Why We Need The Friars Club

Let me say that I’ve gone to the Friars Club as a guest many times over the years and have always felt something that was supremely, innately ‘right’ about it.

Also let me say that I’m in the advertising business, have been since 1981. I’ve worked at and managed notable agencies. I’ve done the strategic planning, written and produced lots of tv and radio. Hired creative people from all over. And, the most important thing to me about my business is talent. The ability to think and write, to produce and present. It’s a lot like show business. If you’ve won a new account you know what ‘killing’ the audience is. And, sure as the sun, you know what it’s like to bomb and die. Over the recent past the ad business changed from being a talent business to a business of financiers. I still like to believe that in the end the only thing we ever have to make the money with is talent.

The Friars Club is still about talent. The Friars is one of the last bastions of talent. The Friars has the heritage and the currency of the days when value was the quality of the bit or the bridge. The delivery. The script or the production. The Friars holds the torch for everyone making it (or trying) on their ability to be creative. It is important because the world seems to be moving away from a focus on the individual talent and onto other, more generic things. 

Beyond that, I really appreciate the particular talents that go into being able to deliver eight thousand jokes in one set the way Rodney did. Or the verse and chorus that Chris Rock has developed in his recent bits. ‘Single and Bored’ is an amazing piece of comedy. As one who’s gotten up in front of  hundreds of sullen clients and sloshed peers over the years, I think I have a hint, only an inkling  of the unique abilities of the performer. To me there is nothing harder than going out on stage with nothing but yourself. The metrics for success are there on a second-by-second basis. The only tools are your ideas, words and delivery. It doesn’t really happen that way anywhere else.

And, other than the Friars Club, it isn’t celebrated anywhere else. I’d like to be part of that celebration.

Feel free to call anytime—-329-9979