Posts Tagged “Mariah Carey”

Jimmy Fallon Up For An Emmy

The exciting news just came out that Jimmy Fallon is up for an Emmy. While exciting, it comes as no surprise because it’s so well deserved. That’s why he was chosen to replace Jay Leno.

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV backstage with Jimmy Fallon at Gotham Comedy Club!

He’s perfect to be next in line for the late night throne. I see him more in the vein of Johnny Carson. And not just because his suits fit so well. It’s the confidence with which he carries himself.

I also don’t know of any other talk show host who is as multi-talented as Jimmy. In Part 1 of the two part video interview I did with him, he claims the only thing he doesn’t do is dance, which is belied by his recent dance-off with Sam Rockwell, where he played a game of improv dancing and totally held his own, against the talented, footloose Rockwell.

Jimmy, by the way is in great shape. He’s really strong and I know cause he picked me up recently! Not that I’m that heavy, but I felt his arms while trying to get him to put me down! (LOL) He was just excited to see me, and decided to pick me up. It’s not something I encourage people to do! It feels weird being a man and being held in the air! (LOL) At least he didn’t hold me like a baby!

A few nights later he also danced with Nick Cannon who’s no slouch in the dance department either, by the way! He didn’t pick him up, but he did dance next to him!

Nick Cannon and Jimmy Fallon busting a move on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon!

It was so funny because earlier that same evening, Nick was spinning at a pre-All Star party honoring Darryl Strawberry thrown by Junebug at a cool place called Slate in midtown Manhattan.

I went down there to see Nick cause I hadn’t seen him in a while, kind of hoping to shoot a little video with him, even though I knew that he’d probably be stuck behind the decks. In the VIP room I happened to run into my old buddy Tony Orlando who was also there with Darryl Strawberry for the All Star party and was attending the game the next day, and Tony and I shot this little interview while I was waiting for Nick to come offstage.

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV with pal Nick Cannon at Nick’s comedy show!

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV with old pal Tony Orlando at the pre-All Star party at Slate!

Nick was so into spinning that all I could do was shake hands with him, but wasn’t able to tell him I wanted to shoot something when he was done. It was too noisy and tumultuous plus he had his headphones on. I happened to be in the street when he came out and was able to give him a copy of my new book “Make ‘Em Laugh” with a great intro by Chris Rock, and Nick was so happy to get it that we shot this little video promo in his car before he drove away.

Then I ran home to download the video, turned on my TV to watch Jimmy and heard him announce that Nick Cannon was his guest! I guess he ran right from the party right over to Jimmy’s studio.

Nick Cannon and Jimmy Fallon having a ball on Late Night!

Fallon’s guests run the gamut from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who did an amazing appearance recently, and who will probably be running for President in 2016, to ex-Governor Elliot Spitzer, who was on last night, to stars like Ryan Reynolds, Colin Quinn and Bob Saget who was also on recently promoting his new killer DVD/CD called “That’s What I’m Talkin’ About.”

Bob Saget and Jimmy Fallon discussing Bob’s new DVD “That’s What I’m Talking About!”

Bob chose Seattle to shoot that special and in a quote from the CD cover writes, ” And there’s a lovely old school hotel behind the theater with what looked like old school prostitutes, and people on leave from The Ukraine that we got to watch on the loading dock as we went through the production of this show.” Then he says after they finished “my friends Tim, Michael and I went to the Palace Kitchen Restaurant”, Tim being Tim Sarkes his long time manager, and Michael being Michael O’Brien his long time publicist and long time friend of mine!

Close up of Bob Saget’s new DVD/CD “That’s What I’m Talkin’ About!”

Bob is the nicest guy you’d ever want to meet and on the back of my new book with Chris Rock called ” Make ‘Em Laugh” his blurb said “No matter how many years pass I can never say no to Jeff Gurian. Hence this quote on his book’s back cover!”

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV with Bob Saget and Jeffrey’s book with Chris Rock, whose back cover has a blurb from Bob!

Within a few nights Jimmy also had on Colin Quinn, and Ryan Reynolds. Colin came on to talk about his new one man show called “Unconstitutional” which I’m hoping to see when I go up to Montreal this week for the Just for Laughs Festival, the biggest comedy festival in the world. Colin will be performing his show there a few times during the festival.

Colin Quinn holding Jeffrey Gurian’s book ” Make ‘Em Laugh” which he just happens to be in!

Ryan Reynolds came on for a water fight with Jimmy. They absolutely soaked each other, and looked like they were having the best time ever! That’s the cool thing about Jimmy, he’s all in. Not only does he participate, but he does so so willingly that you just know he’s having a blast. I don’t know if he comes up with these ideas or if his head writer A.D. Miles does, or maybe they collaborate, but they must be very in synch cause the show’s a winner night after night!

A soaking wet Jimmy Fallon dumping a glass of water in Ryan Reynolds’ lap!

Needless to say, no one will be surprised when Jimmmy wins an Emmy, because every once The Universe comes together, and the right thing happens. Watch him every night on NBC at 12:30, until February when he switches to the 11:30 slot!

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My Friend Kali Hawk, The Movie Star

I just went to see Tyler Perry’s “Peeples”, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had quite a cast with Kerry Washington, David Alan Grier, Craig Robinson, S. Epatha Merkerson, Melvin Van Peebles, (who I almost called “Van Peeples!” LOL), Diahann Carrol, Ana Gasteyer and my old friend, the beautiful, and talented Kali Hawk.

One of the posters portraying the star-studded cast of Tyler Perry’s “Peeples”!

It’s not too often that you get to have a friend who’s a legitimate movie star,… especially one that you’ve known for many years. It’s a really nice feeling to be proud of someone’s accomplishments, and Kali has worked very hard to achieve what she’s gotten. Considering how young she still is, I’m almost afraid to think of how young she must have been when I first met her! (LOL)

(L-R) David Alan Grier, Kerry Washington, Tyler James Williams, Kali Hawk, and Kimrie Lewis-Davis in Peeples!

I remember her as a teenager, and how excited she’d be about watching stand-up comedy. I have this vague memory of standing with her at The Comic Strip, in the doorway to the showroom, watching the acts, while she wondered if she could do comedy. I recall going to see her perform in plays at the Theatre for the New City on the Lower East Side.

She was in high school by the tender age of 12 and in college before she was even 16. She started out doing commercials, but as gorgeous as she was, didn’t begin modeling until she moved out to LA, where she booked magazine ads and commercials for KFC, Clorox2, MTV Europe and was in several music videos for rock band Korn, Rob Zombie, Norah Jones, T.I., and Usher. It was only a matter of time until Kali made her way to the big screen.

Some years passed between the time we spoke and then in 2007, I was out in LA for a party made by Kent Emmons for a book I wrote called “Filthy, Funny, and Totally Offensive” based on my writings for the Friars Roasts, which are notoriously raunchy, and Kali came to support me.

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV with Kali Hawk in LA, for a book party in his honor, in 2007!

She looked so amazing I couldn’t stop taking pictures of her! She has grown into such an elegant woman!

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV with Kali Hawk, who’s holding Jeffrey’s book “Filthy, Funny and Totally Offensive” but he didn’t let her look inside!

Before “Peeples”, she was seen in the Lion’s Gate thriller ‘Holla’, alongside actor Michael Bergin. She would follow that project with a supporting role in the Spike Lee comedy “Lovers & Haters”, playing a scathing Hollywood diva opposite singer/superstar Mariah Carey, I saw her in “Get Him To The Greek” with Russell Brand, and Jonah Hill, and she played Trudy in “Couples Retreat,” another star-studded movie written by Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau.

On TV, she has also appeared on the hit CW sitcom ‘The Game’, executive produced by Kelsey Grammer, was accepted as a cast member for the ill-fated remake of “In Living Color” that unfortunately did not come to fruition, and worked with my boy Tony Rock, on a TV project he was starring in. Tony was the featured performer in a sold out show at the Westbury Theatre on Long Island, that I co-produced starring the one and only Kevin Hart!

(L-R) Jordan Rock, Jeffrey Gurian, Tony Rock, Richie Tienken and down in front Sherrod Small backstage at Westbury with Kevin Hart!

Jeffrey Gurian from Comedy Matters TV with Kevin Hart at a promo event for their concert at Westbury!

Tony is also the new host of the Jamie Foxx remake of “Live At The Apollo”, aptly named “Apollo Live” shooting right here in Harlem, NYC! I went to the opening of the first season to cheer him on. Tony is amazingly funny, and the nicest guy you’d ever wanna meet!

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV, Tony Roberts, Tony Rock, and Jordan Rock backstage at The Apollo!

So “Peeples” was exciting to me because Kali had so much screen time. She plays Gloria Peeples the lesbian daughter of Virgil Peeples played so well by David Alan Grier.

A cast shot of “Peeples” with Kali Hawk’s name on the big screen! Go Kali!

I hadn’t seen David since last summer in Montreal during the Just for Laughs Festival when he came in to kibbitz with Adam Carolla right in the middle of my interview with him. It was actually funny, because the door was closed, and we were backstage after Adam’s show, but nobody’s gonna tell David that he can’t come in, so he did! (LOL) And it turned out very funny, because as I recall he was trying to distract me, and we all had a good laugh!

Craig Robinson is also a great guy, and we did a cool interview together on the red carpet of the Comedy Central Comedy Awards.

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV with Craig Robinson at a Comedy Central event at The Monkey Bar in NYC!

I’m heading out to LA in about ten days to shoot my third appearance on Comedy Central’s hit “Kroll Show” and I really hope to be able to get the chance to congratulate Kali in person!

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Young Talent At The Comic Strip

The Comic Strip is legendary for the people that came out of that club, like Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Ray Romano, and Eddie Murphy just to name a few. But the nice thing about The Strip is that it also develops young talent who are going to be the stars of tomorrow.

Two that come to mind right away are Pete Davidson who’s only 18 and Jordan Rock who just hit the magic age of 21!

Comedy buddies Pete Davidson and Jordan Rock backstage at The Comic Strip!

Pete is being mentored by Nick Cannon, who’s really taken him under his wing, which is such an incredible thing for a young performer, and Pete deserves it. He lost his Dad in 9/11, and turned his life to comedy. I’m sure his Dad is watching over him, cause he’s doing very well!

He has funny energy, meaning that when he hits the stage you WANT to laugh. He dresses kind of “gangsta” for a White kid, but he explains it by saying that all of his friends are Black. I get it! He’s authentic!

Pete was all excited ’cause he just got back from doing five shows in Miami with Nick, and Kase Glenn at The Miami Improv, while staying at The Mayfair Hotel. Pete opened the show. It was the first time that Pete had to fly to a gig and he told me a very funny story.

The day he was to leave, he had a 10 A.M. flight but didn’t wake up until 9. He threw his stuff together and tried to call a cab but they told him it would be an hour. He got the valet guy to drive him for double the regular price, and offered him an extra $20. if he could make it in ten minutes.

Meanwhile his Mom was calling and yelling at him for being late. He got to the airport at 9:40, ran to check in and found himself on a long line. Just as he was resigned to missing his flight, the Black security guard recognized him, and yelled out, “Hey, you’re that dude from the show!”

Pete said,”I guess he had attended one night, and fortunately I did well!” The guard let him right through and referred to him as “The White Hope!” The other passengers were already aboard, and Pete ran on as they were about to lock the doors. He said he made it by one minute!

I had that happen to me once after having been snowed in the first year of the Aspen Comedy Festival. I had been stuck there for five days, when they gave me less than 30 minutes to catch a plane. I was literally running down the runway with my bags to catch the plane, and everyone stared, and glared at me as I straggled on board loaded down with stuff, and then first had to try and get it in the overhead bins, while everyone waited and rolled their eyes. Very uncomfortable to say the least!

Jordan Rock works The Strip as conscientiously as both of his brothers did, Chris and Tony, and it shows in the quality of his work. Nothing replaces stage time in perfecting your performance. He also hosts the latenight shows on Wed, and Thursdays, and I host them on Sundays and Mondays.

I predict that you’ll be seeing lots of these guys in the future. I wish I had started that young, but if you get famous in your 20’s you gotta be funny for 60 maybe 70 years! That’s a long time. I only wanted to have to be famous for maybe 20, … 25 years tops! Needless to say, I’m still waiting! (LOL)

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Nick Cannon Stranded in Hospital In Aspen

Black Planet reports that Nick Cannon is recuperating from mild kidney failure in a hospital in Aspen. Fortunately his wife , Mariah Carey is at his side and not leaving, even when doctors asked her to. She said that Nick was there for HER when she was hospitalized while having twins Moroccan and Monroe, so now when the situation is reversed, she’s not leaving HIM! Good girl Mariah!

She tweeted this pic from Nick’s hospital room!

According to Black Planet, Mariah Carey tweeted this photo of her in hubby Nick Cannon’s hospital bed! What better nurse could he ask for???

I only had the pleasure of meeting Mariah once at a charity event at The Whitney Museum, to raise money for Operation Smile, a charity that provides poverty stricken children with facial defects like cleft lip and cleft palate, the opportunity of having corrective surgery.

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV, with Mariah Carey at a charity event for Operation Smile, at The Whitney Museum!

I know that Nick has a tour coming up on Jan. 12th, called the “Still Standing” Tour with Mike Epps and Nick’s new 18 year old protege Pete Davidson. It’s supposed to kick off at the San Manuel Casino in Highland, California.

So let’s keep Nick in our prayers, and hope that he has a speedy recovery. He’s one of the nicest guys in the biz and at 31 years old has lots of wonderful things to look forward to. Get well quick Nick!!!

A healthy Nick Cannon with Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV at Nick’s New Faces Show at Gotham Comedy Club.

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Pete Davidson Stops By The Comic Strip Before Touring With Nick Cannon

The first time I saw Pete Davidson he was auditioning for the lottery show, a show they do at The Strip every Tuesday night at 10:30 P.M. to find new performers for the club. I remember them saying he was only 18 years old, and just out of high school!

Pete Davdison onstage at Gotham Comedy Club during Nick Cannon’s New Faces show!

Just a couple of nights later, I’m at Nick Cannon’s New Faces Show at Gotham Comedy Club when who comes to the stage but Pete Davidson, and after Pete does a killer set, Nick announces that Pete is his protege. It couldn’t happen to a nicer kid.

Pete had no intention of going into comedy at such an early age. He lost his hero firefighter Dad Scott in the horror of 9/11. He had always been more interested in basketball, but in dealing with his loss, he went up on stage at a comedy contest on Staten Island, and hasn’t come back down since!

He came backstage at The Strip one night recently with his older buddy, comic Jordan Rock,(who’s 20!), while I was hosting Late Night, which I do on Sundays and Mondays, and told me he would be touring with Nick starting this month.

On January 12th, he, Nick, and Mike Epps will kick off the “Still Standing” tour at the San Manuel Casino in Highland, California. Nick is a quadruple threat performer and one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. Mike Epps is absolutely HILARIOUS! This should be some unbelievable show!

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV with Nick Cannon at his New Faces show at Gotham Comedy Club!

Pete is so funny, and it’s great to see someone starting their career so young. For myself, I never wanted to get famous in my 20’s. That meant I’d have to try and be funny for 60 or 70 years! Too overwhelming! I only wanted to have to be funny for 15, 20 years tops!

18 year old comic Pete Davidson, with “36 year old” comic Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV at The Comic Strip!

I like when he said he was looking for cougars in the audience and then asked if there were any 21 year old girls! Keep your eyes open for Pete Davidson. He’ll be doing some big things!!! One thing I know for sure, his Dad is definitely smiling down on him!

Also check Pete out in Nick Cannon’s blog at http://www.nickcannon.com/post/pete-davidson-911-laughter-best-medicine

 

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Nick Cannon Hosts New Faces Show at Gotham Comedy Club

Nick Cannon brought another great New Faces show to Gotham Comedy Club. Nick is the morning guy and host on 92.3 Now radio on “Rollin’ With Nick Cannon, Monday thru Friday from 6 A.M. till 10 A.M.,and the dude is funny in his own right. I’ve seen him do stand-up and he’s good. The coolest line for me was when he was talking about getting married and he said the day of his wedding all he could think about was, ” Wow, tonight I’m gonna have sex with Mariah Carey.” You HAVE to be cool to deliver a line like that!

Jeffrey Gurian of Comedy Matters TV with Nick Cannon at Gotham Comedy Club after his New Faces show!

And he obviously did have sex with her, cause they recently had twins, Moroccan and Monroe! Nick claims he had to give them unusual names cause that’s what celebrities do!

Jeffrey Gurian with Mariah Carey at an Operation Smile charity event way before she had the twins! You can top that line any way you want!

Nick produces his comedy shows with his Program Director Rob Wagman, who he refers to as his boss. Rob is funny too, as I can attest to by having seen him perform on another of Nick’s shows.

Pete Davidson onstage at Gotham, for Nick Cannon's New Faces Show!

On this particular show he opened up with Pete Davidson who I think is only 17 years old and is the first comic signed to Nick’s entertainment company. Aside from being funny, what I recently learned about Pete was that his Dad was one of the heroic firefighters we lost during 9/11. I’m sure his Dad would be very proud of him seeing him on stage.

Also on the show was the very funny Andrew Schwartztol, who I’ve performed with several times, and who co-produces comedy shows with Madison Malloy.

Madison Malloy, Jeffrey Gurian, and Andrew Schwartztol at Gotham Comedy Club!

Then there was Mick Diflo, a more mature comic which gave ME hope for getting on Nick’s New Faces show.

Mick Diflo onstage at Gotham for Nick Cannon's New Faces show!

And then Nick had two of my favorites. First up was Ted Alexandro who kills wherever he performs. I’m fascinated by Ted’s delivery and recently asked him about it backstage at The Comic Strip after he came off and I was waiting to go on. Ted takes laid back to levels never seen before. Sometimes, he could almost lay down and take a nap between lines. And it works for him.

That is fascinating to me because I’m one of those comics who thinks you have to be saying something every moment you’re on stage. Joke, joke, joke. Laugh, laugh,laugh! Sometimes the magic is in the pauses! But I had a feeling that only comes through time. Ted confirmed that for me, and told me he evolved into that style only after many years of performing, which made me feel a lot better.

Ted Alexandro in an animated moment onstage at Gotham during Nick Cannon's show!

I saw him perform to a rowdy, boisterous crowd in a club not really set up for comedy and he spoke in such a soft voice, without trying to yell over the crowd, and they actually quieted down to hear him. He was like “The Lunatic Whisperer.” He could even quiet down lunatics, just by whispering his material, which is basically what he did. I had never seen anyone else do that before and it was magical.

And closing the show was the hysterical Jessica Kirson, who incorporated a new element into her act, talking to herself while on stage, having that conversation in her mind that we all have when deciding on a course of action. The only difference is that she verbalizes it. She may be doing that for a while but to me is was new, and I liked it.

Jessica Kirson closing the New Faces show for Nick Cannon at Gotham Comedy Club!

But then again I like everything she does. Jess is a sweetie and I’m happy to say we go way back!

I’m looking forward to Nick’s next show, which I think he’s doing monthly, and I’d like to do an interview with him like I recently did with Jimmy Fallon backstage at Gotham. Maybe if he reads this, I’ll have a better chance! (LOL) And when we took the photo together he told me he liked my pocket handkerchief, which was very cool, cause Nick definitely has style!

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