Hot in Cleveland"
Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live"

COMEDY ACTOR — FILM
Russell Brand, "Get Him to the Greek"
Will Ferrell, "The Other Guys"
Zach Galifianakis, "Dinner for Schmucks"
Paul Giamatti, "Barney’s Version"
Jonah Hill, "Cyrus"

COMEDY ACTRESS — FILM
Tina Fey, "Date Night"
Anne Hathaway, "Love & Other Drugs"
Helen Mirren, "Red"
Chloë Moretz, "Kick-Ass"
Emma Stone, "Easy A"

LATE NIGHT COMEDY SERIES
"The Colbert Report"
"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"
"Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon"
"Late Show with David Letterman"

SKETCH COMEDY/ALTERNATIVE COMEDY SERIES
"Childrens Hospital"
"Funny or Die Presents"
"Saturday Night Live"
"Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!"
"Tosh.0"

STAND-UP SPECIAL
"Aziz Ansari: Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening"
"Bill Maher…But I’m Not Wrong"
"Louis C.K.: Hilarious"
"Ricky Gervais: Out of England 2"
"Whitney Cummings: Money Shot"

COMEDY FILM
"Cyrus"
"Easy A"
"Get Him to the Greek"
"Kick-Ass"
"The Other Guys"

ANIMATED COMEDY FILM
"Despicable Me"
"Megamind"
"Shrek Forever After"
"Toy Story 3"

ANIMATED COMEDY SERIES
"American Dad!"
"Archer"
"Family Guy"
"The Simpsons"
"South Park"

COMEDY WRITING — TV
"30 Rock"
"Louie"
"Modern Family"
"The Office"
"The Simpsons"

COMEDY SCREENPLAY
"Cyrus"
"Easy A"
"Hot Tub Time Machine"
"Kick-Ass"
"Tiny Furniture"

COMEDY DIRECTING — TV
"30 Rock"
"Community"
"Modern Family"
"The Office"
"Saturday Night Live"

COMEDY DIRECTOR — FILM
Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass, "Cyrus"
Will Gluck, "Easy A"
Adam McKay, "The Other Guys"
Matthew Vaughn, "Kick-Ass"
Edgar Wright, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World"

NPR interviews Laugh Factory's new in-house therapist, while Kevin Nealon jokes about it

Two things everyone should know about Jamie Masada before reading any news item regarding his Laugh Factory comedy clubs in Hollywood and Long Beach, Calif.: 1) Masada's heart is usually in the right place, and 2) the guy knows how to get mainstream press.

His latest idea is the hiring of an in-house therapist so comedians can work out whatever issues they cannot work out onstage.

NPR interviewed the clinical pyschologist, Dr. Ildiko Tabori, and also had Kevin Nealon phone in from Denver. Between cracking jokes, Nealon did offer his own honest perspective on how comedians have a different need for therapy, describing one of his bouts with depression:

I should have been, you know, seeing somebody or taking something. And I think for some comics, I know in my particular situation, getting on stage is an escape for me. If I - whatever problems are going on in my life, when I'm on stage, it's like going to Disneyland. I don't think about it. And then when I come off stage, it hits you like a ton of bricks.

So it's kind of being on stage is that - I think if every comic that has emotional problems could just be on stage all the time, they would be fine. But they have to step off the stage eventually and deal with what's going on.

Every comedian has a different opinion on this subject. Getting laughs onstage gives you a powerful high. An addictive high. Whether comedians have a need to be in pain before getting that high, as Tabori alleges in this NPR interview, and whether having a therapist inside the comedy club is a good idea, however, are things upon we might not agree.

It's nice of Masada to offer therapy sessions for stand-ups who truly need it. Offering it in the club? Not entirely sold on that.

 

Chuck Lorre's vanity card letters to Charlie Sheen: Season Eight of "Two and a Half Men"

At the end of any sitcom episode from the mind of Chuck Lorre, there's a blink-and-you-miss-it moment in which Lorre posts a note to the audience. It's his sit, Ubu, sit. But with more words. And during this eighth season of Two and a Half Men -- otherwise known as the show you love to watch Charlie Sheen pretend to drink too much and have too much sex with hookers, in between the times when he's actually doing those things -- Lorre has used some of his vanity cards to address the real-life escapades of his star actor.

Here are three of Lorre's more direct notes about Charlie Sheen from this season.

Last night, Lorre hoped that his healthy lifestyle would reap rewards in the end:

A month ago, Lorre tried to be more subtle about it.

And back in November, when Sheen was making a prostitute fear for her life in New York City, Lorre addressed it thusly:

You can look up all of the Chuck Lorre Productions vanity cards here.

Dana Gould breaks down the reality of "reality TV" on Conan

Don't know how I missed this the other night, but Dana Gould was on Conan last week, and amid the relationship humor of being married, and adopting kids from China -- "in China, every town is Chinatown" -- I enjoyed his choice take on "reality" television.

Roll the clip.

 

Roseanne Barr's dispatches from her Hawaiian nut farm, first a book, now a Lifetime TV series

The Lifetime network liked what it saw of Roseanne Barr's new life and book, and ordered 16 half-hour episodes of an untitled "docu-series" about this new chapter in her life running a 40-acre macadamia and livestock farm on Hawaii's big island. Her series is currently untitled, but will air later in 2011.

Quotes from the press release:

“Roseanne Barr is an undeniable force of nature and the idea of following her in this unique premise excited us from the get-go,” said Lifetime's Nancy Dubuc. “Roseanne is funny and brutally-honest, and our audience will relate to her decision to go on this adventure and create an entirely new life for herself. We are thrilled she will make her long-awaited return to television on Lifetime.”

Roseanne added: “I’m coming back down to earth, and keeping it real. They’ve said ‘Roseanne’s nuts’ for years, and now I’m going to make that a reality – I’m all about nuts now, macadamia nuts!”

The untitled Roseanne Barr series is produced by 3 Ball Productions/Eyeworks USA and Full Moon & High Tide Productions, with Roseanne Barr, JD Roth, Todd A. Nelson, Brant Pinvidic, and Steven Greener on board as executive producers, and  Jake Pentland as producer.

 

Tickets now on sale for off-Broadway run of Mike Birbiglia's "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend"

Tickets have gone on sale for Mike Birbiglia's next off-Broadway production, My Girlfriend's Boyfriend.

Here's the official blurb:

In Mike Birbiglia’s My Girlfriend's Boyfriend, Mike shares a lifetime of romantic blunders and miscues that most adults would spend a lifetime trying to forget. On this painfully honest journey, Birbiglia struggles to find reason in an area where it may be impossible to find -- love.

Tickets cost $35.50 for preview performances (March 18-30), then go up to $49.50 for shows from March 31 through May 15.

On Valentine's Day: Maron, Delaney, Klausner, The Axis of Awesome, Weinbach and Kasher

Calling all romantics. It's Valentine's Day today, and some comedians are ready to help and serve you with advice both real and really funny.

Marc Maron wrote an essay for the New York Post about how all men can learn from his past mistakes. Stick with chocolate and flowers, please. "Another thing, you might be tempted to get something cute and creative, like a cool rock, a daisy, an ironic vinyl record and a card you made out of a diner menu and used Metrocards. This is only okay if you are 14 to 25 (or emotionally that old)."

Rob Delaney has a few choice words for Funny or Die about the day, and his dream date: Jennifer Hudson.

If you wrote in to The A.V. Club looking for advice today, then Julie Klausner has some for you.

The Axis of Awesome knows that even down under, it's still Valentine's Day, and what better time to teach you how to write a love song:

 

When you think of romantic men, the first two names to pop up were Moshe Kasher and Brent Weinbach. Obvs. This short film on dating etiquette has a 25% funny rating! Which means three out of every four people have no idea what's going on here.

 

Lewis Black, The Daily Show, Jimmy Fallon's TV band among this year's Grammy winners

Did you win a Grammy Award last night?

Probably not. But you know who did win at the 53rd annual Grammys...

Lewis Black's Stark Raving Black won Best Comedy Album. His fellow nominees were Margaret Cho, Kathy Griffin, Flight of the Conchords and Robin Williams. It's Black's second Grammy. He won previously in 2007 for The Carnegie Hall Performance.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Audiobook) Jon Stewart (With Samantha Bee, Wyatt Cenac, Jason Jones, John Oliver & Sigourney Weaver) won for Best Spoken Word Album, beating out Craig Ferguson, Sarah Silverman, Michael J. Fox, Carol Burnett and Woody Allen.

And The Roots took home trophies for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance with John Legend for "Hang In There," a piece of Best R&B Song for "Shine," and Best R&B Album. But don't tell them to quit their day job just yet, because everyone loves hearing and seeing The Roots five nights a week on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon!

Ted Alexandro on Letterman: Single and loving it!

Just in time for Valentine's Day, here comes Ted Alexandro's latest set on Late Show with David Letterman, in which the 42-year-old comedian espouses the joys of being single. Alexandro also has the audacity and temerity to bring up gay marriage. He's comedy's very own George Clooney! Sort of. You know.

Roll the clip!

 

IFC renews Portlandia for second season, 10 episodes in 2012

Halfway through its initial six-episode order, Portlandia already has become enough of a critical new fave that IFC has renewed the comedy for a full 10-episode, second season, to air in January 2012. Congrats all around. If you're not yet watching it, you should be. Funny stuff from the minds of Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein.

Comix has closed. No more funny business.

Rumors of Comix's demise are no longer rumors. The comedy club on the edge of New York City's Chelsea and Meatpacking districts, the only club in the city to straddle the lines between traditional comedy club and indie comedy club, shuttered late Saturday night after four years.

Many former employees showed up. Judah Friedlander, then Christian Finnegan, closed out the comedy club's formal existence before a packed crowd.

The new owners tried to promise all sorts of things when they spoke to me last month, but things quickly went south. How quickly? Within days, veteran stand-up comedian Bobby Slayton was telling anyone who'd read his Twitter feed that he and others had been stiffed on their paychecks by the club. Apparently, there was a million-dollar investor who the owners were relying on, but who stiffed them instead. Then comics weren't the only workers getting stiffed by the club. More employees were let go. The club stopped restocking paper. And on Saturday, performers were notified when they showed up that this was it. There will be no more. It was a beautiful space and everyone from comedians to employees loved it, but whether it was location location location, or something else, Comix never quite worked as perfectly as it should have.

There will be an auction on Tuesday. Details:

TUESDAY--- FEBRUARY 15, 2011 --- 2:00 PM

RE: WELL KNOWN MEAT PACKING DISTRICT. RESTAURANT, CLUB, BAR

MICHAEL AMODEO & CO., INC. Auctrs.
SELL TUESDAY FEBRUARY 15, 2011 AT 2 PM
AT 353 WEST 14th STREET, MANHATTAN, NYC, OFF 9th AVE.
LIKE BRAND NEW 400 SEAT 20,000 SQ. FT. 
WELL KNOWN RESTAURANT- CLUB - BARS 
Don’t miss this Huge Auction. Everything Like Brand New, 2 Blodgett Full Size
Gas Convection Ovens, 3Ft Charcoal Grill, Pitco Pasta Cooker, Garland 10 Burner
Stove, 4 Pitco Fryers, 24Ft Chef’s Line, Berkel S.S. Slicer, Robot Coupes, Panini
Grills, 1,000Lb & 1,500Lb Ice Machines, Glass Door Refrigerators, Jackson Upright
Pass-Thru Dishwasher with S.S. Drain Boards, 10x24 Combo Walk-In Refrigerator,
Vitamix Blenders, S.S. Sinks & Tables, Security Camera System, 300 Hi-End Stack
Chairs, 150 Tables All Sizes, Metro Racks, Perlick 5 Tap Beer System, 2 Bars, 10 Ice
Bins, 6 Perlick 5 Ft Back Bars, Late Model Micros POS System with 6 Screens & 10
Printers, Panasonic Phone System, Flat Screen TV’s, 10Ft Leather Bar, 25 Leather
Bar Stools, Fine Leather Banquets, Glass Washers, Lounge Chairs, 2 Head Slush
Machine, 24Ft Wood Bar, Bar Supplies, Sound, DJ, Stage & Lighting Equipment,
Speakers, Mixers, Amplifiers, Turntables, Equalizers, Projection TV’s, Egro Swiss
Coffee System, Fine English China Dinnerware, Glassware, Flatware, S.S. & Aluminum
Pots, Pans, Trays, Sauce & Fry Pans, Utensils, Sheet Pans, Chaffing Dishes, Glass
Racks, Stemware, Metal Lockers, Safes, 20 Walkie Talkie System & Much More.
Inspection: Day Of Sale 1 PM to SaleTime. Terms: Cash Or Bank Cashiers Checks
Payable to Michael Amodeo & Co., Inc. 15% buyers premium. DCA#528663.

Auctioneers Phone: 212-473-6830 or 917-776-1080.

353 WEST 14th STREET, New York, NY 10014

 

As Egypt celebrates a revolutionary day, a special Follow Friday for Egyptian-American comedians

The Egyptian people have been celebrating day and night today upon hearing that their ruler of the past 30 years, Hosni Mubarak, had fled Cairo and given up his authority.

My thoughts turned to the Egyptian-Americans I know, both civilian and comedian.

Stand-up comedian Maria Shehata wrote earlier today: "Egyptians demonstrated peacefully and with so much respect and humor. I'm in awe and so happy for you Egypt!! #egypt #jan25"

Screenwriter and UCBer Mohamed Fathelbab has been actively outspoken since the mass rallies and protests began a few weeks ago. One of his many comments today: "There are going to be a lot of Egyptian babies born 9 months from now. #Egypt #Jan25 #Feb11"

Ahmed Ahmed kept it even simpler today: "Egypt is free!"

Last summer, Al Jazeera TV put a spotlight on Egyptian-born comedian Ahmed Ahmed and his documentary, Just Like Us, which included several segments on his homeland, where he wasn't the only one to decide that Egyptians were and are the funniest people in the Middle East.

 

Related reading: My interview last year with Ahmed Ahmed about Just Like Us.