Tonight's Special is here
the incredible story of how 2 comics pulled off a comedy show in a diner
A few years ago Johnny Gaffney and I used to hold a monthly comedy show at Kellogg's Diner. It was an incredible time. The show was unorthodox and strange. How the show came to be was even more unorthodox than the show itself. We pitched Irene the owner out of desperation. We'd been looking around for a place to hold a comedy show and every venue denied us. But irene said yes.
The pitch? You let us have a comedy show in the diner, and we'll make sure it's sold out and that every table is filled with people buying food and beverages. Johnny and i told Irene that we didn't want any of the food and beverage sales -- the diner needed it more than we did. On top of that, we donated all ticket sales to local charities and organizations, eventually raising over $15,000 which was all given back to the community. The plan worked and soon we we're called "Brooklyns hottest new comedy club" by Brooklyn Magazine.
Fast forward a few months and we get a DM from a guy we didn't know at the time named John Connor Hammond, who has since become a close friend. He loved the show and offered to produce and direct a comedy special with us. That’s how Tonight's Special with Kareem and Johnny was born. It’s produced completely independently. We did everything including miraculously booking Janeane Garofalo who doesn’t have any social media or even email but decided to come make an appearance in our special. Unbelievable.
Sadly, we couldn’t save the diner and the diner closed its doors. Irene had to step aside and allow for new ownership to take over (btw, i went the other day and its fantastic. I’m glad they kept it a diner and didn’t turn it into a bank or a pharmacy.)
Anyways, Tonight's Special just premiered on YouTube TODAY so please check it out in my links. Watch it. Share it. Comment. Whatever.
This was a massive labor of love project and I'm so so so proud of it. Thank you to everyone involved in the making of the special, but special thanks to the people who bought tickets to every show. to all the comics who enthusiastically said yes. And especially to Irene and her family for opening their doors for us.
directed by John Connor Hammond
written by myself, Johnny Gaffney and John Connor Hammond
starring Kareem Rahma and Johnny Gaffney
Featuring standup from Ena Da (@park_slope_arsonist) Jason Choi (@jasonrchoi) Andrew Casertano (@andrewletsconnect) Nina Tarr (@pizzaparty69) Sahib Singh (@sahibcantsingh) and Janeane Garofalo, Bill Weeden as well as Erma Camporese (@ermacamporese), Aaron from @oldjewishmen, the Sideraki Family: irene, Themi, Vasilios, Marios and Demetrios and the Kellogg’s staff who played themselves in the film Sandra D. and Rudolpho Mendez
Produced by: Studio 181
DP Todd Rawiszer
Edited by Chris O’Brien
Visual effects by Alex Kuzoian
Sound design by Patrick Zimmon
Color Oliver Eid