In other news, blogs…

Amy Poehler talks to USA Today today about her imminent departure from SNL. Seth Meyers says replacing Poehler won’t be easy: "She has a real connection with the audience," he says. "She looks like
she’s having a lot of fun, and it’s contagious. It’s going to be hard
for one person to replace her."

The Apiary asks today, Where is the next Rififi? For those of you not near the East Village in Manhattan, that was the hub for the comedy community to gather and perform outside of the mainstream comedy club system. So, where will they go next? Note: I’m one of the folks asked this question in this post. My answer tends to jibe with others who commented so far. Where do you think the comedy community should congregate and flourish next in NYC? You can read my full answer to Mo after the jump, if you’re curious…

Where is the next Rififi? Good question. Closing as it did just as the
dog days of summer hit meant we didn’t really need to answer that
question in August.
So it’s only now that we’re starting to actually need to address it.
It’s a two-parter.
Where will comedians who want to produce eclectic, quality shows outside of the mainstream clubs choose to perform?
And where will comedians want to hang out?
So
far, the strongest newcomer to the scene has been the lounge behind
Sound Fix Records in Williamsburg. They’ve expanded to at least three
nights a week of comedy, popular kids such as Gabe & Jenny and Max
Silvestri are there with a popular show on Thursdays (Big Terrific)
that has attracted recent drop-ins from Sarah Silverman and Zach
Galifianakis. It’s a large enough room, and as more comedians choose to
live in Brooklyn, it’s also not surprising to see them decide to
produce shows there, too.
Which means you also have to give strong
consideration to Union Hall in Park Slope, where Eugene Mirman not only
runs the popular Sunday show (Tearing the Veil of Maya) with Michael
Showalter, but also plans to mount his "Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival"
there and at the new Bell House. Mirman’s Invite Them Up was, dare
anyone say, more than influential in making Rififi the previous Rififi.
So Mirman might as well have a say in where the new hangout is going to
be.
I’m sure you could make an argument for any number of places in Manhattan, as well (Pianos, anyone?).
But I’d bet on Brooklyn.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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