Learn to be a Standup Comic at Comedy Cove Workshops

From April 23 to May 28 the Comedy Cove at Scotty's Pub will be running a 7-week comedy class workshop.

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Springfield's Doug Karpf Returns to Scotty's

Comedian has a one night only engagement tonight on his hometown turf

Doug Karpf knows Springfield. Not only is Karpf, who takes the microphone this weekend at Scotty’s, a Springfield resident, but he has spent most of his life in the area and said he feels he can relate to the people for whom he is performing. Since much of the audience hails from within a 10-mile radius of the club, he said there are a lot of little nuances and specifics he can get into that people might find entertaining. “Even if it’s speaking about local stores, nightlife or lack thereof,” Karpf, who grew up in Millburn, said, “I think a lot of them are impressed sometimes when I mention real local specifics that comics touring the country from other areas would have no idea about.” Karpf said he prides himself on being able to perform …

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Kerry Louise Returns to Scotty's

Boston-bred comedian discusses being a mom with three kids, wanting to be a guy in her act.

A bit of a storyteller, comedian Kerry Louise likes to talk about her everyday life as the mother of three children and the subsequent need to find time for herself. Louise, who will return to the stage this weekend at Scotty’s, said she likes to switch up her act based on whether she is working a club or a different venue, such as a college. “At Scotty’s, though, I’ll probably see more parents and more people who would have children,” Louise said. “So I would do 70 percent kids stuff and other observational humor I do.” In some of her other material, she discusses growing up as a Catholic, being a woman and husband-vs.-wife sort of material. She met her husband, Tom Cotter, while they were both performing stand-up in Boston in the ‘90s. …

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Johnny Watson Offers Clean Comedy at Scotty's Tonight

Comedian's honest approach keeps him SFW.

When Johnny Watson is on stage, he tells jokes that you wouldn’t mind repeating to your parents. Watson, who takes the mic tonight at Scotty's, said he likes to keep his act as relatable as possible, which has helped to keep his material relatively clean. "My language is probably dirtier off-stage," he joked. "For some reason, though, that doesn't really appeal to me on-stage." Watson said he likes to target his act toward people who like "comedy for the sake of comedy," rather than an audience looking for shock value. Although he said some of the autobiographical issues he discusses on stage can be seen as shocking, he tries to present himself in a way that is both vulnerable and relatable to the audience. "For instance, I talk about my …

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Michael Worthington Headlines Scotty's Comedy Cove this Weekend

Comedian keeps his material loose and fresh.

Michael Worthington can handle just about any stand-up gig thrown at him, from a college crowd to an 80th birthday party. “One time, I performed in somebody’s kitchen while all the people were standing in the dining room and living room,” Worthington told Patch in an interview. “Talk about really needing to have confidence in your ability.” As Worthington explained, when comics play to audiences like that, they are usually playing to a group of family members or friends who tend to know each other decently well. “If one of them doesn’t think you’re funny, you’re going to have a tough night,” he said. Fortunately, though, Worthington, who headlines this weekend at Scotty’s, has made a career out of delivering material that is constantly …

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This St. Pat's Weekend, Scotty's Will be "Rich" with Comedy

Comedian brings her quick, 'boom-boom-boom' style to Comedy Cove.

Chris Rich considers herself lucky to have begun her stand-up career when she did. During the late 1980s and early ‘90s, comedy was booming all over the country and was all but exploding out of TV sets. “You would go into a 7-Eleven, and a comedian would pop out of the microwave,” Rich said. “If you were a comedian, you could perform from coast to coast across the entire United States and work every night. She added: “That was such a great training ground for me.” Another key training opportunity for Rich, who takes the microphone this weekend at Scotty’s, was the abundance of USO tours in which she was able to participate. Early on in her career, another comic from her native Philadelphia who had been involved with a few tours had asked …

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Lewis Black Brings Laughs to the Weekend

Get spooked by the Halloween party scene? There are plenty of constume-free options out there for having weekend fun.

The Borgata, Atlantic City THIS WEEKEND: Friday Frank Sinatra Jr. channels his father during 8 p.m. shows Friday and Saturday at the Music Box Theater; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; Saturday Rock guitar hero Joe Walsh and blues legend B.B. King promise an "electric" evening. NEXT WEEK: Lisa Lisa, DJ Kiss and M.O.S. perform Halloween night at Club Mixx, the party starts at 10 p.m. BOOK IT NOW: Absurdist comedian Steven Wright delivers his odd observations, 9 p.m., Nov. 4.; Jerry Seinfeld brings his iconic humor about nothing to the Borgata at 8 p.m., Nov. 5; "Savor Borgata" Restaurant Week, where you can get 3-course meals for $33 and four-course meals for $44 in the casino's restaurants, Nov. 6-11. Check out theborgata.com for details about …

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Cracking the Comedy Code

Comedian Mike Morse combines observations, Jersey humor

Depending on how one may look at it, being stuck around crazy, kookie people could be a little annoying. But for comedian Mike Morse, it’s all gold. “I’m a kook magnet,” Morse said. “If I’m on a plane, and I’m listening to some lunatic next to me rant for two hours, you can bet I will be talking about it on stage that night.” Morse, who performs this weekend at Scotty’s, bases much of his set on these observations, as well as those based around his 14 years of marriage, two kids and many travels. Immersed in stand-up for more than two decades, Morse spends much of his time writing, for both himself and other comedians. He has written jokes for a few Comedy Central roasts and has spent the last few years serving as the opening act for Lisa …

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Get Out

Comedy in Springfield, Music and Performances Elsewhere

Three comedians take the mic in the Township this weekend. A record, maybe?

Get ready to laugh until your sides hurt. With three comedy shows this weekend, Springfield is really, really funny. In addition to the usual chuckle buffet served every weekend at Scotty’s, comedians take the mic at two benefits  on Friday and Saturday. Doug Karpf at Knights of Columbus Joe Matarese  Johnny Watson  Willie Nile at the JCC of Central New Jersey New Brunswick Kennel Club Dog Show Elvis Tribute Show Jazz Brunch: Champian Fulton

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Too 'Not Cool' for School

Comedian splits time figuring out how to be cool, helping run a business

Despite nearly 40 years as a stand-up comic, Melvin George is still not cool. Of course, that’s all a part of the act, stemming from an unplanned occurrence during his first gig in the 1970s when he was an emcee at the Improv comedy club. Nervous and with his hands full – he had to place his glass of water in his pocket to carry the stool and microphone – as he got on stage, things started to worsen quickly as his first few jokes resulted in barely a peep from the audience. “I look down to my pants, saw I couldn’t keep my legs from shaking and said to the audience, ‘You probably can’t tell from looking at me, but I’m not cool,’” he said. The audience then broke out in laughter, instantly boosting his confidence. At that point, he …

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