(Interview starts at 2:00) Budd Friedman, founder of The Improv Comedy Club and co-author Tripp Whetsell of “The Improv: An Oral History of the Comedy Club that Revolutionized Stand-Up” walk us down memory lane recalling for many of us the joy and laughter of nights at The Improv.
I WANT TO BE A MANAGER. .
I WANT TO BE A PRODUCER. . I WANT TO BE AN ACTOR.
, A CLUB IN A VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT. , WE’lL CALL IT THE IMPROV. .
I DON’T KNOW WHY IT’LL BE FOR SINGERS. NAH FROM SINGERS. .
It WILL BE COMEDY. IT’LL, BE RELEASING LIFE OF JIMMY FALLON, JAY LENO DAVID STEINBERG EVERYBODY. , THE LEGENDARY IMPROV.
. Today, I’M FORTUNATE TO HAVE TRIPP WHETSELL, THE CO-AUTHOR AND THE LEGENDARY BUDD FRIEDMAN, THE LEADERS WHO JUST WROTE “ THE IMPROV, AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE COMEDY CLUB. ” THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
> > >, THANKS FOR HAVING US. , > > >, SO TELL ME ABOUT WHERE THE Family CAME FROM ORIGINALLY. , THEY WERE FARMERS.
You SAID TO ME: CONNECTICUT FARMERS, >, >, >, MY FATHER’s SIDE, WERE. >, >, >, FARMERS. , >, >, > THANK YOU.
AND MY MOTHER’s SIDE WAS RETAIL. > > >. They WERE IN RETAIL, BUSINESS.
, >, > >, AND THEN YOUR FATHER AND HIS BROTHER SUBSEQUENTLY WERE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR WORK: > > >. No, THE AUTOBODY. > > > PARTS.
> > > PARTS. . They HAVE THE GENERAL MOTORS FRANCHISE.
>, > >. They HAVE THE GENERAL MOTORS FRANCHISE. > > > SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND.
> > >. It WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTING IF THEY HAD THE DODGE BROTHERS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE DODGE BROTHERS ALLEGEDLY WERE JEWISH. GENERAL MOTORS WEREN’T.
, > > >, OH REALLY, > > >. So YOU KNOW THE DODGE PEOPLE EVEN HAD A JEWISH STAR ON THE INITIAL ENGINE: BLOCK. > > >; OH REALLY, > > >.
So THE BROTHERS ARE IN NORWALK- > >, NORWICH. , >, >, NORWICH. , THEY’RE SELLING PARTS.
And THEN YOU SAID YOU WERE BORN IN 1932. , > >, >, YES. , >, > > AND IN 1936 FROM SELLING THE PARTS YOUR FATHER GOT AN INFECTION AND PASSED AWAY.
When YOU WERE FOUR YEARS OF AGE. > > >, FIVE. , >, > > FIVE YEARS OF AGE.
, THEN MOM GOES INTO THE BUSINESS OF WHAT > > >. My MOTHER DID. Everything.
SHE’S HAD CLOTHING- >, >, >, PLUS SIZE, WOMEN. , >, > >, OH YES. , PLUS SIZE WOMAN.
, GOD GAVE THEM A SENSE OF HUMOR, A SENSE OF SECURITY, AND SO THEY FINALLY MOVED TO NEW YORK. > > >. It WAS HER TWO BROTHERS WHO BOUGHT HER TO NEW YORK.
, WHO WERE IN THE GARMENT BUSINESS. > > > YES. > > >.
So YOU GREW UP AT THAT TIME. In THE BRONX > > > YEAH. > > >.
How WAS IT GROWING UP IN THE BRONX AS A KID > > >? It WAS ALL RIGHT. . I SPENT- > > > SUMMERS IN NORWALK.
, > > > THANK YOU. IN OUTSIDE OF NORWICH IN UNCASVILLE CONNECTICUT. At MY UNCLE’s PLACE, MY FATHER’s BROTHER.
THEY SPENT FOUR SUMMER. There. > > > AND THAT HELPED YOU A LOT.
, BECAUSE YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS IT HELPED HIM WITH. You KNOW CAUSE A LOT OF HIS FRIENDS WERE DOING DRUGS AT THE TIME AND THAT KIND OF AWAKENED HIS EYES TO THAT. >, > >.
So HOW’D YOU DECIDE THAT ONE DAY YOU WANTED TO BE AN ACTOR YOU LIKED, HEDY LAMAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT: > > >. You WORKED IN THE CATSKILLS A COUPLE OF SUMMERS. > > > YEAH, BUT THAT WAS BEFORE.
WHEN I STILL LIVED IN NORWICH, MY COUSIN, WHO WAS FOUR YEARS OLDER THAN I DECIDED TO PRODUCE A SHOW AND IN THE GARAGE- > > > DURING THE SUMMER, CAMP. > > >, YOU KNOW HE SET UP A DUET FOR ME. > > >, SO THAT WAS THE INITIAL SITUATION.
FROM THE BRONX YOU MOVED TO MANHATTAN. You WENT TO DEWITT CLINTON. > >, >, DEWITT, CLINTON.
, >, > > RIGHT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A SCHLEP ON THE TRAIN. You WENT ON TO DEWITT CLINTON. AND THEN YOU GRADUATED IN WHAT 19 > > > 1950.
> > > 1950. . At THAT TIME YOU STARTED AT BROOKLYN, COLLEGE.
>, > >. No, I DID N’t START RIGHT. Away.
I SPENT A YEAR OFF. >, >, > RIGHT. AND THEN THE KOREAN WAR CAME UP AND WHAT HAPPENED IN THE KOREAN CONFLICT.
> > >. They DECIDED THEY COULDN’T WITHOUT THIS. >, > >.
You KNOW HE WAS INJURED HIS FIRST WEEK THERE IN THE KOREAN WAR. > > > FIRST WEEK, IN- > > > IN KOREA. RIGHT, BUT BEFORE THAT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE DO N’t KNOW THAT YOU SAID TO ME WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER.
The OTHER DAY WAS WHEN YOU WERE IN BASIC TRAINING IN CALIFORNIA. You WENT AWOL WITH YOUR BUDDIES OVER THERE, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT LATER ON, HAD A BIG EFFECT ON YOU THAT YOU WANTED WHEN YOU OPENED UP THE IMPROV IN CALIFORNIA. .
You LIKED CALIFORNIA, FROM THAT THAT WAS THE INITIAL SITUATION. , SO AS GETTING BACK TO WHAT TRIPP WAS SAYING, YOU GOT INJURED PORK CHOP HILL IN THE KOREAN WAR. .
After THAT, YOU CAME BACK TO NEW YORK AND AT THAT TIME YOU WENT TO BROOKLYN COLLEGE AND YOU REALIZED YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY UNDER THE GI BILL, TO GO TO NYU. > > > RIGHT. > > >, SO YOU GRADUATE NYU AND YOU WENT UP TO BOSTON Right, >, >, >, YES.
, >, >, >, OKAY, AND WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN BOSTON, >, > >? I WAS AN- > > > ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE. >, > > YEAH. > > > AT AN ADVERTISING; AGENCY.
>, >, >, SMALL AGENCY. , >, >, >, MARVIN AND LEONARD ON LINCOLN STREET, AND THEY SPECIALIZED IN SHOE ACCOUNTS PRIMARIY. >, > >.
So AFTERWARDS YOU COME TO NEW YORK, AND THIS IS WHEN YOU WANT TO BE AN ACTOR OR SOMETHING. > > >. He RULED THAT OUT, EARLY.
>, > >. You RULED OUT THE ACTING. , SO YOU CAME TO NEW YORK.
. So HOW’D YOU GET THE IDEA TO OPEN UP A CLUB, > > >. Well, I WAS DATING A GIRL WHO WAS A SINGER: IN- >, >, >, FIORELLO, RIGHT, >, >, > FIORELLO, AND WE GO OUT WITH A COUPLE OF GUYS COUPLE OF GIRLS COUPLE OF GUYS.
After THE SHOW. – AND THEY WOULD SAY REMEMBER SO AND SO AND WE’D GET UP TO SING AT HARRY’s BAR IN. > > >.
Basically, I MEAN YOU KNOW ALL THE BROADWAY SHOWS, AS THEY STILL DO, DID TRYOUTS IN PLACES LIKE CHICAGO OR PHILADELPHIA OR BOSTON, AND THERE WERE PLACES FOR THEM TO GO OUT AFTER THE SHOWS TO HANG OUT – AND YOU KNOW LET THEIR HAIR DOWN. , >, > > RIGHT. But THE KID DIDN’T HAVE MUCH MONEY.
> > >. It WAS NOTHING LIKE THAT HERE. >, > > AND HE WAS THINKING OF BUYING A PET STORE.
I THINK YOU WERE THINKING OF BUYING A PET STORE IN GREENWICH VILLAGE, AND THEN, FINALLY, YOU SEE THIS VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT IN HELL’s KITCHEN, WHICH YOU SAID, COULD WORK OUT AS THIS TYPE OF CLUB FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. . So THIS IS 1963.
. How DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME, THE IMPROV > > >? It WAS TWOFOLD. ONE IS- >, > >.
It WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS THE WAY HE DID IT. . You KNOW EVERYTHING.
He DIDN’T KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING AS HE WAS PUTTING IT TOGETHER. > > >, BUT IT WAS CHEAP. .
It WAS $ 250, A MONTH. > > >, AND HE DID A LOT OF THE WORK HIMSELF BECAUSE HE’S VERY HANDY. > > >.
But THE BIG STORY WAS, YOU: DID N’t HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY SHEET ROCK, SO THE WALL, THE FAMOUS IMPROV WALL IN’63, YOU KEPT IT AS IT WAS RIGHT. >, >, >, YEAH, BRICK WALL. , >, > >.
So THE INITIAL IMPROV WAS FOR SINGERS RIGHT, > >, > YEAH. >, > >. You WERE OPEN FROM LIKE 11:30 AT NIGHT UNTIL 6:00 IN THE MORNING.
. You DIDN’T EVEN HAVE A LIQUOR LICENSE FOR A YEAR. .
You DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR A LIQUOR LICENSE. . So WHAT CHANGED THE IMPROV FROM SINGING TO BECOME THE FAMOUS COMEDY CLUB, > > >? After ABOUT A YEAR.
> > > DAVE, ASTOR. , >, >, > DAVE ASTOR WALKED IN AND HE WAS A COMIC COMICS. .
He WAS PROBABLY SOMEBODY YOU HAD NEVER HEARD OF, BUT HE WAS QUITE GOOD AND QUITE WELL KNOWN AS HE WAS PLAYING THE BLUE ANGEL. . He SAID.
Can I GET UP AND I SAID SURE. > > >. He HAD A GREAT RESPONSE FROM EVERYONE.
There. > > >. Oh YEAH, BUT I HAD A GREAT.
> > >, FEELING FOR IT: TOO. >, >, >, RIGHT. , >, > >.
You KNOW, EVENTUALLY IT GOT TO HIM THAT HE FINALLY DECIDED HE ENJOYED LISTENING TO COMEDIANS, IMPROVE UPON ON JOKES AND NUANCES VERSUS HEARING SOMEONE SINGING THE SAME SONG EVERY NIGHT, EVERY NIGHT, EVERY NIGHT. , AND THAT WAS SORT OF THE TIPPING POINT. But IT DIDN’T CHANGE INTO COMPLETE COMEDY UNTIL- > > >.
What YEAR WAS THAT > > >? Really THEY CONTINUED USING SINGERS AND COMICS TILL THE EARLY 80’S. . I MEAN IT DIDN’T, REALLY STOP BEING A PLACE THAT JUST USED COMICS UNTIL EVEN AFTER YOU MOVED TO LOS ANGELES.
> > >, WHICH WE’LL GET TO. . But WHEN YOU’RE IN NEW YORK I MEAN THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE THE DOORMAN AT THE IMPROV.
> > >. We HAD DANNY AIELLO AND JOE PISCOPO, AND SO MANY OTHERS. > > >.
Then YOU EVEN HAD THE SITUATION THAT YOU HAD THIS GUY. Who WAS UP IN BOSTON WHO SCHLEPPED TO NEW YORK ALL TIME BY THE NAME OF JAY LENO. ? What’s THE STORY ABOUT JAY LENO >, >, >, JAY LENO WAS GOING TO EMERSON COLLEGE AND HE WORKED PART TIME FOR A- > >, > DELIVERY SERVICE, RIGHT, >, >, >, CAR DELIVERY, SERVICE.
HE PREPPED CARS AND WOULD DELIVER THEM DOWN. Here. > > > YEAH, BUT HE WORKED FOR ROLLS ROYCE.
> > >. There WAS A PLACE CALLED FOREIGN MOTORS UP, THERE. >, > >, OH, IS THAT IT I NEVER KNEW.
> > > AND HE CAME INTO NEW YORK AND HE TRIED A COUPLE OF TIMES TO GET AN AUDITION RIGHT. > > >. I FINALLY GOT HIM ON STAGE AND HE WAS MARVELOUS.
. He WAS FRESH. >, >, > WHAT’S THE STORY ABOUT BETTE MIDLER.
. You WERE AN AGENT, THEY SAID: RIGHT. >, > >.
Yes, I JUST SAW HER TWO NIGHTS AGO IN HELLO, DOLLY AND SHE WAS MARVELOUS. > > >. She DIDN’T BLOW YOU AWAY AT FIRST.
, > > >, EVERY SONG, NOT TWO SONGS AND SHE WAS TERRIBLE. > > >, BUT SHE WORKED OUT. Well.
> > > YES. > > >, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS FROM TZEITEL IN FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. .
She DID OKAY. YOU ALWAYS LIKED CALIFORNIA. > >, >, YEAH.
, >, > >. How DID YOU DECIDE TO OPEN UP IN CALIFORNIA > > >? Well, I WANTED TO OPEN UP IN CALIFORNIA FOR THE LONGEST TIME. , BUT I DIDN’t.
> > >. You KNOW IT WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS. .
I MEAN HE DIDN’T. He WANTED TO OPEN IN CALIFORNIA. .
There WERE REAL REASONS TO OPEN IN CALIFORNIA, BECAUSE THE COMEDY BUSINESS WAS MOVING OUT THERE, BECAUSE JOHNNY CARSON LEFT IN ’72, AND EVEN THOUGH THE NEW YORK CLUBS CONTINUE TO DO VERY WELL AND BREAK A LOT OF NEW TALENT OUT, INCLUDING ANDY KAUFMAN, AND GUYS, LIKE LARRY David. > > > ROBERT KLEIN. > > > ROBERT KLEIN, WHO STARTED IN THE’60S.
. It WAS YOU KNOW THE WRITING WAS ON THE WALL. .
The ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS WAS MOVING TO THE WEST COAST WHEN JOHNNY MOVED OUT THERE IN 1972. , AND HE SAW THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL THAT HE NEEDED TO. You KNOW HAVE A PRESENCE OUT THERE.
. Of COURSE, THIS WAS EVEN BEFORE SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE WAS ON THE AIR. > > > RIGHT.
. So YOU MOVE OUT TO CALIFORNIA. YOU’RE COMPETING WITH THE COMEDY CLUB.
> > >, THE COMEDY STORE. >, > >, THE COMEDY STORE. , AND DURING THE PERIOD OF TIME NEW YORK STILL REMAINS OPEN AND YOU HAD THIS GUY WHO GOT A GOOD JOB WITH HBO LATER ON.
Right > > > CHRIS ALBRECHT. > > >, WHO WAS MY PARTNER. > > >, WHO WAS YOUR PARTNER AND HE WAS RUNNING NEW YORK AND YOU’RE OUT IN CALIFORNIA.
AND BUSINESS IS DOING WELL AND THEN ONE NIGHT THERE WAS A FIRE RIGHT AND I THINK WHAT Happened IN THE BOOK YOU TALK ABOUT CELEBRATION OF DRINKING SO MUCH CHAMPAGNE. After THE FIRE. > > > YEAH.
They WENT TO A PLACE AFTER THAT. The NIGHT OF THE FIRE, WHICH IS A LITTLE FRENCH PLACE ACROSS THE STREET FRENCH RESTAURANT – AND HE WAS JUST YOU – KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. AND THIS WAS AND THE NIGHT WHEN THE FIRE HAPPENED.
This WAS THE REALLY THE FIRST TIME HE WAS ABLE TO RELAX. He WAS REALLY STARTING TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT HOW THE BUSINESS WAS GOING, BECAUSE THERE HAD JUST BEEN A TALENT, STRIKE. , A VERY FAMOUS TALENT STRIKE AGAINST MITZI SHORE, NOT PAYING THE COMEDIANS WHO OWNS THE COMEDY.
Store. AND THEY HAD JUST RESOLVED THE STRIKE AND A LOT OF COMEDIANS WERE COMING INTO HIS CLUB. > > >.
You PAID NEXT TO NOTHING. THERE’S A STORY IN THE BOOK THAT JIMMY FALLON STILL HAS A COPY OF THE CHECK FOR $ 8. 38.
> > >, AND THEY STILL DO N’t PAY THAT MUCH TODAY YOU KNOW. > > >, BUT IT’S THE OPPORTUNITY. .
How MANY PEOPLE WERE > > >, BUT YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT $ 8 A DAY WOULD A SET. It WAS HOW MANY SPOTS THERE – WERE. > > >.
The OTHER THING MICHAEL, WAS AT THE TIME HE WASN’T DOING THIS TO BE MISERLY OR CHEATING. Anybody AT THE TIME. IT STARTED OUT AS A SHOWCASE CLUB.
Nobody GOT PAID AT THE BEGINNING. . It WAS A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP FOR EVERYBODY, BECAUSE COMICS GOT A CHANCE TO GET SOME STAGE TIME OR SINGERS OR WHATEVER WORK OUT SOME NEW MATERIAL.
BOOKING AGENTS CAME IN. You KNOW SO THIS GUY WOULD BE GOOD. , SO IT WAS A VERY FORTUITOUS THING FOR EVERYBODY AND HE DIDN’T REALIZE THAT- > > > SO LATER ON, THE CABLE SHOW ON A & E CAME OUT IN THE’80S, LIVE FROM THE IMPROV.
> > > AN EVENING AT The IMPROV. > > > AN EVENING AT THE IMPROV. OKAY.
YOU DID 400 HOURS OF THAT > > > YEAH PEOPLE WANTED TO GET INTO BUSINESS WITH ME AND I USED TO SAY: HEY KID OPEN UP THE ON TELEVISION AND THEY DISAPPEAR. THEY NEVER GET BACK. And FINALLY, THIS GUY CAME IN AND SAID YOU WANT TO GET ON TELEVISION.
I SAID YES. >, > > AND YOU WERE THE HOST. > > >.
Yes, I WAS THE HOST. > > >, THE HOST WITH THE MOST. > > >, AND THEN YOU ALSO DID SOME MOVIES.
RIGHT: > > >. Yes, YES, I MADE ABOUT FOUR FIVE MOVIES AND THEY WERE PRETTY PRETTY PRETTY GOOD. > > > RIGHT AS THEY WOULD SAY, PRETTY PRETTY GOOD.
. I THINK IT WAS JUDD APATOW. That SAID, HE GOT THE INSPIRATION OF “ THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN” FROM WORKING AT THE IMPROV.
> > >. He WORKED AS A DOORMAN. AND HE WAS THERE FOR ABOUT ONE OR TWO YEARS AND HE WAS A NICE GUY.
He WAS A NICE KID. , >, >, > AND SARAH SILVERMAN SAYS SHE SPENT A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME AT THE IMPROV. > > >.
Yes, SHE STILL DOES. >, > > AND THEN BESIDES SARAH SILVERMAN, THEN THERE WAS THIS GUY JERRY, SEINFELD AND LARRY DAVID. > > > DAVID LARRY DAVID USED TO COME IN THIS CLUB AND HE GOT ON STAGE FIRST OF ALL WELL ANYWAY, AND HE GOT ON STAGE And HE LOOKED AT THE CROWD AND SAID: NAH AND HE’D JOG OFF STAGE.
> > >, NOT TONIGHT. , >, > >. You KNOW THAT HAPPENED, TWICE.
, >, > >, BUT THERE’S, SOMETHING I‘M, NOT SURE. If IT’S IN THE BOOKS OR SOMETHING ELSE. I READ THAT WHEN THE “ SEINFIELD” SHOW CAME ON AND WHEN THEY DID THE SEGMENT ON NBC ABOUT A SHOW ABOUT NOTHING, IT REALLY CAME OUT OF A SKETCH OR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED ON YOUR SHOW AT THE IMPROV RIGHT, >, >, >.
Well, LEGEND HAS IT. It WAS SORT OF BOTH. , I MEAN THEY SORT OF.
I WANT TO GIVE RICK NEWMAN DUE CREDIT, BECAUSE HE WAS REALLY HELPFUL TO THIS BOOK TOO. . They GESTATED IT SOME THERE AT THE GREEN KITCHEN THE PLACE WHERE THEY WOULD GO AFTER WORK TO TALK AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THEN THEY ALSO KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT.
A LOT OVER AT THE IMPROV AS WELL. You KNOW, AND IN A DINER THAT’S RIGHT NEAR THE IMPROV, THAT’S STILL OPEN TODAY. , SO YEAH IT WAS SORT OF 50/50.
> > >. Now, WHEN DID YOU START DECIDING THAT YOU WANTED TO FRANCHISE OPEN UP MORE IMPROVS, > > >? Well, I IT WAS’85 AND ONE OF THE COMICS HE WAS VERY WEALTHY, CAME TO ME AND SAID HE’D LIKE TO FRANCHISE THE CLUB – AND I SAID IN A STROKE OF GENIUS. I SAID OKAY AND HE OPENED UP THREE FOUR CLUBS.
, ALL IN THE-, >, > >. The FIRST WAS IN SAN FRANCISCO. > > >, YES, SAN FRANCISCO.
, >, >, > AND THERE’S A GREAT STORY IN THE BOOK ABOUT THEIR TRIP DOWN THERE, BECAUSE THEY RENTED A AMTRAK TRAIN, A PULLMAN CAR AND THEY HAD A BIG PARTY. BILL. Maher WAS ON THE TRAIN.
BEA ARTHUR FROM “MAUDE”, AND THE “ GOLDEN GIRLS” WAS ON THE TRAIN. > > > AND ONE OF THE GUYS DOCKED ON THE STATION WAS A BLIND COMIC. AND HIS PARTNER TOOK HIM TO THE TRAIN AND SAID: WOULD YOU MIND HE’S GETTING Off AT ANAHEIM, NOT AT ALL.
HE SAT DOWN AND WHEN I CAME INTO ANAHEIM WE WERE GOING OVER TO- > > >, THE NEW CLUB YEAH. SAN FRANCISCO. , >, > >.
No, NO, THE FIRST CLUB WAS IN PACIFIC BEACH, WHICH WAS SOUTH OF ME. . So I SAID JUST PLAY WITH ME AND HE SAID ALL RIGHT AND I SAID OKAY HERE WE ARE IN- > >, >, PACIFIC PALISADES.
, > > >. How DID YOU DECIDE THE TWO OF YOU TO WRITE THE BOOK? You KNOW IT’S RIGHT NOW. The INITIAL IMPROV OPENED UP IN 1963, SO YOU KNOW THE EPIC TV DID A 00:22:46.
198,00:22:45. 965 SHOW ON THE IMPROV ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE BOOK.
> > >. Well, AS YOU KNOW, YOU’VE KNOWN ME FOR A WHILE. I COULD WRITE ABOUT COMEDY I’M AN ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST.
AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH. I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A COMEDIAN AS A KID. > > >.
Thank GOD, YOU DIDN’T. > > >. I ALWAYS GOT TO HEAR THAT TOO.
. I GREW UP WATCHING HIS SHOW AN EVENING AT THE IMPROV AND CERTAINLY KNEW ABOUT THE IMPROV LINEAGE. .
Then, WHEN I WAS COVERING THE COMEDY BEAT FIRST FOR THE NEW YORK POST AND THEN THE DAILY NEWS, I YOU KNOW, WAS WRITING ABOUT THE SCENE AND I ALWAYS KNEW THERE WAS A RICH STORY: HERE. WHEN JIMMY FALLON MOVED “THE TONIGHT, SHOW” BACK TO NEW YORK IN 2014, I WANTED TO DO A STORY ABOUT HOW THAT WAS GOING TO IMPACT HAVING HIM BACK HERE. “ THE TONIGHT SHOW” BACK HERE, RATHER HOW IT WAS GOING TO IMPACT THE COMEDY BUSINESS HERE VERSUS THE WEST COAST.
, AND I INTERVIEWED BUDD FOR THE ARTICLE JUST TO GET HIS TAKE ON IT, AND WE HAD LUNCH WHEN HE WAS HERE FOR THE FIRST FOR JIMMY FALLONS. First TAPING AND WE DISCUSSED THE IDEA AND IT KIND OF EVOLVED FROM THERE. , SO I ALWAYS HAD WANTED TO DO A BOOK ON IT AND KNEW THE RICHNESS OF THE STORY AND HE AGREED TO DO IT.
SO YEAH. >, > >. I MEAN IT’S A GREAT STORY.
. Everything IS, YOU KNOW, WE SAY SOMETIMES WAS BASHERT MEANT TO BE. .
It WAS MEANT TO BE WHEN YOU MET HIM BECAUSE IT’S A GREAT BOOK. , IT TELLS THE WHOLE HISTORY, TELLS THE LIFE OF BUDD. AT ONE TIME YOUR WIFE SAID TO YOU.
How COULD YOU WANT TO BE A REAL ESTATE SALESMAN? You KNOW > > >, MY WIFES NAME IS ALEXANDRIA. > > >. We HAVE A PICTURE OF ALEXANDRIA AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME PICTURES OF THE KIDS AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
. So THE OPPORTUNITIES AND THE COMMENTS BY ALL THE LEADING PERFORMERS, TALKING ABOUT THE LEGENDARY BUDD FRIEDMAN AND THE IMPROV. I’M HAPPY THAT THE TWO OF YOU PUT A GREAT BOOK TOGETHER AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE, TODAY.
