Jay Black

Imagination Worldwide is introducing the raunchy comedy from director Brian Herzlinger to AFM buyers.

Stand-up star Russell Peters will take a lead role in Three for the Road, a raunchy buddy comedy/road movie from writer-director Brian Herzlinger (My Date With Drew).

The Canadian comedian will play Jack, a 38-year-old geek whose fiancee dumps him during their Star Wars-themed wedding for being "too immature." Looking to pick up his spirits, Jack's best friend Ben invites him on a cross-country road trip with his own fiancee (and Jack's nemesis), Kara. What was supposed to be a romantic trip for two becomes a battle for Ben's affection.

Herzlinger co-wrote the script for Three for the Road with Jay Black. Kerry David will produce the film with Paul Canterna and Clayton Peters as executive producers. Shooting is set to start in January. Imagination Worldwide has picked up sales rights for the project and is introducing it to international buyers at AFM.

Three for the Road will be the first starring film vehicle for Peters. Up till now, the comedian has only appeared in bit roles, though he will be one of the voices in Chuck Powers' upcoming animated feature Ribbit alongside Tim Curry and Sean Astin.

Peters has long reigned near the top of Forbes' annual list of the world's most successful comedians (ranked third this year). Peters' new stand up special, his Notorious World Tour as well as the accompanying behind-the-scenes documentary Russell Peters vs. the World, will be backed by Netflix, marking the company's first foray into live comedy. - Hollywood Reporter

The first football game of the year didn’t seem to deter students from coming to see Jay Black’s performance this past Saturday. The night began with Augustana’s very own Nick Caputo, sophomore, opening for Black after an encounter with him before the show. He compared his first stand-up performance to losing your virginity.

“If you’re lucky, it’s four minutes long, there’s no blood and just maybe they ask you to come back a second time,” said Caputo.

This quickly warmed up the crowd and sent out a good vibe for the start of the night.

Even excluding the dozen stragglers who came in last-minute, the crowd was relatively large at about fifty students.

Black was quick to engage each and every audience member, quickly hopping off of the stage and wandering through the front of the audience with mic in hand as he began the night right off the bat with sex jokes, a natural college crowd-pleaser.

Though stilted at first and reluctant to participate, the crowd soon unwound, and it didn’t take long before the room was shaking with laughter. From hairy nipples to his experience as an English teacher to pornography, he confided in us that his favorite joke was explaining the concept of an age-limit to cougars.

“After a certain age, ladies, you’re not cougars anymore. Come about sixty, you’re a snow leopard. Eighties? Saber-tooth. I’m sorry–those are the rules,” said Black

Jay Black grew up admiring Bill Cosby, particularly his routine “Bill Cosby Himself,” as well as Chris Rock’s “Bring the Pain” routine from 1996. He explained that he didn’t think there was a more perfect blend of social commentary and humor than Rock’s routine.

“Every joke’s a home run,” said Black.

He notes that his style on stage was mostly influenced by Comedy Central’s Greg Giraldo. He wanted to be a comedian since he was six, particularly because he wanted to make his dad laugh.

Sadly, his father passed away last week.

When asked why he was here at Augustana performing, Black replied, “He would have wanted me to perform.” His father valued putting your job first, and Black did so as a means to honor him.

His father, idolized comedians and his wife helped push him into becoming a professional comedian.

Having been a stand-up comedian for twelve years, performing full-time for seven, Black spends an equal amount of time performing at colleges, clubs and corporately, saying that his routine doesn’t change much from venue to venue.

His material comes from everyday observations and from his satisfaction of turning weird perspectives into something people can enjoy.

“[Performing] makes me feel less different… I just like things that make everyone laugh,” Black said. - Augustana Observer

by Dubravka Kolumbic
dkolumbic@sjlocalnews.com

MARLTON RESIDENT and professional comedian Jay Black will be a headliner at Shawnee High School Soccer Booster Club's comedy show fundraiser on Feb. 10.

EVESHAM— Apparently, you can take the teacher out of the guy, but not the school ties.

Jay Black, a former English teacher at Shawnee High School, will be back at his old employer to support the Shawnee Soccer Booster Club comedy night fundraiser on Feb. 10. (see related story by clicking here).

Black was an English teacher at Shawnee for four years and also taught at Seneca High School. After a successful part-time stand up comedy career, he went at it full time and now tours the country performing and writing comedy. And it all started because of a girl. While teaching at Shawnee, Black became interested in a substitute teacher and decided to win her over with his comedic skills. He invited her to open mic night at the Comedy Caberet. It worked. The two are now married and the proud parents of two children.

In a way, for Black, the show at Shawnee is like coming full circle. He recalls pacing the stage at Cherokee High School while he was a student there and pretending he was doing a comedy show. It was good practice for his first open mic night in February of 2002. That was when Black realized “I was pretty good at it. I was good enough to not be embarrassed to go back a second time.”

Black hit the proverbial big time in 2006 when he appeared on Showtime’s comedy special “White Boyz in the Hood.” The concept was all white comedians performing in front of an all black audience.

“I was very nervous,” Black recalled. “But for the first two minutes of my routine, no one laughed. Then the MC walks on with a new microphone.” Black’s microphone wasn’t working so no one had heard a word he had been saying.

His first line with a working mic was, “They told me it was going to be ghetto.” The crowd loved it, and Black got a standing ovation at the end of the show.

And at the end of 2006, making more money doing comedy than teaching, Black decided to go at it full time. As Murphy’s Law would have it, a week after Black resigned from his stable teaching job, his wife became pregnant. Lucky for Black, his new career has been lucrative and has proven to be a good decision for him and his family.

Black’s wife, Kristina, teaches English and special education at Seneca and is the daughter of former Shawnee teacher Mike Panarella. She is an ardent supporter of Black’s career and, in turn, Black enjoys being a semi stay at home father when he’s not on the road.

The lifelong Marlton resident says he sometimes misses the set hours of a teaching job, but is thrilled to be doing what he loves.

“I am one of the few people who can actually say I make a living doing what I’ve loved since I was a little kid.”

Although still touring the country and doing his schtick, Black doesn’t forget his hometown fans and performs regularly at Casa Carollo’s Comedy Cabaret in Marlton.

He also continues to work the college circuit and was named College Comedian of the Year in 2009 and was first runner up in both 2010 and 2011.

And he is expanding his comedic writing portfolio. Black’s writing partner, Brian Herzlinger, is a childhood friend since the fourth grade at Beeler Elementary. Black, a self-proclaimed East Coast guy at heart, leaves the marketing of their products to Herzlinger, who is happily living in Los

Angeles and handling the necessary schmoosing with Hollywood bigwigs while marketing their writing. The two collaborate over the phone and take turns reworking the drafts.

“We’re like an old married couple,” Black says of their relationship.

He adds, “We are one of the few people in Hollywood who can call each other friends and mean it.”

Together, the two have written numerous screenplays and even sold one, “Mental,” in 2008 to the Summit Entertainment, producers of the “Twilight” movie series. Alas, s - http://www.southjerseylocalnews.com

I thought I made it very clear that my recent list of the five funniest Philadelphia-area people on Twitter was much like every college paper I have ever written: neither comprehensive nor well researched with hopes that no one would notice. Quite frankly, by using the laugh-out-loud funny tweets of others I was able to put together a hilarious column without any real effort or talent on my part. It was slacker genius!

But, alas, people are dead serious about this comedy thing. I have since been inundated with reminders of exactly how many funny Philly people I missed. And now I find myself having to add to the list of the five funniest, making it the 10 funniest, in no particular order.

I will start with a tweet I got from someone called @DearStabby, aka Ms. Offalmunger (if that means something obscene, please forgive me. I’m over 50). Stabby took exception to my safe, Seinfeld comedy sensibilities and thought I should give into the dark side of Philadelphian Twitter comedy. He wrote,

There are lots of us locals. Some push the limits on what is “funny”. A few: @DrFingerblaster @DJSLEAZY @xzqx @bigTlittleODD

I read and liked them all, but they all should have a Parental Advisory. I’ll start the new list with one of them.

Todd T, @bigTlittleODD, indentifies himself only as POI. His profile only says “Humble Person Extraordinaire.” Here are some recent tweets:

I seriously need to build up a better tolerance for planking. I keep falling asleep everytime.

Maybe squirrels shouldn’t be camouflaged the same color as pavement.

*sighs* I wish there were more people named weiner.

I was also informed by Nikki, aka @SquirrelJustice, who topped my list last week, that I missed this local tweeting legend:

molly, @Molly_Kats; her profile says “Serial plant killer. I hate my upstairs neighbor.” Recent tweets:

Unfocusing my eyes to make people less ugly, but it’s not working.

What’s the opposite of unraveling? I’d like to do that.

If people could read my mind, I’d get punched in the face a lot.

Jay Black, Chip Chantry and Blake Wexler are all local standup comics who have nice-size followings. I know that now from the emails and tweets I got that they should be on any list of the area’s funniest. I amend that oversight now.

Jay Black, @jayblackcomedy. Profile: Federal Boob Inspector, pending the outcome of my lawsuit with the US Government and the Acme Novelty Wallet Card Company. Recent Tweets:

FACT: PhDs who aren’t MDs, but still insist on being called Doctor are douches, with the exception of Dr. Demento, Dr. Detroit, & Dr. Mario.

Still on vacation. How can you tell it’s Saturday night at the Jersey Shore? Thousands of seagulls, all dead from Axe Body Spay poisoning.

At LA 7-11 I saw Chaz Bono and said “Can I have your autograph Gov. Christie” and she ripped out a fire hydrant and threw it at me.

Chip Chantry, @ChipChantry. Profile: Comedian. Descendant of apes. Ancestor of blood-thirsty robots. Recent Tweets:

Justin Timberlake & partners just purchased MySpace for $35 million. In a related story, Joey Fatone bought a futon off of craigslist.

The Pope just joined twitter. And Martin Luther unfollowed him.

I hope the Westboro Baptist Church protests a Mets game. Then, all of the worst people in the world would be in one place at the same time.

Blake Wexler, @BlakeWComedy. Profile: Up and coming comedian, nice young man. Host of the Drive with Me w/Blake Wexler podcast on iTunes. Recent Tweets:

ATTENTION FAMILY: If Firefox on my computer ever asks you to “Restore Previous Session”, it’s in both our best interests that you don’t.

Terrell Owens undergoes surgery on his ACL. Worst case scenario: he’s out all season. Best case? He never plays again.

Every four months I try to go out for a jog. Afterward, my body always says to me, “What the f–was that all about?”

So there you have it. My list of the five funniest Philadelphians on Twitter has grown to 10 and is still - http://blogs.phillymag.com

By Mark Zimmaro Staff writer | Posted: Sunday, December 25, 2011 12:10 am
EVESHAM — The journey to becoming a full-time stand-up comedian can be no laughing matter at times.
For nearly a decade, Jay Black was in a comfortable situation. He taught English at Seneca High School in Tabernacle after his first teaching job at sister school Shawnee in Medford. A steady paycheck rolled in each pay period as teaching tenure began to build up.
But the tempting draw of the spotlight and Black’s seemingly easy ability to make people laugh kept tugging at the then-30-year-old.
There was more out there, and Black decided to go for it.
“I had a long talk with my wife, and she said, ‘It’s your dream, and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out,’ “ Black recalled of a conversation about four years ago. “So I quit my job. A week later, she came to me and showed me a pregnancy test.”
Black’s wife, Kristina, wasn’t joking.
With a baby on the way, the pressure immediately mounted for the aspiring performer. Admittedly scared, Black continued to pursue his dream. And after a few nice breaks, he’s been cracking up audiences ever since.
“It was a scary decision,” he said. “I literally had no stomach lining left. But you have to take a crack at it. I figured if it didn’t work out, maybe I could get my job back, or I could always sell a kidney or something.”
Black’s career took off in the same explosive way he enters a room. With high energy and an overwhelming personality, he is now a well-known comedian who has worked some of the most acclaimed venues, including the Los Angeles Improv.
Black’s tour of more than 300 universities landed him fame and notoriety as he was named the nation’s top college comedian in 2008 in a reader’s poll in Campus Activities magazine and was a finalist for the award two other times.
Other notable spots include an appearance on a Showtime series, “White Boyz in the Hood,” and sporadic call-in guest spots on SportsRadio 94 WIP.
“It’s funny, but people recognize me from the radio more than anything else,” Black said.
In early December, Black revisited his roots, performing at the Comedy Cabaret in Evesham, about 10 minutes from his home. Despite his successful plunge into the world of comedy, he was excited to take the stage in the small, comfortable venue that seats just a little more than 100 people, inside the Casa Carollo restaurant on Route 73.
In more ways than one, Black’s experiences as a young teacher in a high school classroom resurfaced during his act.
“I started teaching right out of college, 21 years old,” he said during his act. “Kids think you’re an adult just because you’re a teacher. ... Kids come to you with their problems, and you’re supposed to know what to say. They say, ‘Mr. Black, my best friend is on drugs. What do I do?’ I say, ‘Hey kid, I don’t know how to iron pants.’ “
High school memories came to life off the stage as well. On the same night Black entertained at the Comedy Cabaret, he also gave a significant push to one of his former students.
Shawnee graduate Amanda Fawley had contacted her former teacher a few days earlier, informing him of her interest in comedy. Immediately, Black offered her a spot onstage. Fawley, 24, joined fellow comedians Ian Fidance and Mike Casey as opening acts.
“It was a great experience getting up in front of an audience like that,” Fawley said. “It’s unbelievable to have someone like that help you out to get into the business.”
Black, of course, joked about his intentions in helping Fawley.
“Amanda is funny, and one day she may get her own sitcom,” he said. “And I can be the creepy uncle on that show.”
After his wisecrack, Black said he recalled a similar situation a few years ago, when he was on the receiving end of a boost from an established comedian.
“It was Jim Norton,” Black said. “I had been trying to get a spot at the Stress Factory (in New Brunswick) for months. Finally, I get a spot, and I killed. But unfortunately, the owner di - http://www.phillyburbs.com

February 26, 2010
Seven things you should know about comedian Jay Black


Richard Keller
Wilmington Comedy Examiner

Comedian Jay Black
Jay Black is the perfect example of living out one's dreams. Quitting a stable, decent-paying job to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian, Jay was able to satisfy an itch he had since he was a little kid living in South Jersey. Today, rather than watching others make people laugh, Jay is the one up on stage. And, honestly, he's loving it.

Examiner.com spoke with Jay about his dreams, career, and what he does when an audience is deader than Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show.

Jay's comedy origins

Coming from a family of funny people, Jay always thought himself funny as well. Though, he admits, he was more obnoxious than humorous. He didn't think he would do anything with this talent until he saw Bill Cosby Himself on HBO. After watching that concert film Black said "whatever that guy is doing I want to do."

Jay's comedy heroes

In addition to Bill Cosby, Jay is a fan of comics like the late Richard Jeni and Chris Rock -- a person, Black revealed, he worshiped after the release of his 1996 Bring the Pain special. Other favorites of Black are Greg Giraldo and Chris Titus. On working with Titus, Jay said he was "mind-blowingly good."

How he began his stand-up career

While working as a teacher in South Jersey, Jay started doing open mic nights to impress a girl who eventually became his wife ("she was Major League Baseball, he was girls' Intramural Cricket," he quipped). He also did it to get the stand-up bug out of his system. Problem was, they kept asking him back. Soon enough, he was getting paid more for his comedy gigs than he was teaching. It was at this point that he waved good-bye to his teaching job while he got a regular gig at Philly's Comedy Cabaret.

What Jay loves about stand-up

"It's like the monkey tapping the pellet machine," says Black about stand-up comedy. "There is nothing more creative in this world than stand-up." Jay equals what he does to being an addict. "Once you hit the stage everything changes. It's like the real world is in black and white and the stage is in color." Having audience members react to his jokes is also part of the rush he feels while onstage. "Getting the laugh is among the greatest feelings in the world," Black said. He added that getting a paid audience to laugh until they cry "is indescribable."

What Jay doesn't love about stand-up

Averaging 250 gigs a year across the country, Jay doesn't get to spend much time at home with his wife and young son. During a busy week he could be home only two days a week. "It's life sucking," said Jay.

What type of comedy does Jay perform?

The comedian runs the gamut, performing shows for all-ages audiences to purely X-rated stuff for the older crowds. His comfort zone, he says, is R-rated material, but he tries to keep it to a minimum. As to who he reminds people of...folks say he's similar to a Jerry Seinfeld or Ray Romano. Jay agrees he's somewhere around that "with a couple of penis jokes."

What he does with a boring audience

"When audiences are dull, that's when the inner judge decides it's them, not me," said Black. If this happens, which is rare, he'll usually announce the continuation of his performance is a contractual obligation and leave it at that.

Jay will be performing this Saturday at the Cherry Hill Comedy Cabaret, inside Swanky Bubbles restaurant. More information on this show, as well as Jay's entire schedule, can be found at his website:jayblackcomedy.net. Jay can also be heard weekly as the host of "The PodClack" at CliqueClack TV.
- http://www.examiner.com

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - Intervene. Act. Motivate.

These are the words which complete the acronym I. A.M. Strong and are the steps every one of us has the responsibility to take when we see our fellow Soldiers and military family being sexually assaulted or harassed.

Musician Leigh Jones and her entourage shared that message with the Grafenwoehr community March 19.

Comedian Jay Black opened the show and really had the crowd in stitches with his self-deprecating humor.

The crowd was reeled back into the seriousness of the night's intent with the words of Sgt. Anthony Profit, Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers, or BOSS, vice-president at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Profit's rap poetry invoked images of the effects this crime has on a Soldier and how it could be the ruination of that Soldier's life.

They illustrate further how the effectiveness of the Army is undermined when a Soldier cannot rely on his or her brothers and sisters in arms because of that event.

Fellow Soldier Sgt. Danny "BEE" Bullock, a rap/DJ artist from the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade stationed in Ansbach, Germany, followed Profit with his own rap interpretation of the I. A.M. Strong message.

The audience was also treated to the hip-hop sounds of Chicago-based group, Animate Objects.

The musical headliner of the evening was Leigh Jones, a rhythm and blues singer from Los Angeles. Jones said she loves Soldiers and was extremely happy to be able to perform for them because of all they do for our country.

Backing up Jones was former American Idol contestant Lakeisha Taylor, who rocked the house with songs by Gladys Knight and more.

"The show was a great venue for the message that was being delivered," said Naydy Perez, who came with her entire family. "Sexual harassment and sexual assault are factors that can contribute to the failure of any organization if awareness and training are not provided." - http://www.army.mil

Hit the jump for more on each film.

First up from Variety, the ensemble cast for mob comedy musical How Sweet It Is starts shooting this weekend in Los Angeles. The story focuses on alcoholic theater owner, Jack (Piscopo) who needs a strong showing for his musical’s opening night to dig himself out of debt with the mob. The mob boss (Sorvino) insists that his friends get roles in the musical, which complicates things somewhat. Reynolds will cameo as himself and Christensen will play Jack’s daughter. How Sweet It Is, directed by Brian Herzlinger (Baby on Board) from a script he co-wrote with Jay Black will debut this fall.

Copley (District 9), Kretschmann (King Kong) and Morgan (Immortals) will be joined by Josie Ho (Contagion), Erin Richards (Breaking In) and Max Wrottesley (Hugo) for the thriller, Open Grave. Gonzalez Lopez-Gallego (Apollo 18) will direct them in “the haunting tale of six desperate individuals who wake up with amnesia-like symptoms next to an open grave of rotting bodies in a remote, desolate forest. With nowhere to turn, they are forced to piece together the mysterious, and ultimately horrifying, set of circumstances that brought them together – before it’s too late.” Production is scheduled to start this Friday, May 4th.

Finally, per THR, telenovela star Castillo will join Idris Elba (Thor) and Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) in thriller No Good Deed. Sam Miller will direct the pic about a District Attorney-turned-stay-at-home mom (Henson) who has her two children kidnapped by a stranger (Elba). Castillo will play Elba’s cheating former fiancee. Screen Gems, currently basking in the success of Think Like a Man, decided to choose Castillo in the role in part to court a Latino audience. The character was originally intended to be white in Aimee Lagos‘ screenplay. - http://collider.com

Joe Piscopo, Paul Sorvino, Erika Christensen and Burt Reynolds have joined the musical mob comedy "How Sweet It Is," which begins shooting this weekend in Los Angeles.

The Factory Entertainment and Suzanne DeLaurentiis Productions laffer focuses on Jack (Piscopo), an alcoholic theater owner who needs a strong opening night for his musical to square a debt with the mob. Things get complicated when the mob boss (Sorvino) insists his crony friends get roles. Reynolds will cameo as himself, while Christensen will play Jack's daughter.

Brian Herzlinger will direct from a script he wrote with Jay Black. Producers include Suzanne DeLaurentiis, Steven Chase, Rick Finkelstein, Ivan Kavalsky, Keith Weiner and Matthew L. Weiner. Pic is scheduled to a fall release.

Piscopo is repped by Niad Management; Sorvino is repped by Innovative Artists; Christensen is repped by UTA; and Reynolds is repped by APA.

Contact Josh L. Dickey at josh.dickey@variety.com - Variety.com

4 thesps discover 'How Sweet It Is'
Musical mob laffer to start shooting this weekend
By Josh L. Dickey
Joe Piscopo, Paul Sorvino, Erika Christensen and Burt Reynolds have joined the musical mob comedy "How Sweet It Is," which begins shooting this weekend in Los Angeles.

The Factory Entertainment and Suzanne DeLaurentiis Productions laffer focuses on Jack (Piscopo), an alcoholic theater owner who needs a strong opening night for his musical to square a debt with the mob. Things get complicated when the mob boss (Sorvino) insists his crony friends get roles. Reynolds will cameo as himself, while Christensen will play Jack's daughter.

Brian Herzlinger will direct from a script he wrote with Jay Black. Producers include Suzanne DeLaurentiis, Steven Chase, Rick Finkelstein, Ivan Kavalsky, Keith Weiner and Matthew L. Weiner. Pic is scheduled to a fall release.

Piscopo is repped by Niad Management; Sorvino is repped by Innovative Artists; Christensen is repped by UTA; and Reynolds is repped by APA.

Contact Josh L. Dickey at josh.dickey@variety.com - variety.com

Comedian delivers punchline to SBU

Comedian Jay Black offers up refreshing and entertaining comedy to students in Cafe La Verna

By: Kumor, Jessica

Posted: 9/21/07

As a self-declared "emotional vampire," comedian Jay Black gave the St. Bonaventure University student body an amazing performance filled with energy and fun Tuesday.

His quick wit and interaction with the crowd had the audience begging for an encore and remaining in their seats in rapt attention even for the question-and-answer portion of the performance.

"The smaller crowds can be a challenge to perform in front of; it depends on the energy they bring," Black said, "but you guys came to laugh, and I'm a laugh whore; as long as you're laughing, I'll stay here."

For many in the audience, that would not have been a problem.

"I loved the show - Black was funny and intelligent," Kathryn Hawrylik, a freshman education major said. "He backed up his comedy act with real-life experiences that I and my friends could relate to."

"It is the puzzle of making someone laugh. What is the piece I need to put in your head to make you laugh, that is what is beautiful about what I do," Black said.

Black has been a comedian for five years and performed full time since January.

"I quit my job, signed a new mortgage and found out my wife was pregnant all in the same week. If you are a fan of stomach lining, don't go into comedy," Black said.

Black graduated from Trenton State College, now The College of New Jersey, in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in teaching. Black began teaching in a high school right after graduating at age 21.

"It's a great job if you don't like money or respect. But kids think you're an adult because you're a teacher. Those of you who are 21 know that when your 21, you don't know anything."

"To start out as a comedian, I had to go to many 'open mic' nights. You have to get on every stage if you want to be in this business. This is a learned skill just like anything else," Black said.

Black has invited St. Bonaventure's own Sean O'Shea to open for him next year if Black returns for another performance. O'Shea is a freshman philosophy major and expressed interest in playing guitar as Black's opening act.

"He was definitely the best comedian we have had perform, and I'm very excited for the opportunity to be his opening act," O'Shea said.

Moving toward bigger and better things, Black has caught the attention of some Hollywood bigwigs. Johnny Knoxville, a comedic personality, is looking over Black's screenplay for a future project. Black was unable to give more details about the screenplay.

This may be the next big break for the rising star as he tours the country until May, performing on hundreds of campuses.

Black hopes he will be able to meet his idols and fellow comedians Chris Rock and Greg Giraldo.

"Chris Rock is so good; he is a Michelangelo while I am a caricaturist. He is on a whole different level as I aspire to be as good as he is. As for Greg Giraldo, I must confess to a man-crush," Black admitted.

Black has adapted to the 21st century. He has a MySpace account where fans can request a free 45-minute CD of his act and may even be able to get free tickets to one of his comedy acts.

"This show is about putting you in a good mood. All that I ask is that you take it and put it in your pocket, because the world is full of evil s***- most of it in your head."
- © Copyright 2009 The Bona Venture

Comedian finds love in his work, performs on campus

By: Brittany Kemp

Posted: 9/23/08

Former high school English teacher Jay Black went to an open mic night several years ago with the hopes of impressing a certain girl with his comedic talent.

Black, who performed at the Frank G. Pogue Student Center food court on Sept. 16, ended up quitting teaching and becoming a full-time comedian. He even ended up marrying the girl.

As a result, Black recently won "2008 Student Activities Reader's Choice for College Comedian of the Year," and the audience had a firsthand glimpse as to why.

Although he wasn't playing the prestigious comedy festival in that other Edinburgh ("biggest in the world!" Black explained to those unfamiliar) he seemed to enjoy it as much as they did. "You are awesome!" he punctuated at the end of the evening.

Black was introduced by Krista Woodside, the University Programming Board's special events chair. He opted to keep the event less formal and abandoned his microphone.

Black engaged the audience in nearly every part, constantly polling or using members to pass along the "PG-13" fun.

He opened by discussing the Northeast. As a native of New Jersey, Black considers places such as "Pennsylvania and Ohio are home to (him)." He said his New Jersey upbringing helped to shape his worldview, especially when it comes to the Midwest.

"I don't like those people that are too smile-y," he said, indicating that, in New Jersey, a smile was a warning that "you were about to be stabbed."

Black took his suit jacket off as the feeling of the night became more intimate. He offered advice to the males present.

"Do I miss dating? No. I was not very good at dating," he said with all the self-deprecation of a now-married man, and proclaimed himself the "ghost of Christmas future," having spent a good majority of his college days playing video games.

The 32-year-old comedian kept going, making sure the crowd stayed on their feet. He discussed all facets of everyday life, and then tackled some bigger issues. His show was sprinkled with bits of political relevance, comparing his love for Barack Obama to that of "Say Anything" and "The Bodyguard," religious humor and the rare risqué moment.

Talking about being raised Catholic, he made the punch line "you're all going to hell!" And intelligent design? "If this is the best God can do," Black said, pointing to himself, "…he can try again."

He asked the audience if he should find out the gender of his unborn child, only to reveal later that it was an old joke from some months ago, and he now has a joke-worthy son.

A good chunk of his material came from his personal life, concerning both his wife and his infant son. Despite the humor intentioned for these instances, you could tell Black had his heart behind it. He seemed near-philosophical at various times.

Returning from a "staged" encore, which probably would have happened anyway, Black took questions from the audience and shared a few more memorable anecdotes, such as the time he was advertised as that slightly more famous Jack Black and the time he turned down a "groupie."

The motivation for his comedy, he announced after apologizing for inadvertently offending anyone, was "to make you laugh" and put people in a "good mood."?Judging from people's demeanors as they shuffled out of the cafeteria, he did just that.

Earlier this week, Black became a correspondent for the news show "Extra." He also co-wrote, with partner Brian Herzlinger, a screenplay that is being offered to "A-list talent."

He has also appeared on various shows on A&E and Showtime and has opened for "rock star" comedian Carlos Mencia.

For a man who idolizes Bill Cosby, it's not a bad path to be taking. Going to that open mic night all those years ago led to both career and family, with Edinboro University one more stop along the way.

If you're interested in hearing Black for yourself, you can visit his Web site at jayblackcomedy.com and download the award-winning comedian's free album.

© Copyright 2009 The Spectator - © Copyright 2009 The Spectator

YOU CAN CALL HIM JAY
Just don't ask him to sing . . .

By ED KAZ! • Comedy Correspondent • March 21, 2008

Comic Jay Black has had some bad gigs in his day:

"I did a gig at a restaurant near an airfield," Black recalled wistfully. "Some of the pilots were brand new and to initiate them, the other pilots decide to dare them to a stunt. Unfortunately, the stunt took place while I was on stage. I'm not making this up. Midway through my set, the two pilots came running into the room, leaped on stage, then started jumping up and down — naked. It was difficult to continue after that, though I did get to make a few jokes concerning the size of their propellers."

Let's hope that, for Black's sake, the crowd at Uncle Vinnie's Comedy Club in Point Pleasant Beach this weekend will keep the nudity to a minimum.

KAZ! Jay! Can we please set the record straight? You're not Jay Black from Jay and the Americans, right? The audience at Uncle Vinnie's should not expect to hear you belt out "This Magic Moment." But if you had to, could you sing "This Magic Moment?" I hear they can be a tough crowd over there.

BLACK: No, I am not Jay Black from Jay Black and the Americans. When I first got into the entertainment business, a lot of people told me I ought to change my name so no one would get confused. I was positive the original Jay Black would retire before I started headlining clubs. Unfortunately for me, he's got a few ex-wives to support! The only time I'll be singing is if the audience starts heckling me — the best punishment I can think of is my voice!

KAZ! Wow! You've been named Student Activities magazine's reader's choice for college comedian of the year! What the heck are you doing to these kids to make them love you so darn much?

BLACK: Well, it certainly isn't my singing! Seriously, though, I think my background as a high school teacher has helped. I worked at Shawnee High School for four years and Seneca High School for three and a half, both in South Jersey. Teaching for seven and a half years taught me how to relate to the kids, and I think that's come through in my college shows.

KAZ! How do college shows differ from comedy club shows?

BLACK: Believe it or not, the most important difference is cynicism. You can't be cynical with college kids. We adults know that life is a never-ending series of disappointments and can find humor in that, but the college kids still think that everything is going to work out for them. Sometimes, I'll point at my gut and say, "See this? When I was your age I could eat my own weight in pizza and not gain an ounce! Now that I'm over 30, if I walk by some pasta, I gain 10 pounds!" They don't want to hear that kind of stuff.

KAZ! What is the worst-ever comedy club restroom you've had to endure?

BLACK: Most of the restrooms in the New York City clubs are nothing to write home about. Not to mention, a lot of them, in an attempt to "class up" the restroom, have placed pictures of famous comedians in the room. Have you ever tried to go number one while Gilbert Gottfried is staring at you? It's not a pleasant experience.

KAZ! Dick or Jerry Van Dyke?

BLACK: Dick. "The Dick Van Dyke Show" was an all-time classic. "My Mother the Car" was . . . uh . . . less classic.

KAZ! When you are an off-duty comedian, do you have a normal life?

BLACK: Yep. I have a wife, a kid, a house in Marlton, New Jersey. I'm even a normal guy when I'm on the road. You see, with modern conveniences like e-mail and cell phones, my wife can yell at me no matter where I'm at in the world!

KAZ! What's next for Jay Black?

BLACK: After I finish with this interview, I'm going to eat a hoagie. After that? Who knows? More stand-up. I'm putting together a fall tour of colleges and military bases — and hopefully more television. I don't ask for much; just enough money for my wife and son to be taken care of — and for me to have my own private helicopter. Is that so much to ask? - The Asbury Park Press

Comedian Jay Black went from teaching to stand-up
By William Loeffler
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, December 13, 2007

Jay Black started his stand-up comedy career in the classroom. That's where he taught the sonnets of John Donne, the 16th-century metaphysical poet, to high school students.

Not an easy undertaking, that. But then, neither is getting a nightclub audience to laugh.

"When I first started doing stand-up, one of the things people said I was really good at was dealing with rough crowds," Black says. "I said, 'Hey, I used to teach Shakespeare to 15-year-olds at 9 a.m.'"

Black, who opens a three-night stand today at The Funny Bone Station Square, says a good teacher puts on a good show.

"I always tried to use a certain degree of humor," he says. "It wasn't like I was Robin Williams in 'Dead Poets Society,' jumping on a desk, but I tried to get kids' attention by using my voice. And that translated to the stage.

"The one thing I'd like to assure Pittsburgh audiences of is that there will be no poetry when I do my shows at The Funny Bone," he says.

Black quit his teaching job in October 2006 to pursue comedy full time. His hand was forced, his says, when he auditioned at a conference where colleges book artists to perform on their campuses. Expecting to get a few nibbles, Black got about 65 invitations to perform at various institutions of higher learning. The schedule meant he had to give up his teaching job.

Not long after he submitted his resignation, his wife, Kristina, also a teacher, announced that she was now eating for two.

"I went from having a job that was the most stable job in the world to the least stable job in the world," Black says. "I signed a new mortgage, found out my wife was pregnant and resigned from my job in the same week. I'd love to be able to grow my stomach lining back."

Now, instead of leading discussions about the symbolism in Ernest Hemingway's novel "The Old Man and the Sea," Black takes Harry Potter to task for wasting his wizard's powers on fighting the evil Voldemort instead of doing what any 17-year-old boy would rather do -- scoring chicks.

For someone who has played hundreds of college shows, Black claims to be so afraid of rejection that he won't sell his comedy CD after shows.

When he plays The Funny Bone Station Square today through Saturday, he'll tell fans who would like a copy to e-mail him through his Web site, ww.jayblackcomedy.com. He'll send them a link to his CD.

"I have really low self-esteem," says the New Jersey native. "I hate selling things and trying to make eye contact with people -- 'Hey! Buy my CD, please!' I just like to be funny. I made this CD and I never, ever, brought it to the club."

If the comedy doesn't work out, he says, he can always go back to teaching. But he'll have to tone down his language, he admits.

William Loeffler can be reached at wloeffler@tribweb.com or 412-320-7986. - Pittsburgh Tribune