Jeffrey Gurian - Laughing Legends: How The Comic Strip Club Changed The Face of Comedy

Copyright 2016 by Jeffrey Gurian and Richie Tienken

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Jane Shepherd

Cover photo credit istock.com

Print ISBN: 978-1-63220-202-4

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-1079-5

Printed in the United States

CONTENTS

FOREWORD BY RICHIE TIENKEN

Even as Im writing this book, its hard for me to believe that forty years have gone by since we first opened the doors of The Comic Strip on June 1, 1976.

Coming from a simple background and leaving home at fourteen to make my way in the world, I realize life was not set to absolutely wind up the way it did.

Somehow, I went from owning six bars in The Bronx to managing one of the biggest stars in the comedy world: Eddie Murphy. When I think about it now, honestly, I still cant quite figure out how it all happened. But Ill tell you one thing: It was quite a trip!

Ive gone from having all of my money stolen by a shady contractor (while trying to build The Stripuntil, at the last second, my landlord stepped in to save the day) to breaking ties with my former client Eddie Murphy, which interestingly enough led to me meeting and marrying my wife, Jeannie, and having my two sons, Jonathan and Richie. Over and over, experiences that started out negative turned into something more positive than I could ever imagine. And it all has been more than I ever could have hoped for.

How do you wrap your mind around the fact that you helped launch the careers of people like Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Ray Romano, Eddie Murphy, George Wallace, and Adam Sandler? Its still inconceivable to me, but when Jeffrey and I did the interviews for the book, every comic said The Strip was his home, and they all were grateful for the supportparticularly for my personal support.

A few years ago, I went through a serious medical crisis and had to be away from the club for a while. Thanks to God, to the support of my wife and kids, and to those around me, I came through it and was able to come back to this club that has been my life for so long.

I want to take this opportunity to thank my good friend and coauthor Jeffrey Gurian for helping me tell my story and the stories of all the people who came through here during the past forty years. Thats all Im gonna say about him right now, cause I thank him again in the acknowledgments.

In closing, I just want to express my gratitude for all the good things that life has given me, and even for the not so good things. Its all been part of my path and what led me to where I am now.

Life has taught me many lessons. Some great, some not so great, but its been a spectacular ride, and it aint over yet!

Id like to dedicate this book to my sister, Joanie, who was like the mom of the club if there was to be one; to my wife, Jeannie, and to my kids, Jonathan, Richard, Jacqui, Dawn Marie, and Christina; and to my grandchildren, Giovanna, Vincent, Brittany, Taylor, and Brayden.

Richie Tienken

FOREWORD BY JEFFREY GURIAN

This book represents more than four years of work. Hard work! I started it in the summer of 2008 at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal by interviewing Larry Miller, George Wallace, and Paul Provenza. Since then, its taken on a life of its own and has become a labor of love for me. Its made me kind of the historian of the most legendary comedy club ever, The Comic Strip.

When I started writing comedy at the age of twelve, there was no possible way for me to know that I would someday have the opportunity to tell the stories of so many people who changed the face of comedy not only in this country, but all over the world.

Im very grateful to my pal Richie Tienken for trusting me to tell his story and the stories of others in this book. Its been an amazing ride and more fun that I could have imagined.

Not only am I grateful for the opportunity to do this book, but Im grateful to have become part of The Comic Strip family, because thats what it is a family. I feel like I have a second home there. Ive spent more time at The Strip during the last several years than anywhere else. Id come in and see J. R. by the bar in his ever-present blue shirt, and I always knew I was home.

Ive taken more meetings in the tiny former coatroom that passes for Richies office than I could ever imagine. Once with Ray Romano, we had five men in there, in a space thats already too tight when youre alone!

My history with The Strip goes back a long time. I sat in that little room many years ago with Lucien Hold, who was the face of The Comic Strip for twenty-five years. Many people thought he owned it, and Richie never minded that.

Lucien was always very kind to me, to the point where he once set up the video system in the club so I could do a comedy news broadcast from the stage during one of the shows, and everyone there said, Lucien must really like you, cause he doesnt do that for anyone.

Years later, I sat with him in that tiny office and tried to alleviate the pain he was living with from scleroderma (which finally took his life) by doing spiritual healing on him. He was open to it and told me that it helped.

The Strip has changed my life as well. Its allowed me to start performing stand-up, which was a dream of mine for many years, and I hosted shows there every week for almost two years, getting to introduce some of the younger comics on their way to becoming the stars of tomorrow, like Pete Davidson, Joe Machi, and Sam Morril. It also allowed me to produce a benefit for diabetes, which took my dad, Raymond Gurian, back in 2001.

Id like to dedicate my part of the book to my mom and dad, Marge and Ray Gurian, who gave me my sense of humor; to my daughters, Elizabeth DeRobertis and Kathryn Siry, who have had to put up with my sense of humor; and to their gorgeous children, Nicky, Lilly, Brookie, and Adrienne, to whom Im simply Poppa Jeff! And thats my greatest gift!

Enjoy the book!

Jeffrey Gurian

INTRODUCTION BY CHRIS ROCK

I didnt go to college, and I regret it. Every now and again I have a conversation with somebody and they use a reference like Cantinflas or a word like deciduous, and I get that ol GED feeling. Im smart, but I have a hole in my knowledge, like a superhero with arthritis. I dont know a lot of sociology or economics, but I do have a lot of opinions about sociology and economicsgood if you want to be a comedian; bad if you want to be the comedians accountant. But dont think I didnt learn anything. Far from it. For the job I wanted, I couldnt have picked a better school than The Comic Strip. For one thing, you didnt need a Pell Grant. I got in straight from Red Lobster.