“It takes a careful mind and a careful mouth. You can never
There’s a rather organic quality to The Cellar, says Dwor-
be phony, because they can sniff that out. You have to be gra-
man. He says the room is the right size and has appealing
cious.”
aesthetics, from a low stage to an iconic brick wall, making it
the ideal breeding ground for a night of comedy.
When it comes to the competition, Dworman has no short-
age of venues he’s up against. From the other New York clubs
to music halls and arenas, competing in the comedy business
else can: The Table. In fact, it’s the presence of this table in the
may look daunting to the casual observer. In recent years, a
upstairs restaurant that many attribute to the Cellar’s level of
number of clubs have closed across the country, making The
success, as it draws in big name comics. And, of course, that
Cellar’s continued run of success all the more impressive.
brings in big crowds.
But when asked about his club’s key to success, Dworman
Yet there’s one special thing The Cellar offers which no one
“The Table has become its own draw,” Dworman says.
says it boils down to necessity and reputation.
A simple looking piece of furniture on the surface, there’s
a certain aura to “The Table.” It’s become one of the most
“As opposed to music, stand-up requires an audience to
well-known parts of the club’s legend. In fact, a podcast named “The Comedy Cellar: Live From the Table” was spawned by this famous gathering spot. And the Comedy Central TV show Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn was inspired by discussions of The Table.
“A comedian will do a spot and immediately make his
way over there. When Chris Rock comes in, half the time he performs, half the time he just comes to The Table. Gilbert Gottfried will come by once a week just to go to The Table.”
For a lifelong comedy
fan, this would appear to be the dream job. On a daily basis, you get the chance to see the greatest comedians in Jerry Seinfeld, Colin Farrell , and Robin Williams seated at “The Table.”
practice,” says Dworman.
“Guys like Seinfeld and Louis CK still need to go to clubs.
And comedy will always draw.”
Cellar regular Myq Kaplan is one of those comics, someone
who will go to the club even when he’s not performing. The Last Comic Standing finalist says that The Cellar is a venue like none other, a by-product of management, comic quality, and consistently great audiences.
“The Comedy Cellar is one of the most prestigious comedy
clubs in New York City, the country, and the world, I would say, and deservedly so,” says Kaplan.
“Comics like it because it's well-run, a great environment
for comedy, consistently packed with excellent audiences, and a real fun place to hang with peers, friends, and comedic heroes. They've been doing it right for a long time, so it's a pleasure to perform, watch shows, or just hang out at The Cellar.”
the world perform at your club. While that’s a thrill, Dworman says he gets an even bigger kick from the opportunity to have conversations with some of the greatest comic minds around.
“By far it’s the interaction
with comics,” Dworman says of his favorite part of the job.
“I love hanging out with
them. They talk about politics, about things going on in the world, whatever topics are hot. The conversations are refreshingly honest.” A n d r e w C l a r k i s a B o s to n bas e d f r e e l a n c e w r i t e r .
The Comedy Cellar
is one of the most prestigious
comedy clubs in New York City,
the country, and the world, I would say, and deservedly so, says Myq Kaplan.
PE N N LAW JOU R NAL Su m m e r 2014 35