Jerry Seinfeld joins Chuck Schumer in push
for aid to save NYC entertainment venues
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Long before his iconic
“show about nothing”
took the world by storm,
Jerry Seinfeld got his start in the
comedy clubs of New York City,
packing in paying crowds there
for a night of laughter from his
routine and those of his fellow
stand-up comics.
“New York is so special for
performers,” Seinfeld said.
“When you come into Manhattan
as a performer, and you stand in
front of New York audiences, you
fi nd out if you’re good enough to
have a career in the arts. There’s
no question in my mind that New
York audiences made me good
enough to go out into the country
and perform.”
But these venues, and many
other entertainment sites across
New York and the country, are
among the many businesses
fi ghting for their survival during
the COVID-19 pandemic. The
Gotham Comedy Club in Chelsea,
where Seinfeld and Senator
Chuck Schumer gathered Sunday
for a press conference, hasn’t
had a live audience in attendance
for months due to capacity
Jerry Seinfeld (left) with Senator Chuck Schumer at the Gotham Comedy Club on Sunday,
Sept. 13, 2020.
restrictions.
While speaking from the
Gotham Comedy Club stage,
Schumer and Seinfeld stood up
for passage of the Save Our Stages
Act, a new federal bill that would
provide $10 billion to the federal
Small Business Administration
for a grant program offering
economic relief to live venue
operators, producers, promoters
and talent representatives.
New York City, undoubtedly,
would receive “the lion’s share”
of the relief, Schumer said, given
the plethora of performing venues
including comedy clubs, Broadway
theaters, community theater
groups, concert halls and talent
agencies.
These businesses, the senator
said, would be eligible to receive
grants of up to $12 million to
offset losses suffered over the past
PHOTO VIA TWITTER/@SENSCHUMER
six months.
“They say ‘All the world’s a
stage,’ but New York City’s are
the spotlight, and we have to
save them,” said Schumer. “Independent
venues, like Gotham
Comedy Club, performance pubs,
concert halls and more are the
beating heart of New York City’s
cultural life and a driving force
of the larger New York economy.
These local businesses were
among the fi rst to shut down at
the start of the pandemic, are
struggling to stay afl oat, and will
be among the last to reopen.”
Without the new infusion of
funding, the senator explained, up
to 90% of independently-owned
performance venues might wind
up closing. Their closures would
result in thousands of job losses,
including behind-the-scenes
workers, waiters and bartenders,
and artists who will fi nd themselves
with fewer places to ply
their craft.
The impact on the economy
would be even worse, the senator
explained, as the closure of
venues could cost the country up
to $9 billion in ticket sales alone.
Other sectors would also suffer
including hotels, restaurants,
transportation and retail shops.
The Save Our Stages Act has
28 bipartisan co-sponsors on
Capitol Hill and the support of
artists across the country including
Seinfeld, the Foo Fighters,
Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Jimmy
Buffett, Coldplay and Jay Leno.
The bill, Schumer noted, would
be folded into a larger economic
relief bill that the House and Senate
Democrats hope to pass soon.
Here are some outdoor exercise classes
that Manhattan parents can enjoy
BY NEW YORK FAMILY
In-person exercise classes are popping up
around New York City for you to get active
and some fresh air. While our Zoom
classes have been amazing keeping us active
indoors and mentally sane, many of us still
miss being able to go to our favorite studios
and work out in person with others. Luckily,
many studios have adapted to the outdoors
and some indoor gyms are even getting
ready to welcome their members back at
limited capacity. If you are looking to get
out for some exercise, browse through our
roundup of outdoor exercise classes.
Hudson Yards and Chelsea offer two of
the prime exercise spots in Manhattan:
SoulCycle – Hudson Yards
556 W 33rd St. New York, NY 10001
SoulCycle introduced SoulOutside this
summer and is still going strong at Hudson
Yards. These outdoor classes have bikes set
PHOTO VIA PEXELS
up 6 feet apart, a silent disco audio system,
and updated safety measures to keep riders
and instructors safe.
The outdoor studio tent is set up in
the Hudson Yards Plaza right outside
of the studio. All you have to do is visit
their schedule online and sign up for a
class.
Chelsea Piers Fitness – Chelsea
60 Chelsea Piers, New York, NY 10001
If you are wanting a little variety in
your workouts, Chelsea Piers offers several
classes throughout the week for your
workout needs. From strength training
like Strength3D to low impact classes like
Vinyasa Yoga, Chelsea Piers is here to help
you stay physically and mentally healthy
during these times. Just head over to their
site to become a member and book your
favorite class.
This story fi rst appeared on our sister
publication newyorkfamily.com.
18 Sept. 17, 2020 Schneps Media
/newyorkfamily.com
