Cleveland laughter

Bob Hope, Tim Conway, Arsenio Hall, Drew Carey, Steve Harvey. These and other entertainers began their careers in Cleveland, before the national comedy scene. With every city that produces such a stream of talent, one wonders if they give something tangible to which the inheritance. There is something inherently funny, Cleveland or its inhabitants, and where can humor to the stage in the city do now?

British-born Leslie Townes "Bob Hopemoved to the U.S. with his family at age five, his father was a bricklayer, his mother an opera singer turned light cleaner. His family Doan's Corner neighborhood was home to several varieties of shows such as the Alhambra. Hope earned money as a teenager singing in the car en route to Luna Park in 1915, he won a Charlie Chaplin imitation contest at the amusement park. At 16 he left school. He and his girlfriend, Cleveland, Mildred Rosenquist, dances apsiredSuccess of Vernon and Irene Castle, the country's most popular Hoofing the couple. It was as part of a dance team of two men, Hope, who also searched in the box under the name "Packy East" as a dancer was discovered during the era of vaudeville's legendary comic Fatty Arbuckle. Dance Team takes comedy lines and spirit as a staple of their actions, and the Spirit of Hope, led him to the palace of the famous Theatre of New York's. The rest, as they say, is history.

On requesteffective comedy is the ability to speak comfortably in public. Another is the joke. Steve Harvey's parents were a mother church and a construction worker, father of the family finances during the slow winter months completely passed through the booking figures for the organization through the aptly named Don King. Harvey asked how the TV comedy from the work of his youth, he graduated from Glenville High School, was the Richard Pryor of 1975. Arsenio Hall, like Harvey, was exposed to the oral traditionThe Black Church-His father was a minister. Harvey, Carey Hall and visited all States Kent, although it was Frat Boy Carey reported. In 1986 Carey was riding the success of winning a local competition play a teaching position at the Cleveland Comedy Club. Until then, Hall acts as R & B singer Patti LaBelle opening. It is worth noting that the signature "scream, cry, cries of" Song of Hall and his late night TV studio audience was very similar to the use of popular Browns FansPart of the Municipal Stadium end zone like Dawg Pound known. Regarding its roots church, many remember archetypal Hall preacher's Black in the 1988 movie "Coming to America."

What is Suburbia? Funnyman Tim Conway was born in Willoughby, and grew up in Chagrin Falls. After focusing on voice and radio at Bowling Green and a stay in the army, took a job for a reply e-mail station in Cleveland. Conway was a writer in the promotions department. He later worked with ClevelandBroadcasting legend Ernie Anderson WJW and WKYC TV ("Ernie's Place") and recorded a comedy album with Anderson before landing a role in the 1960 sitcom "McHale's Navy". Regardless of the field of training or the time is always taken to mentors and comics were Cleveland.

observational comics like the professionals of one-liners opposed are known, have open minds. Think George Carlin, Steven Wright, Jerry Seinfeld. The Midwest has only a pair of wide city viewsthat producing the progressive politicians like Mayor Carl Stokes and Dennis Kucinich, the former About America's first Black was a great city to govern. Cincinnati, where the executives viewed as conservative and as an ideal market to test new food midstream Columbus, Cuyahoga County provided more support for presidential candidate John Kerry than any other country.

The city has long laugh at yourself, another feature of a strange spirit. From a mammothFootball / baseball stadium affectionately called "The mistake on the lake" to base the reputation of the series "Major League Baseball movie to the suffering of underprivileged Indians and Americans are united in fun Cleveland had its costs. Native Son Carey continues her sitcom People in his own hometown.

Mike Polk, a promotions writer for a local television station and freelance comedy writer gets up and improvisation. He is part of a sketch comedy group called Last Call Cleveland.Polk says, "the Cleveland comedy scene has a fairly long history and has some very ordinary star over time. I think that Cleveland, a breeding ground for such a great comedian heads for the same reason that it has been recorded a swing. The State is eclectic, with many different opinions and cultures. There is a bit 'of everything and everything is focused in small areas. Within fifteen miles around the Cleveland area, you have the blue collar working class, intense poverty,extreme wealth and inhabitants of rural farms. Unlike other parts of the country, where areas have a consistent position, with rare exceptions, namely: California is liberal and blue, red and rural Alabama, Cleveland etc across the map. I think this show tons of different types of people and circumstances that feed on comic books and make their material accessible to many people. been disinherited of Cleveland is a factor. We are always the poorest city in the nation. UsPeople lose jobs and an alarming pace. Our time is sometimes miserable. Crime is high. Our sports teams are cursed. Our river caught fire. Like the fat boy in elementary school, we were like Cleveland was forced to develop a sense of humor about ourselves and what is around us self-defense. "

According to Polk, Cleveland has many opportunities to stand up comics on their actions before work toward things bigger and better. There wereOpen Mic comedy nights regularly at various bars and clubs that choose the last owner of Karaoke is more useful and interactive. The two main sites of the city for comics on the rise, vivacity and Improv, a stage for the comic to bring the area in addition to national headliners. The second city theater, which is widely considered the world leader in training Improv Theater, has had a stint here in Piazza Playhouse few years ago, and although the comedy scene as a whole and appreciationsupport, ticket sales were not just enough to get the business. Second City to leave the city, and completed his training Improv School. Some of the groups that produced by Second City branch survivors, others were not so fortunate.

Something Dada is the area running Longet Improv Group. Celebrating 12 years of existence, is the force in a new theater movement and the press in East Tower Building 21 and Superior. Their motto: "Never the same show twice. In January 2007 wasSkecth celebration in Chicago for the third consecutive year attending.

Cleveland Contemporary nightlife offers many options for play. Pickwick and Frolic, a retroswank Martini Bar, features an old fashioned magazine hilarities. For the more daring Coed Frat Boy and many of us is hard dueling piano bar Howl at the Moon in the apartments. Wednesday at 09:30 clock, Lakewood's Underground Low Life Lounge presents his comedy show with artists like Mike Grimey NinetyBaker, John David Sidley and Kathie says. The Improv at 2000 Sycamore Flats in the Power House is located. In early November, the Cleveland native Tammy Pescatelli, two seasons of NBC's "Last Comic Standing" where he played was to see. This city rich heritage that inspires laughter watching the scene, form your own opinions and take a rising star. History shows that it is worth.

Clubs:

The Improv - Cleveland, OH
(216) 696-4677
ThePower House
2000 Sycamore, Level 1
Cleveland, OH 44113
Web Site: http://www.improvupcoming.com/

Hilarities / Pickwick and Frolic
2035 fourth Street East
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) -241-7425
Web Site: http://www.pickwickandfrolic.com

Low waist / Bottoms Up
1572 W 117 St.
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
(216) 521-4386
Website:] http://www.bassavitalounge.com [

Cabaret Dada
1210 West 6th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216)696-4242
Web Site: [http://www.cabaretdada.com/]

The Winchester
12 112 Madison
Lakewood, Ohio
21.00 Clock
216-226-5681
Website: http://www.thewinchester.net/pages/1/index.htm

Bijan C. Bayne is a freelance writer and critic.