Ochi's Lounge now exists in the formative memories of a whole generation of New York City comedians. You will turn on Letterman and see comedians tell jokes that were spoken for the very first time on that stupid little mini-stage in the basement. In fact, I'm sure that's already happened. One of Ochi's many producers will one day have his or her own major television show--that's not a prediction, it's an inevitability. And for years to come, comedians will gather at bars or in TV writer's rooms or on movie sets and laugh hysterically about "that one time at Ochi's".
Re: "You will turn on Letterman and see comedians tell jokes that were spoken for the very first time on that stupid little mini-stage in the basement. In fact, I'm sure that's already happened."
It's true. I remember Kumail doing a set at the Ochi's mic a few months after he moved to NYC. He had recently gone to Coney Island and had a new bit about riding The Cyclone. I think it was the first time (or one of the first times) he did it because he was looking at a printout of the jokes he was trying before going onstage.
Cut to a year or two later. Kumail's on Letterman. 3:50 in is the Cyclone bit ("scariest experience of my life...and I grew up in Pakistan").
I'm still mystified why Paul thought "Born in the U.S.A." was the right song to play.
3 comments:
Hey everybody,
We are actually gonna have a wake honoring ochis this saturday 9/25 @ 8pm at Legion Bar off the Graham L in Bklyn. email me for more info
sdonnelly28@gmail.com
thanks matt
-Sean Donnelly
isn't that a surprisingly longer set than usual for a late night show? and it's interesting how Paul plays him off before he gets to say "thank you" or indicate he's done. I've never seen that before..I guess they planned a key word to end on before his set?
Technically Kumail is the Bruce Springsteen of Southeast Asian stand-up comedy.
A wake for Ochi's! Sean, you're so Irish.
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