Perhaps you happened upon the Gotham Comedy Club site or walked past the club itself and saw that the sign on Wednesday night advertised a Seinfeld Workshop. What does that mean, exactly? Online, the supposed "Jerry Seinfeld Comedy Workshop" featured comedian Jon Fisch, which might have prompted the question, is Fisch going to tell you how to tell jokes like Seinfeld? No. Twas nothing of the sort last night.
Instead, Fisch provided opening act and warm-up duties for the crowd, as Seinfeld himself appeared for two shows in a nice grey suit with a film crew in tow. Hmmm. Is this a sequel to Comedian? Again, no. Seinfeld’s 74-minute act last night didn’t start from scratch, as he hit the high notes of the act he has toured with over the past year or two. Defining the line between great and suck. TV news. Weather and time. Marriage. Weddings. The slow parade to garbage. Conversational tones. Prescription medications. Cialis. OnStar. He wasn’t workshopping at all, but showcasing his greatest bits of observational humor from the past few years, and making sure to get it all captured on film. I wasn’t the only one taking notes. His manager, George Shapiro, also sat in the back of the crowd and paid close attention. Gotham’s regular backdrop got covered with a red curtain. The sold-out audiences ate it up with multiple applause breaks and a standing ovation. This appeared to be something different altogether. Perhaps, then, this is the start of a sequel to I’m Telling You For The Last Time. Which means we have all new material to look forward to from Seinfeld in 2009? Or at least another DVD.
Here’s a funny line any comedian could appreciate, from Seinfeld’s bit about having to endure birthday parties with his three kids. "The birthday clown always asks me for advice on his comedy career," Seinfeld said. How do you get on TV? "I don’t know!" he replies, since he’s only recently transitioned from TV sitcom to kids birthday parties himself!
And one more insidery joke to share, as Seinfeld took the stage in the second show last night, he thanked Fisch for opening and said, "We need new comedians." Adding: "To us, he’s new!" He then asked someone in the front if she had seen Fisch before. She had. "Are you dating him?" Seinfeld asked. "Not yet," she replied. A fleeting moment of funny for those in the know.
Seinfeld did this set of jokes at a cancer benefit at MSG a few months back and I was lucky enough to score a free ticket. Great stuff, but 6 months ago he did it with no notes. Wonder why he used them at Gotham.
Cialis?
Did he do the joke about if he has an erection, he aint just callin’ his doc, that he’s calling EVERYONE?!?
(Actually, I heard he did a joke like that)
Rock On,
Aitch
Let me clarify. These were all jokes Seinfeld had told before, and it looked as though he wanted to get this all documented on camera, which is why he had a film crew following him. He wasn’t using notes. I believe the club put the “workshop” sign up so audiences wouldn’t expect too much. Not sure why, though. Seinfeld was in top form. Even if he did tell that Cialis joke again.
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Great stuff, but 6 months ago he did it with no notes. Wonder why he used them at Gotha
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