Comedy Matters Jeffrey L. Gurian

Jeffrey L. Gurian

Watch Me On Radio

Where else would it be more appropriate to break the news that I was just chosen to be the East Coast producer of National Lampoon Radio (NLR), than my own column? We air nationally on FM starting January 1.

NLR ceo Kent Emmons, NLR programming director Adam Gilad and his son Amit, plus L.A. comic Amy Anderson flew in from the West Coast to join me at the "Just For Laughs Festival" in Montreal.

Jeffrey L. Gurian and Adam Gilad

Customs actually let this National Lampoon gang cross the border! Boy, are they lax! (Or is L.A. lax?) Jokes like that will get me thrown off the air!

We found our home on Canadian radio CJAD, where Eramalinda Boquet, Al Gravelle, and Stu Nulman hold court on a regular basis. We joined them in broadcasting from the lobby of the Delta Hotel, the headquarters for the fest.

Thanks to Frank Chindamo and Fun Little Movies, The "Men Who" Series of short comedy films I wrote and directed are being seen on Sprint and Microsoft cellphones, and Smart Technology devices. Men Who Take A Pitchfork To The Movies, Men Who Enjoy Latin Dancing With Tools, and Men Who Introduce People To Articles Of Their Clothing, are three of the masterpieces.

No Nudity, No Violence,
Just Unspeakable Obscenity



Paul Provenza and Jeffrey L. Gurian

(Check out this photo of Paul Provenza and me from the early 90's. Chest hair, mullet, necklace, rose-colored glasses and moustache complete the ensemble.)

My old pal Paul Provenza, and his pal Penn Gillette, are director and producer, respectively, for The Aristocrats, which might be the filthiest movie ever made. Having written some of the raunchiest jokes for many Friars roasts over the years, believe me, I know filth when I see it !

I thought I'd have no way to see this sold-out film, but then because I'm often in the right place at the right time, I ran into Paul, who wound up personally walking me into the theatre, which is the best way to get into a sold-out film. No one says "No" to the director. I'm so happy for his success.

Comedy Is Gold

Jeffrey L. Gurian and Elon Gold

(Elon and I exhibiting contrasting undershirt necklines, in the lobby of The Delta Hotel)

Comedy is gold especially when talking about Elon and Judy. No relation, except for some Hebraic connection that probably goes back to biblical times. Elon Gold, the nice Jewish boy, and total mensch, is starring with Pam Anderson, the Ultimate Shiksa, in a new Fox sitcom called Stacked. I'll let you write your own joke.

Elon was a big hit in Montreal, appearing in four shows, and killing every time.

Judy Gold did a show about Jewish mothers called, G-d Doesn't Pay Rent Here, which she researched for five years, interviewing Jewish mothers across the country.

Judy Gold and Jeffrey L. Gurian

(Judy Gold and Jeffrey at the Centaur Theatre. Tall women are like Goddesses! Who cares that she likes girls!)

Unfortunately, my mother wasn't available. She was away on a "worrying retreat." That's where Jewish mothers get together, break up into small groups and worry about things that will never happen.

Woven into the brilliantly told, funny, yet touching, character study is Judy's own story of how a 6-foot 3-inch, gay, standup comic, became the mother of two little boys in her quest to become the consummate Jewish mother.

Until next time,
remember,
COMEDY MATTERS!

A nationally known comedy writer, and an authority on roast humor, Jeffrey L. Gurian has written material for many of the great performers at the fabled Friars Roasts, including Richard Belzer, Robin Williams, Milton Berle, Jerry Lewis, and even Bruce Willis, as well as comedy stars such as Joan Rivers, Gilbert Gottfried, Phil Hartman, Pauly Shore and Pat Cooper. He wrote and directed The "Men Who" Series of short films for the Toyota Comedy Festival. He also wrote for MTV and USA Network, and was one of the writers of Sony's first interactive film. As a playwright he wrote a one- hour NBC drama about the devastating effects of homelessness on the young, entitled De La Salle. His first feature film Face to Face, that he wrote with Scott Baio, made its world premiere at the Taos, New Mexico Film Festival, and was honored as the opening night film. It has since become an award-winning film as it won Best Comedy Feature at the Marco Island Film Festival and Valley Film Festival in Hollywood. His newest film, I Am Woody about a mob boss obsessed with Woody Allen, won for Best Short Film at the NY Independent Film Festival. He can be seen around town performing his comedy news broadcast Uncle Nat’s Traveling Peep Show with his comedy partner model/performer Sonya Gignac, currently being groomed as an on-air personality at WPIX Sports. In addition Jeffrey is a Clinical Professor at NYU in the Oral Medicine/Oro-Facial Pain Department, a cosmetic dentist, lecturer, author and healer. He also is credited for developing a cure for stuttering. You may read more at www.jeffreygurian.com.

-