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FRIARS AROUND TOWN:
Ah, it’s been quite a mind-blowing dip into 2010 already, hasn’t it? Conan and Leno had to duke it out on national television. Two annual Polar Bear Club plunges were canceled on doctor’s orders. A republican took the Senate seat in Massachusetts. J.D. Salinger pulled the ultimate reclusive move and crossed over to the other side of the Rye. President Obama delivered his first State of the Union. Sex tapes came out. Supreme Court rulings came in. And, perhaps, most disconcerting of all, a Polish priest installed an electronic fingerprinting machine at his church so he can track the congregation’s attendance. Wow. And we thought 2009 was rough! Let’s look to some talented Friars to cheer us up, shall we?
Mondays- 10 PM- FX- “Damages”
LILY TOMLIN & MARTIN SHORT & LEN CARIOU
Just when you thought the judicial system worked. A Dutch court carelessly ruled that a fast-food chain wrongfully dismissed a staff member who surreptitiously added a cheese slice to a hamburger, but… and herein lies the rub, people… still sold it at the price for a hamburger! Oh, the humanity! How is it possible that such heinous criminal activity can go unchecked? But if you tune into this season of the hit FX series, Damages, you will see that even more disturbing criminal activity is underway in the world of high profile attorney Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) as she delves deep into the insanely corrupt world of the Tobin family. Last season featured Friar Ted Danson playing the ever-so complex Arthur Frobisher- a character so all-at-once likeable and loath-able that we sat helplessly gripped to our sofa cushions for how his legal mess would end. Well, once again, Damages does not disappoint with this season featuring star turns by Friars Martin Short, Lily Tomlin and Len Cariou- each of them award-winning veterans of stage, film and television. And while we cannot guarantee that the show’s plot will include anything quite as ripped-from-today’s-headlines kind of fascinating as the Dutch cheeseburger/hamburger case, we’re willing to bet a slice of cheese it comes pretty close!
February 27th- Fino’s Restaurant- Beaver & Pearl Street, NYC- 212-825-1924
DOMINIC CHIANESE
Ah, February. The month of love. But why should the romance end after the 14th, right? Why should the love stop flowing just because the heart-shaped chocolate boxes have been devoured? And the Hallmark cards have been addressed, mailed, and opened? Yes, as far as Friars are concerned, love should fill the entire month of February. And with veteran star of stage, screen and television Friar Dominic Chianese taking to the microphone at Fino’s Restaurant on the 27th, there is, most certainly, romance still in the air. This month Friar Chianese sings songs about New York City- and the evening includes dinner and the show. So, come on downtown to celebrate the music that reminds us all why New York, New York is such a wonderful town!
15minutesmagazine.com- “Friars Frolics”- Online and all about the Friars Club!
THE FRIARS CLUB
As fans of all things Apple eagerly await the arrival of the iPad tablet- a gizmo that sort of looks like an iPhone, sort of looks like a computer, sort of looks like an iPod, and sort of doesn’t seem to do a bunch of stuff that any of those i-Thingies do- it’s time to use whatever antiquated Web-surfing product you are currently stuck with to check out what’s going on at the Monastery. Thanks to Friars historian and editor of the Epistle, Barry Dougherty, you can click onto 15minutesmagazine.com to read great monthly columns about exciting goings-on in our hallowed halls. This month features all the scoop on the myriad celebrity book signings we host. As Barry writes, “The best part of the Friars writing books is that they share it with their brethren at the Monastery in a time-honored event called a Book Warming.” In fact, just recently Friars Lisa Lampanelli, Richard Belzer, Paul Shaffer, Jeffrey Ross and Susie Essman celebrated the release of the respective books by partying at the Club- with Friars and personal show business friends and colleagues alike. So, whether it be via your computer, your Blackberry, your iPhone, or that iPad thingie that doesn’t even really exist yet in stores, be sure to check out 15minutesmagazine.com and the Friars Frolics column each month!
February 1st- Goes On Sale-“Faded Glory”- www.store.nehst.com
MILES WHITLOCK
As Giants and Jets fans prepare to sulk through the Super Bowl with their heads bowed in shame (and lots and lots of alcohol to ease the pain) baseball fans are seeing nothing but a spring of sunshine and good cheer. And if you are one of those Friars who prefers a baseline to a line of scrimmage, a cap to a helmet, and a wooden bat to a pigskin, have we got a film for you! Friar Miles Whitlock announces the release of a remarkable baseball documentary by Richard Cohen which he has co-produced. Faded Glory is the true story of a group of baseball players, friends for over 20 years, who never gave up the dream of playing America’s favorite pastime at a competitive level. National Network, established in 1990, was the first amateur baseball team to play out of Manhattan, comprised of an eclectic bunch of players over the age of 38. After a series of internal clashes and cross-country moves, along with winning a league championship, Network fell apart after a single season (much the way Tony Romo fell apart when he was dating er, She-Who-Doth-Not-Knoweth-the-Difference-Between-Tuna-and-Chicken of the Sea). But in 2007, Cohen decided it was time to reunite the team. 17 cities and 18 players later, Network resurfaced- this time competing in the National Amateur Baseball Association World Series! What happened next was magical- and the cameras were there to catch it all. Faded Glory is a film that explores the victories and defeats of some lovable, but misguided underdogs, the complexities of the father-son relationship, and the incentive that gives some men the guts to pursue their dreams against all odds. Already popular on the film festival circuit, and earning awards and accolades along the way, Faded Glory is a triumph- a veritable homerun! (as opposed to a touchdown because, well… ugh. Let’s not even discuss football right now… too sad.)
Bringing Laughs to the Middle East!
LEIGHANN LORD
Talk about a bad day.A 76 year-old beekeeper was recently laid to rest after a bee stinging incident. Trouble is, he wasn’t actually dead. Ooops. Sort of awkward considering all those floral arrangements his friends spent their hard-earned money on for the wake- does Mr. Bee Keeper have to return them? Anyhow, if you’re one of the lucky Friars who hasn’t been accidentally buried alive like Mr. “But I’m Not Dead Yet!” Bee Keeper, we’ve got some very exciting news to share. The lovely and hilarious comedienne Friar Leighann Lord will be performing with the Second Tour of Comedy Duty in the Middle East! Along with Mark Ricadona, Carole Montgomery, Felicia Michaels and Stephen Kruiser, Friar Lord will be performing for the troops in Kuwait and Iraq through February 9, and we are wishing her and all our brave men and women of the military a visit just chock full of laughs. Friar Lord first performed in the Middle East in 2002 during Operation Enduring Freedom. She also writes a weekly humor blog: Leighann Lord’s Comic Perspective (www.ComicPerspective.com) and won the New York City Black Comedy Award for “The Most Thought Provoking Female Comic”. She’s appeared on Lifetime, VH-1, Comedy Central, HBO & The View and is a regular political humor commentator on FoxNews.com’s “The Strategy Room”. Oh, and she was also named one of NYC’s ten “Hottest Comics”, thank you very much. (Mr. Bee Keeper can’t say that- heck, the only award he won is the Annual Bee Keeper’s Top Ten Least Dead Dead People Contest.)
February 11th- 8 PM “Funny Is Funny At Any Age”- Gotham Comedy Club -208 W. 23rd St.,NYC 212-367-9000
MICHELE BALAN
If Ozzy Osborne’s memoirs read anything like the way he speaks, we should all be getting some good laughs this month. But just in case you’re not in the mood to curl up with a tome by the Prince of Darkness, here’s a guaranteed good time for all Friars. Comedian Friar Michele Balan joins funny lady Marion Grodin (Charles Grodin’s daughter)on stage for “Funny Is Funny At Any Age” this month at Gotham Comedy Club. Known for her brash New York wit, Friar Balan was one of four finalists on NBC’s 2006 Last Comic Standing, and recently appeared on Byron Allen's Comics Unleashed, as well as the OUTlaugh festival on MTVs LOGO. She also opened for the Smothers Brothers and headlines nationwide in comedy clubs, on cruises, and at corporate events, JCC's country clubs and more. She also writes for Life & Style magazine, and for other well known comedians and was voted one of the “Top 10 Comics” by Backstage Magazine in 2004. And keep your eyes and ears out For Friar Balan’s soon- to- be-released, Is It Hot In Here? Or Is It Me? recording at the Triad Theater. (Sure beats listening to Ozzy’s “Mmfmemmrmm Mrmmfmffrme mrmememrmrem?” comedy album, right?)
Feb. 15th and Alternate Mondays Thereafter- 7 PM- “The Cleverly Named Dave Konig Stand Up Comedy Show”- B’way Comedy Club Café-318 W. 53rd St. NYC- (212) 757-2323
DAVE KONIG & REESE WATERS & TOM SHILLUE
Investigators recently discovered about 700 pounds of marijuana hidden inside a septic tank. Now, as tempting as all that pot can be to the potheads of America, we’re betting this batch is going to remain untouched. For a really loooooooooooong time. Well, we have know an even better way to get high- and that’s with the joys of a great comedy show! Friars Dave Konig, Reese Waters and Tom Shillue, are taking to the stage for a hilarious bi-weekly show (every other Monday) starting this month. As Friar Konig points out, “The selling points are: a) It's a 7 PM show, so you get out early! b) I personally guarantee every show will feature a Friar (or two)! c) It's a nice, comfortable room. Ummm...other than that (between you and me) it's just another stand up show...Oh! I guarantee that every show will feature 62% material that's carefully written and rehearsed and 38% new stuff, untried, and most likely thoroughly unentertaining!” See? You’re already laughing and you haven’t even left your computer yet! Anyway, Friar Konig and Friar Waters will keep you laughing until the cows come home … and that’s a guarantee from Friar Konig himself- a 3-time Emmy award winner! (Who is pleased to say he hasn’t been near a septic tank since the early 60s.)
Every Friday Night- 2 Sets: 9:30pm, 11:00pm- Night Hotel 132 W. 45th St, NYC-NightHotel@AMP3pr.com
MARCUS GOLDHABER
Now we’ve officially heard it all, folks. An alleged robber in California had the audacity to call the cops when he was punched in the face by someone attempting to stop his crime. Well, it takes all kinds. Meanwhile, if you’re looking to do something other than punch the lights out of a nighttime robber, why not settle in every Friday night for NIGHTtime- a new weekly show put on by singer/songwriter Friar Marcus Goldhaber & The NIGHTtime Trio at The Night Hotel- (we’re sensing a nightly theme here, are you?) Wonderful live jazz that will take you back to the era of the 20s, 30s, and 40s all winter long. A perfect night for the after-dinner or after-theater crowd.
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