Buzz
Dog-friendly comedy show at Chelsea’s Improv Asylum
BY BETH DEDMAN
Improv Asylum in Chelsea will begin a monthly comedy
showcase, “Comedy Unleashed,” which will feature
some of the city’s top stand-up comedians—performing
to an audience of canines and their companions beginning
8 p.m. on March 30.
The shows are designed to welcome audience members
with well-trained pups to enjoy a comedy night with their
best friends.
“I own several different comedy clubs in New England
and New York. I noticed that hanging out backstage,
so many comedians have dogs,” Improv Asylum owner
Norm Laviolette said. “So I thought, ‘Man it would be
pretty funny to see one of these comedians do a show
with their dog on stage.’ Then I thought, ‘Well, if we’re
gonna do a show with comedians doing their dogs on
stage, we should open up the spectacle to an audience
with their dogs, too.’”
These shows will feature a dog-friendly menu including
specially made treats, biscuits and veggie crudités
as well as doggy cocktails like “The Dirty Muttini” and
“Downward Drinking Dog” made with dog-safe flavors
like watermelon, wheatgrass and chicken broth.
The first show will feature Kerryn Feehann, Mike
Recine and headliner Paul Mercurio.
Dog-owners are encouraged to only bring dogs that
are house trained and comfortable around other dogs.
Professional dog trainers will be onsite to offer training
tips and advice.
“If you’re a dog owner and can fit them in a bag or an
Uber, then come on out and don’t worry about them being
loud or a problem,” Recine said. “If you like your dog and
you like to laugh, then this is for you. Just make sure your
dog doesn’t heckle.”
Recine has a Shar-Pei pug mix named Frankie that he
often has to leave at home or tied up outside while he
performs his comedy.
“I think it’ll be fun to bring my dog out to a show and
have him socialize,” Recine said. “He’ll be on stage with me
and we’ll see how he does. He has come to a few comedy
shows with me before, which I usually have to leave him
outside and that makes him upset. Now he doesn’t have
to leave daddy’s side.”
Mercurio is bringing his dog Daisy to the stage for
PHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES
the first time.
“This is exciting for me because I have done a lot of different
performances but nothing like this,” Mercurio said.
“That’s the brilliance of Norm, it’s hard to come up with
a new kind of show and he did it. Dogs are lovable, make
folks feel good and have their own personalities and all of
that will come though. The show is really, for me, about
the dogs and I adjust them to bring the most out of Daisy.”
Tickets are $25 per person and $15 per dog. Dogs are
not required to attend the show. A portion of the proceeds
will go to Badass Brooklyn, a local NYC dog shelter.
More information is available at www.improvasylum.com/
newyork. Improv Asylum is located at 307 West 26th St.
Citymeals on Wheels raises $1M for homebound senior meals
BY BETH DEDMAN
Celebrated chefs from around the
world joined forces with Citymeals
on Wheels to raise $1 million at the
23rd Annual Sunday Supper on March 8 at
Restaurant DANIEL.
All of the money from the fundraiser
will go to preparing and delivering more
than 127,000 meals to NYC’s homebound
elderly.
“This is one of my favorite nights of the
year, and our entire team at Restaurant
DANIEL is proud to support Citymeals on
Wheels and its essential work,” Chef Daniel
Boulud said. “I was thrilled to welcome six
award-winning guest chefs in the kitchen
tonight, who shared what Citymeals provides
homebound elderly New Yorkers each
day – nourishment, comfort and joy.”
Citymeals on Wheels prepares and delivers
over 2 million weekend, holiday and
emergency meals every year to more than
18,000 elderly New Yorkers who cannot
shop or cook for themselves. Citymeals on
Wheels has delivered more than 60 million
meals across the five boroughs since it
began in 1981.
Guest Chefs Emma Bengtsson, Anna
Bolz, Alexandre Gauthier, Noel Jelfs, Julien
Royer and Nicholas Tang joined Boulud in
the kitchen to prepare and serve a multicourse
menu at an intimate dinner that
would raise money for the cause.
Over the 23 years that Boulud has held
PHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES
the Sunday Supper, he has raised nearly
$12 million. The evening included live
and silent auctions featuring one-of-a-kind
travel and dining experiences, specialty
gourmet selections and rare and large format
wines. The live auction lots included
trips to Victoria Falls, a culinary tour of
Singapore and many more opportunities.
“The annual Sunday Supper is a
tradition we are grateful to continue with
Chef Boulud and the incredible guest chefs
who come together, each year, to support
our mission nourishing the city’s most
vulnerable population,” said Beth Shapiro,
Executive Director of Citymeals on Wheels.
“Through their generosity, and the support
of our sponsors and guests, Citymeals can
ensure our frail aged neighbors always have
a nourishing meal.”
The courses included selections such
as Foie Gras Tartlet with Sea Buckthorn
Gelée, King Crab with Nashi Pear, Celery,
Coriander and Noisette Piedmonte Hazelnut
Infused Opalys Chocolate Salted Caramel
and Praliné— all of which were paired
with wines selected by the head sommelier
at Restaurant DANIEL Raj Vaidya.
The evening also honored Citymeals
Board Vice Chair Joseph M. Cohen for his
outstanding generosity and contributions
to the organization over the last 20 years
and longtime Citymeals supporter Donald
Tober. Ellen and Robert S. Grimes and Lisa
Rosenblum served as the Sunday Supper
event co-chairs.
Schneps Media March 12, 2020 15
/
/
