With the help of some red-hot comics, the late, great Joan Rivers is still asking “Can we talk?” A decade after his death.
A tribute show taking place at the Apollo Theater on November 7, cruelly titled “Dead Funny,” is the opening night event of the upcoming New York Comedy Festival, and will feature Nikki Glaser, Michelle Buteau, and many other performers.
Festival founder Caroline Hirsch told The Post over lunch at Michael’s that the embryo was the brainchild of Joan’s daughter, Melissa Rivers.
“We were going to take all of Joan’s cards,” Hirsch said of his original plan to utilize Rivers’ extensive library of written jokes.
“He wrote everything down on the index card, right? And he had a big cabinet of his, which he gave to the National Comedy Center [in Jamestown, NY]But we were not going to do any show with him.”
Melissa, who hit the red carpet After living with her mother for years, she approached Hirsch with a better idea: get together 1,500 of Joan’s foul-mouthed friends, admirers, and admirers for a night of inappropriate laughs.
“There are a lot of comedians that Joan was really close with,” Hirsch said.
The lineup includes Sandra Bernhard, Patton Oswald, Matteo Lane, Jeff Ross, Randy Rainbow and, in a clever nod to Joan’s lasting influence, Rachel Brosnahan from “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”
Hirsch said, “You have to remember that we have two TV shows that won multiple Emmys that were really about Joan.” “You have ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ and then ‘Hacks.’ It’s all zone.”
And, of course, part of honoring bold and flamboyant stand-ups is speaking out boldly.
“I remember watching him on Johnny Carson when I was a kid. And I can’t believe what comes out of this woman’s mouth. No filter,'” said Hirsch, whose Caroline’s Comedy Club was a fixture in Times Square for 41 years.
“That’s what comedians do. There was no filter on The Zone – ever, ever.
Who is Hirsch and his keen eye for comedians excited about at the festival?
“Zarna Garg,” she said.
The Indian-American stand-up started playing Caroline’s in 2019, and never left Hirsch’s radar. He also mentioned it three years ago when Clinton called.
“We got a call one day because Hillary Clinton and Chelsea were producing a series called “Gutsy” about courageous women. And the producers called us and said, ‘Can you suggest some comedians?’ And we suggested Zurna.
Months later, when Hirsch went to the 2022 premiere of “Gutsy,” she saw a former president copying Garg’s routine.
The founder said, “Bill Clinton was kidding himself!” “He said [to her]’I follow you on Instagram!’
And then on November 11 the annual “Stand Up for Heroes” show returns with other heavy hitters including Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart and Jim Gaffigan. Over 13 years, “Heroes” has raised more than $100 million for veterans.
Bruce Springsteen will also return along with comedians. And he’s joined by wife Patti Scialfa, whose multiple myeloma diagnosis was recently revealed in the documentary.Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,
“He’s leaving his tour to play here,” Hirsch says of the E Street Band’s Canadian shows on November 9 and 13. “He is so nice. And Patty’s going to do it too.”
Hirsch says Skilfa was doing fine during her cancer battle.
“We knew he was sick, but no one said anything,” he said. “But she has made so much progress with that disease that she will recover.”
The New York Comedy Festival runs from November 7-17 at venues across the city. Tickets are available at nycomedyfestival.com.
