Thursday, February 24, 2005

Justice, Dom, Random Notes....

Jeff Justice and his graduates were tearing it up last night. It really is a fun night for everyone involved. The comedians get a tremendous amount of support and the audience members get to see someone they know up there telling jokes.

Dom starts on Friday night and we are really looking forward to it. He is such a class act and wickedly funny to boot.

You should visit with us if you've never seen Dom live before.

I want to say thank you to the folks over at the AJC who had me out to speak to their group today about the challenges small business owners have in dealing with customer relationships. I also got to tell a few jokes which was nice.

Monday, February 21, 2005

Pauly Shore - Reality Television Star?

Pauly Shore is with us tonight only for two shows.

Coincidentally, there is an article in the Hollywood Reporter that you can see through our friends at Shecky Magazine about a new reality show called "Minding the Store" about the transition of the Comedy Store from Pauly's mother to Pauly.

We wish him the best of luck with the project.

Now if any producers want to partner with a legendary Atlanta comedy club that is operated by a lawyer/comic/radio host and his partner for a behind the scenes look of what it takes to make a successful comedy club go - give us a call here at the club.

Monday Morning Quaterback....

Another weekend is in the books.

Colin Quinn was a really interested comedian to watch perform. The audiences were engaged in his material, and he enjoyed himself on stage. My partner Chris DiPetta and Colin go back a long way. In fact, back when Chris was with Catch A Rising Star comedy clubs, Colin was a Catch comedian - so in a way, they had something similar to a manager-comic relationship before.

In any event, Stewart Huff opened for Colin before the late show on Saturday night. I was up in the office doing some work, and since Stewart is a comedian I enjoy listening to, I went out on to the balcony. There was Colin, also watching Stewart. Now I will confess that after a while you can tune out a comedian you have worked with before. What you are able to hear however, are the parts that are different almost right away.

Later, after the show, Colin sat Stewart down and talked with him at length about comedy. What I was particularly impressed with was the degree of specificity that Colin commented on Stewart's material. I thought it was a particularly nice gesture and a reminder of the traditional mentoring role that some comedians can provide for each other.

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Colin Quinn Will Be Sold Out....

OK gang, we got something like 50 or 60 total tickets left for Friday night Colin Quinn and then the only thing that will be left is the 11PM show on Saturday.

If you want to see this show, really, really get on the stick.

He'll be on 99x, Star94, 790TheZone, 680TheFan, 96Rock, XM, 640GST, and Atlanta Tonight on UPN.

Finis Henderson Stands Them Up....

You know that every once in a while I will draw a distinction between comedians and entertainers.

Finis is clearly in the latter category.

The level of professionalism, and the overall way in which the show just pick you up and carries you along - it is really something to get to see in such an intimate venue.

This is probably the last time that you'll get to see Finis for a while in a club in Atlanta. He has so few opportunities to get out of the large showrooms and get back to his roots.

We will miss him and hope that we are able to see him here again soon.

Rich And Bonnie Are Getting Married...

Couldn't be happier for two nicer people.

While their visit was brief, we had a great time with them.

Maybe someday they'll be back.

We'll keep waiting for invitation to the wedding.

Monday, February 14, 2005

Rich Vos Media...

Don't forget to listen to Rich Vos today on 96Rock this afternoon.

He'll be on 790 The Zone tomorrow morning.

Private Functions and Corporate Events....

We have all participated in events or functions that were brutally ho-hum. It is not the result of a lack of trying, for any of us who have planned a function or event, we know that keeping the audience or participants happy is a time consuming focus.

Why not let us here at The Punchline turn your ordinary event in to an extraordinary one?

You have the opportunity to utilize a legendary comedy venue when you rent out the entire room, or when you have special access before a regular show.

Comedy is highly individualized art to begin with, but think about the impact that a evening of comedy tailored to your group can have. Add a custom buffet and you have the makings of an annual event.

You have more options than you realize when it comes to making your event special.

Email me at jamie at punchline.com to get the ball rolling.

Saturday, February 12, 2005

Happy Birthday To Us...

It is hard to believe that The Punchline has been open for 23 years.

So much has changed in that time and yet so much remains the same.

I am very excited about what the next 23 years might look like for the world of comedy and the things that we can do at the club. I know that we cannot do it without the support of our customers, who I regard as being the best comedy audience you can find. The affinity that comedians around the country have for that stage is still something that is incredible to hear described.

We are excited about the variety of acts we have for the next week, we hope to see you and we really hope to see you more than once.

Pat Cooper and Rich Vos...

Pat Cooper had to reschedule (date to be announced later) because of some things that he had no control over.

Rich Vos is his replacement. Rich will be here with Bonnie McFarland. We think that it will be a dynamite show.

My Graduating Class....

I was talking with another comedian recently when we got talking about a particular comedian. This is a comedian who is older than I am, but I always think that he is younger than I am because he started comedy after me.

I concluded that comedians treat their career a bit like high school when it comes to your local scene. The people who make the transition from amateur to paid comic when you do are all in your graduating class.

It is by this logic, I'd say that Tom Simmons and I were in the same class and Costaki and Jody Milks were in the class behind me. Tommy James and Dan Menghini were in middle school when I was graduating. Pat Dixon and Stewart Huff laugh at me behind my back.

Well aren't I lame?

I can't believe that it has been an entire week since I made a post here.

Todd was fantastic last week. Full of energy, really the real deal.

Super Bowl was decent. The family enjoyed it with some neighbors and the staff got together with some friends of the club and a good time was had by Eagle, save of course, for the Eagles fans.

This week got off to a bang up start. Happy Birthday to Alice Jankowski.

Costaki and Caroline are having a ball this weekend. That's what happens when you are comics in love.

Solid, solid shows tonight and two sold out tomorrow night so far. The seats that are left for the show at 11 will likely be gone by the end of the day.

Saturday, February 05, 2005

Who are we?

Todd Glass is an MVP....

I really hope you've taken the time to come out and check out Todd's show. If you haven't, well, you best get in your car because we only have one show left before he leaves Atlanta.

Seven and nine both sold out, and the room is filled with a great energy.

Yesterday, Todd and Southside got into it on 96Rock. It sounds really like it was a misunderstanding, and I am sure that the next time Todd is in town, they'll work it out.

Thursday, February 03, 2005

Getting Stage Time / Work At The Punchline....

Nearly everyday I get questions about how does one get stage time or work at The Punchline.

There are basically two ways.

If you are person new to performing comedy, we encourage you to come out on Wednesday night to sign up for one of our showcase spots. We will pick from the list of people who sign up who will be performing the next week. If selected, you will get something less than 6 minutes in which to do your thing. As a newer comic I stood in the parking lot many an early week night hoping to get stage time. I understand the experience.

If you have a litte more experience under your belt or are going to be visiting us from some place more than two or three hours away, contact Marcey at (404) 252-0358 to specifically arrange a Wednesday to perform.

If you are actually a working comic, meaning that you are regularly getting paid to perform in comedy clubs, then send your materials to the attention of Kathe. That material will be reviewed and then we'll be able to make a determination about how we'll work you in to the mix.

Finally, if you'd like to perform but don't know how to get started click on either Jeff Justice's or Manny Olivera's link to the right of this blog. Several successful comedians started out in a class to help focus on how to write material. The only approach to learning how to be a comedian is one that results in both gigs and a laughing audience.

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Dethawing.....

It turns out that ice is counterproductive to comedy.

Cory Holcomb from Last Comic Standing was making his headlining debut at our club and the ice didn't help any.

I am happy that none of our customers were out and being injured coming to see a comedy show, but still - round the clock coverage on the news? I don't think so.

Cory was great by the way.

If you have ever seen the movie "Big Night" you know that it revolves around a restaurant that is waiting on a visit from Louie Prima. Cory is friendly with Shaq and Shaq was in town to play the Hawks, thus it was possible that Shaq would stop by and visit the club. Shaq even told Cory this much.

Did he show? No, but the upside is that DiPetta and I would up fighting on the beach. (Not really, but it's a movie reference joke.)