A fun, enlightening oral history of The Improv, and for that matter, the art of stand up comedy. Seinfeld, Leno, Fallon - they all are here, and were there.

A fascinating look back to The Improv, a comedy club, and how so many greats frequented there. If you like comedy and the history of comics, I would strongly recommend this wonderful book.

I enjoyed reading this book. Budd Friedman opened the comedy club in NYC in the 1960s and the rest is comedic history. The book is presented chronologically. Famous and some not so famous comedians offer their recollections of the club. There is a lot of comedy history here and lots of funny stories. Enjoy

If you are fascinated by all things Broadway, yearn to read memoirs full of namedropping, and love the world of comedy, then The Improv: An Oral History of the Comedy Club Which Revolutionized Stand Up written by Budd Friedman with the help of Tripp Whetsell and an introduction by Jay Leno is the book for you.

Full of comments and tributes from the recognizable major players who found the Improv a haven, Budd tells his saga of the hows and whys of the Improv’s existence and the details which led to not only its success but its role in launching many a comedian into the national spotlight on both coasts. Surprisingly readable, this is the opportunity to be the fly on the wall and discover the behind the scenes scuttlebutt of what happened when both the newbies and established members of the “Biz” let their hair down. A good book to add to your voyeur collection.

Four stars and a thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review also appears on my blog Gotta Read:
https://ellenk59.wordpress.com/2019/01/09/the-improv-an-oral-history-of-the-comedy-club-which-revolutionized-stand-up-written-by-budd-friedman-with-the-help-of-tripp-whetsell-and-an-introduction-by-jay-leno/

3 Stars

Review on Goodreads

This book is really odd to me in its writing format. Good, but odd. I must admit the format drove me insane because it felt more like I was sitting in a room with a bunch of comedians sitting around having random conversations versus a set timeline format. It made for interesting reading, but one couldn't skim this book because it was very easy to get lost in doing so.

Given my love for Amazon's new show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, I jumped on this book. That is the feeling this book had. Reading that bouncing around was totally different from watching it though.

Reviewed for publisher through Netgalley.

Since I read an ARC, hopefully, the final version will have pictures.

I love reading the behind-the-scenes about just about anything, and this book did not disappoint. It was a fascinating look back to The Improv, a comedy club, and how so many greats frequented there. If you like comedy, I would strongly recommend this wonderful book.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Budd Friedman changed comedy. In 1963, a would-be Broadway producer opened a little after-hours place where theater performers could come and find a welcoming stage. Singers like Liza Minelli and Bette Midler would come and sing with the house piano player, Barry Manilow. Actors like Jason Robards and Albert Finney would hang out at the little coffee shop in Hell's Kitchen. 

But it wasn't until the The Improvisation, later renamed The Improv, turned into an outlet for young comedians that the club and Friedman himself become the iconic star-maker that it still is today. Comedians such as Robert Klein, Robert Lewis, and Jay Leno learned their comic chops on the stage of the Improv, and they in turn made it famous. Now it's hard to name a comedian who hasn't known time before that famous brick wall: Billy Crystal, Larry David, Robin Williams, Drew Carey, Lily Tomlin, Andy Kaufman, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, Bob Saget, Howie Mandel, Jerry Seinfeld, and so many more. Dustin Hoffman would show up to play the piano every once in awhile, and none other than Danny Aiello was the bouncer. It was the place to be in New York City. 

All of the stories are here in The Improv: An Oral History of the Comedy Club that Revolutionized Stand-Up, from the beginning of Budd Friedman's dream through his success and his mentorship of some of the greatest comedians of the last fifty years. A wealth of comedy shows, movies, books, and television shows can all trace their origins to the comedians who learned on Friedman's stage, and the next generations of comedians will no doubt still have much to thank him for. The man turned comedy into art, and we are all the better for his contribution to popular culture. 

Anyone who is interested in comedy should devour this book. With contributions from names throughout the world of entertainment, The Improv is a masterclass in making people laugh, in learning timing, and in the history of all our modern stand-up comedy legends. Required reading for all would-be comedians, most certainly, and fun reading for those of us who love to laugh. Very highly recommended. 



Galleys for The Improv were provided by BenBella Books through NetGalley.com, with many thanks.

First the negative part about this.
It mentioned a lot of American comedians that I had not heard of.
But other than the above I found this to be a fascinating insight into the growth of stand up comic's.
Highly recommended.

Fun to read about all my fav comedians who started at the Improv. My kind of history.

COMEDIC HISTORY IN THE MAKING

I can remember the first time I watched AN EVENING AT THE IMPROV and saw Bud Friedman for the first time. He seemed like a jovial fellow who loved what he was doing, who loved comics and wanted to present them in the best way possible. Sure he was on site and seen but he never hogged the spotlight. That was reserved for the comics on stage.

Reading this book you are given a backstage pass to learn how it all came about. The humble beginnings of a man who wanted to produce plays on Broadway who aimed to get there by starting a small club that featured music and comedy where actors who were already on the great white way could relax after a show and perform what they liked. That eventually morphed into the first major comedy club in the country.

The ups and downs, the successes and the failures are all discussed here. There are also passages talking about select comedians who left a lasting impression on both Friedman and the world of comedy. Some many of us may not have understood but they did leave their mark.

Rather than be told in a straight linear fashion with the words of only Friedman describing what happened we’re presented many voices surrounding his take on things. From those who worked at the various Improvs (there ended up being more than the first located in New York) to the comedians who know Bud well. Most are generous but on occasion they reveal a few items that might not be kind but are never attacks on the man.

The book brings to life the location and the people who made it come alive. It tells the story of a man who influenced what we see today on TV and in movies, where comedy stars have taken over and moved from the stage to the big screen. If you don’t believe that look at the films of Eddie Murphy or recall the TV phenomena that was SEINFELD. It all began at a small club with a brick wall. This is the story of that location.

Budd Friedman and Tripp Whetsell have put together the history of The Improv which gave birth to many of our comedy genius in the past and present. Told from Budd’s point of view, the history of The Improv is detailed from its grass roots beginning into the recognisable name that it is today.

Interspersed with interviews and soundbytes from comedians and there are some chapters dedicated to people like Jay Leno and Andy Kaufman. This is an interesting and thought provoking history of an iconic comedy institution though there are times this seems a little uneven. This is basically a warts and all tale of the rise and tragedy of comedy.

Budd Friedman should really be recognised for the talent that he has discovered over the years such as Jerry Seinfeld and Richard Klein to name just a couple. He has put a lot of blood, sweat and tears over the years and has suffered some serious setbacks as well. This is a brave and thought provoking history that should please anyone who is interested in the working of a successful comedy club especially a club that has stood the test of time in the ever changing environment that it finds itself in.

Overall, this is highly recommended and a few lessons are learned whilst reading through this insightful autobiography. All the emotions are there and there really always tears behind the laughs when it comes to comedy and this book surely delves into all the nooks and crannies. There are a few let downs which are probably more down to lawsuits and litigation but there is enough information to figure out who he is generally talking about.

This is a winner of a novel and enjoyable read that is highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this history of The Improv, the institution that was instrumental in bringing stand-up comedy to the front of pop culture. Budd Friedman, the owner and founder of The Improv, is the narrator, but he splices in sound bytes from dozens of comedians who became household names.

If you enjoy the inner workings of the stand-up circuit, you'll love this collection of stories. Some chapters are focused on the rise of the club and Budd's struggles/recollections, and others are focused on specific comics, like Jay Leno and Andy Kaufman.

The book rides this great high until the very end, which left me a little disappointed. Budd mentioned bringing a lawsuit against an unnamed comedian, and it didn't seem to fit with the celebration of the rest of the book. The rest of the book is so candid - so much so that Budd has included some less-than-flattering comments about him from comics - and bringing up this bad blood and then not naming the other party seemed unresolved. The rest of the book paints the struggles of The Improv while also celebrating the successes.

Interesting topic, well-written although a bit confusing in places - it sometimes changes point of view without warning, so you don't know whether it is Friedman or one of his friends/colleagues talking. Descends into celebrity worship in places, too, but overall a compelling story of how the Improv started the comedy club landscape almost by accident.

Great. Ok on the history of lat 20thncentry and early 21 st century comedy. Great book

Wonderful book about stand-up comedy

While the book is specifically about The Improv and Budd Friedman, it really is much broader than that. It is a history of stand-up comedy from the 1970’s onwards. And while author Budd Friedman might have been self-congratulatory, he included lots of quotes from a WHO's Who of stand-up comedy and not all of these were flattering. This book is an insider's look at stand-up, the good and the bad. Overall this is an amazing book and I strongly recommend it for fans of stand-up comedy.

The Improv An Oral History of the Comedy Club that Revolutionized Stand-Up by Budd Friedman and Tripp Whetsell was received direct from the publisher. Who hasn't at least heard of the Improv, the comedy club? Some of us had been to one or even been to them at different locations. This book, by the founder of the club, gives the stand up comedy lover and Broadway shows lover the true behind the scenes story of the iconic original Improv. While touted as a autobiography, it is more short snippets of famous people who went there before it or they were famous. If you like stand up comedy, grab this book up.

5 stars