by K.D. Hopkins
I must preface this by saying that I have seen Long Story Short both live and on HBO. I loved it both times and I wasn’t sure that I would even like the live show. Is this tour for the benefit of those who didn’t glean nuggets of wisdom from subscription television? I have come to the conclusion that it would benefit people to see him live and if you are lucky ask him a few questions. (read more)
I was one of the lucky ones who got a fifteen minute group interview with Mr. Quinn after seeing Long Story Short at the Broadway Playhouse, and presented by Broadway in Chicago. The comic is as affable and funny as he is on stage or camera. In answering the questions of several bloggers and reviewers it came to light that he is ‘long past the age of inspiration’ and that this production is a collaboration with ‘Big Jer’ aka Jerry Seinfeld. Mr. Quinn edited some of the piece because Seinfeld is the expert on funny when it comes to stand up. I would have liked to have heard more of what was edited such as the section on Africa and England which "Jerry the Devil" cut out, as well as ruminations on Christopher Columbus and the Dominican Republic. In fact, I felt a little short-changed and would have loved to have spent a couple of hours listening to him riff on those very subjects.
Seinfeld may have done a bit of a disservice in being so economical with the length of the show. Mr. Quinn commented on how different the stand up audience is vs. the theater audience.
"Comedy club behavior is odd", says Quinn. He recounted being at Caroline’s Comedy Club, which is well known and a mark of having broken through in the comic business. There is constant chatter and other distractions vying for attention, so the timing has to be more on point. "Make a proclamation and then prove it" is the blueprint for successful stand up. Also, in the theater tour, Mr. Quinn finds that people are more savvy and get the jokes rather than caring so much about whether his watch is a Breitling or placing a cocktail order.
Quinn commented on a fan being really rambunctious when he came out and that it bugged him because this show isn’t the same as regular stand up. To that end another fan up in the second tier was roundly silenced by the audience around him as he kept shouting ‘suggestions’ in the beginning of the show. He remarked that there is a presumption of intelligence in a theater audience that will get the historical and geopolitical context of this show.
I asked him if he adapted the show to current events or the city that he is in. He replied that he alludes to some events but mostly sticks to the script. In the opening of the August 27th performance he joked that Chicago may be the last big city after Hurricane Irene is done. "You won’t be the Second City-you’ll be the only city!"
This is the longest time he has spent in our city and often checks in with fellow SNL alum Tim Meadows, who is a resident. One reviewer told him that they were trying to get in touch with Meadows. Quinn took out his cell phone and made a note for his friend to get in touch with the reviewer much to the group’s delight. In all, I found him to be a delightful conversationalist and very funny. He didn’t seem to be "on" while sitting on the edge of the stage talking to us.
