New York Comedy Festival

Tracy Morgan must be the hardest working man in show business. In addition to his Emmy-nominated role on 30 Rock, Morgan stars in movies (G-Force, Who Dat Ninja?), performs stand-up (like his recent performance at Carolines), and headlines major comedy festivals (the 2009 New York Comedy Festival, anyone?). Well, now we can add 'author's memoirs' to Morgan's mile-long

resume.  His first book, I Am the New Black, comes out – drum roll please – October 20th, 2009!

I Am the New Black is already among the top #100 biographies on Amazon.com and is generating quite a lot of buzz. Morgan holds nothing back in his new memoir and some of his former SNL cast members are the target. For instance, on Cheri O'Terri and Chris Kattan, Morgan has written, “I could remember those two, especially those two people, treating me like the invisible guy.  Now look where they at.  Cheri Oteri, she can't even get arrested.” Ha!  It is true that Tracy's star

is burning much brighter than his SNL castmates, but to be fair, lots of SNL veterans seem to be immune from arrest.  Like how even though Molly Shannon made Superstar, she remains a free woman today.  Weird, huh?

We're sure I Am the New Black the will be a smash in all its forms; in paperback, in audio book, and (at Morgan's personal request) in audio pop-up book. We're not sure if that last one will actually

work, but if anyone can make it and make it funny, it's him.

Speaking of chronological reporting, the A.V. Club of The Onion just posted an interview with Mike Birbiglia.  The article, which is really more of an A.V.- Birbiglia Joint, outlines his writing process for stand-up storytelling.  Birbiglia reiterates some of the caveats of other great storytellers, from Steve Martin (“And by the way, you know, when you're telling these little stories? Here's a good idea – have a POINT. It makes it SO much more interesting for the listener!”) and Nick Swardson (“You know when you’re telling a bad story and you’re like, ‘Yeah!  And then…!’ but in you’re head you’re going, ‘This story’s bad….’”) while giving some useful tips to aspiring comedians.   Since my commentary has thus far added nothing, I’ll just link you here.  

Patton Oswalt, Caroline’s regular and one of the stars of the upcoming 2009 NY Comedy Festival , has been making the rounds this week to promote his new dramatic film Big Fan. Of course, when we heard Oswalt was starring in a drama, we asked “how are they going to make a drama about a cartoon rat?” Well it turns out Oswalt is actually playing an obsessive New York Giant’s fan, whose dedication to his team borders on “extreme dysfunction,” or as anyone not from the NJ-NY metro area calls it, “being a normal Giants fan.”

In an interview this week with Scott Wampler of the Newark Examiner, Oswalt said that what attracted him to the project his character “and the way [he] was rendered.” Oswalt character in the film is, for those who have yet to see the film, an out-of-shape parking garage attendant who lives at home with his mother. We assume that to prepare for such a rigorous departure from his on-stage persona, Oswalt had to both get out of bed in the morning and drive to work. Either way, Big Fan is getting great reviews, has a favorable 82% rating on RottenTomatoes.com, and is expanding in release. We strongly recommend it.

And for those of you who just can’t get enough Patton Oswalt, youc an also see him in The Informant! alongside Matt Damon.  Oh yeah, and he'll be performing at the 2009 NY Comedy Festival Saturday, November 7th. (Tickets available at http://www.nycomedyfestival.com).

The New York Comedy Festival’ is looking for “New York’s Funniest Stand-Up” and will hold an open call for anyone who thinks they have what it takes to be called “New York’s Funniest Stand-Up.”  Compete for a chance to open for one of the headliners in the festival, a cash prize, and a People’s Choice Award, for which the winner will be recognized at the 2010 People’s Choice Awards in Los Angeles.

OPEN CALLS:

Tuesday, October 20, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.  

Wednesday, October 21, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Carolines on Broadway

1626 Broadway, NYC

SEMI-FINAL ROUNDS:

Tuesday, October 27 at 7:00 p.m.

Stand-Up New York

236 West 78th Street, NYC

Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00 p.m.

Gotham Comedy Club

208 West 23rd Street, NYC

FINALS:

Wednesday, November 4 at 6:00 p.m.

Carolines on Broadway

1626 Broadway, NYC

Top Nine Reasons to See Bill Maher Perform at the 2009 NYCF

9.  Glenn Beck hates everything Maher stands for.  That should be enough.

8.  Finally you can be the “funny one,” re-Tweeting Maher’s wry observations with the speed and dexterity of a twenty-year-old.

7.  Maher is even more convincing live than on television.  Bring your innocuously racist uncle for a re-education.

6.  It sounds very bourgeois to tell people you’re “catching a show at Avery Fisher in Lincoln Center.”  

5.  The Daily Show and The Colbert Report don’t tape on Sunday.  What else are you supposed to debate with your co-workers on Monday?

4.  Maher is number thirty-eight on Comedy Central’s list of the “100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.” Statistically speaking, he’s sixty-two percent better than Gallagher.  Plus, he won’t spray you with watermelon debris.

3.  Since Dennis Miller became a conservative and Al Franken a senator, Maher is part of an endangered breed of political commentator.

2.  …Because you’re a part of the liberal media bias!

1.  Until HBO develops 3-D broadcasting, the best and only way to see Bill Maher in all his dimensional glory is at the 2009 New York Comedy Festival.