Budd Friedman reminisces about The Improv on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

You don’t often see a comedy club owner on as a guest for a late-night TV talk show.

But Budd Friedman has owned one or more clubs known as The Improv for 50 years now — and has the anniversary documentary airing next month on EPIX to show for it — so he went on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night to talk about it.

Friedman reminisced with Fallon about the first time Budd saw Jimmy perform at one of his clubs, only at the urging of his wife. Fallon gave an interview for the EPIX documentary on the Improv, so we see a clip of that, too (with a surprise big-name cameo).

In his “Late Night” chat with Fallon, Friedman also makes the case for Robert Klein paving the way for a generation of comedians, and relates an old tale about the first time he met and saw Andy Kaufman.

Roll the clip!

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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2 thoughts on “Budd Friedman reminisces about The Improv on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

  1. Would love to reconnect with Budd Friedman who was my room mate at Sha Wan Ga Lodge in the 50’s

    1. Met Budd Friedman yesterday, 4/20/2014 at Joe Allen’s restaurant in NYC. Him and his wife were totally entertained by my friends and I. Mrs. Friedman came by our table to tell us all about that and all about the improv clubs. She was very talkative and friendly and I want to get in touch with her. Can you please provide me an address where to email or facebook or how else I might be able to get in touch with her again. I feel she would definitely like to hear from us.

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