By Sharon Oliver
Contributing Writer
BOSTON – It is true that local stand-up comedians were tickling funny bones before the 1980s. Former “The Tonight Show” host Jay Leno began his career telling jokes at the Two O’clock Club and the Teddy Bear Lounge in the seedy Combat Zone adult entertainment district over 50 years ago. Sales from comedy albums recorded by greats like Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and others experienced ebbs and flows, but something was about to change, and the Boston area would play a major part in it.
Stand-up comedy heyday
Veteran Lenny Clarke was the famous “saloon comic” during Boston’s comedy heyday in the 80s. He, along with Massachusetts natives Steven Wright, Steve Sweeney, Paula Poundstone, and Denis Leary owned the comedy club stage thanks to their unique gritty styles and a receptive audience. Stand-up performances grew hot and venues like Faneuil Hall’s Comedy Connection offered the hottest tickets in town.
The average local comedy club was jam-packed six nights a week. It was simply a great time to test out a career in comedy, a time that is immortalized in the 2003 documentary “When Stand Up Stood Out.” Fans who recalled the Boston comedy Gold Rush era were quick to comment.
Bobwalton4630 wrote:
“Denis Leary was just on Toucher and Rich, and they mentioned this. I saw it like 20 years ago when it came out. My favorite part is Steven Wright admitting he is in a state of shock when he was invited to sit next to Johnny Carson. No P.R. team, no manager or agent, just real emotions. Good stuff.”
MikeSebastianVideos added:
“The best documentary I’ve seen on this subject, and I’ve seen many.”
Kelinnehan9719 confessed:
“I’m a Boston comic and this is wild. Never knew any of this info.”
Some of those interviewed for the documentary are comedians who got their start in Boston. This includes Kevin Meaney, Denis Leary, Bobcat Goldthwait, Steven Wright, Paula Poundstone, Barry Crimmins, and Lenny Clarke.
Success on the big and small screens
The rest of the country would learn about Boston’s comedy melting pot after Steven Wright appeared on Johnny Carson’s “The Tonight Show” in 1982. What followed was a succession of “who’s who” in comedy. The late Kevin Meaney was originally from New York but had a show called the “Sweeney and Meaney Hour” at Stitches Comedy Club in Boston. Meaney’s big break was his first HBO comedy special in 1986, followed by his debut performance on the “The Tonight Show” in 1987 and several movies later.
Worcester native and comic legend Denis Leary, known for the 2004 dramedy “Rescue Me,” will star in a new Fox comedy series called “Going Dutch” where he will play a loudmouth U.S. Army colonel stationed at the least important army base in the world. Controversial comic, Louis C.K.’s first tried his hand at stand-up was in 1985 at a comedy club in Boston during the height of the comedy boom.
A profusion of comedic actors
Aside from stand-up comedians, the state of Massachusetts has produced a slate of comedic actors as well. Newton’s Amy Poehler found success on the long-running sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live” as did Lexington’s Rachel Dratch. Steve Carell’s journey from Concord to Hollywood included gaining recognition as a cast member on “The Dana Carvey Show” in 1996 before moving on to his soon-to-be hit sitcom “The Office” and eventually an impressive list of films. Scene-stealing comedic actress Jennifer Coolidge, star of “The White Lotus” television series, also hails from the Boston area.
The 1980s represented an era where comedy transitioned from “traditional” to edgy and some of the biggest names in the business got their start in Boston. The city continues to pump out great talent and in 2019, Comedy Network released the album “Best of Boston Stand-up Vol. 1” to highlight some of these comedians.
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