Republicans, Please Stand-Up

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

PARODY PARITY


Step aside, Whoopi Goldberg and Janeane Garofalo – the conservative comics are coming to town.


At the Laugh Factory in Times Square, viewers can take in a pro-Bush evening of comedy called “The Right Stuff.” The show, which will run from August 26 through September 2, will serve up right-leaning humor.


The host and headliner is Jeff Wayne from HBO’s Comic Relief and Showtime’s Full Frontal Comedy. His jokes cover such subjects as gun control and the Democratic Party. Others appearing include Fox News and Wall Street Journal contributor Julia Gorin and Steve Eblin and Chris Warren, who recently returned from entertaining our troops in the Middle East.


The creator and producer of the show is television writer and producer Eric Peterkofsky, 38, who lives in the San Fernando Valley.


“When most comedians do political humor, they do it from the left,” Mr. Peterkofsky told the Knickerbocker. When they joked about President Clinton, they make fun of Monica Lewinsky or his diet, “they never made fun of his politics,” he said. This show likely will.


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JAZZ MAN


Grammy award winning jazz musician Al Jarreau recently signed copies of his new CD “Accentuate The Positive.” He will play a free concert at Central Park SummerStage to morrow night.


Mr. Jarreau was asked how jazz has changed over the years. He said that jazz was wonderful in that “it keeps an open mind.” He said that many types of jazz have evolved over the years from Dixieland to jazz fusion, which is combined with rock ‘n’ roll. His personal influences include Nat Cole, Miles Davis, and Johnny Mathis.


An audience member asked Mr. Jarreau to name his favorite song. He replied, “Morning,” and added that he sings the song every day and never tires of it. His knack for improvisation keeps him from growing bored of any melody.


He continued, to audience laughter, that if you begin to tire of a song, you could perform it like a polka.


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FIDDLER AND FRIENDS


Actor Alfred Molina, composer Jerry Bock, and lyricist Sheldon Harnick spoke Sunday evening at a dialogue with Rabbi William Berkowitz at the Center for Jewish History on West 16th Street.


At the panel, Mr. Harnick recalled once being asked how he writes lyrics. He said he responded, “I start with the easiest song – the one I have the least ‘no confidence’ in.”


Mr. Molina, who is not Jewish, starred as Tevye in the fourth Broadway revival of “Fiddler on the Roof.” He told the audience that when he was in his early 20s, he was still living at home with his mother. “Doesn’t that make me Jewish?” he said.


Mr. Harnick recalled speaking with potential backers for “Fiddler on the Roof” in an attempt to get the show financed.


One backer, upon hearing the pitch for investors, said, “The first acts ends with a pogrom. The second act ends with exile. This is a musical comedy?”


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PITCH PERFECT


Joel Rudikoff of Joel Rudikoff Art Books recently asked which Major League baseball records by individual players are unlikely ever to be broken. The proprietor of Appledore Books responded to Mr. Rudikoff by suggesting the career number of wins as pitcher by Cy Young (1867-1955). The Ohio-born right-hander, who pitched the first perfect game in American league history in 1904, won a career total of 511 games. Mr. Ruditkoff said he was likely to agree, but honed his question to ask which single-season baseball records by individual players are virtually unbreakable.


Mr. Ruditkoff offered the following feats: pitching two no hitters in a row, performed by Johnny Vander Meer in June 1938; and hitting two grand slams in a single inning, as Fernando Tatis did at Dodger Stadium in 1999. Mr. Ruditkoff said one would have to pitch three no-hitters in a row or hit three grand slams in a single inning to break these records. “If you do the math,” Mr. Ruditkoff said, one would discover just how difficult it would be to accomplish.


Public relations maven Sy Presten informed the Knickerbocker of a record that will never be broken. In 1902, pitcher George Edward “Rube” Waddell struck out a side on nine pitches.


“How can you top that?” said Mr. Presten, “You can tie it. But you can’t top it.”


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PINSTRIPES & POLO SHIRTS


International Production company celebrated its 25th anniversary trade show exhibiting menswear at New York’s Pier 94.


Overheard at the Carstarphen Booth: Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was so impressed with their products made from Sea Island Cotton that he purchased a bundle of sweaters, polo shirts, and socks and had the Yankees emblem attached to them for players and friends.


The New York Sun

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