thank you Al Martin

Yesterday I received a text informing me that Al Martin had passed away. I was in shock reading the words on my phone. 

Since early 2021 I have worked for Al at his clubs, Broadway Comedy Club and Greenwich Village Comedy Club. I interned and then worked the door at Broadway for two years and I have been managing Greenwich for two years now. 

While my interactions with Al were brief, I emailed him every shift and he was always kind when I saw him at Broadway. When Al was at Broadway, it felt like the king was at the castle, the energy felt stronger than most nights. 

His passing has sent a ripple through the comedy community. We are all so connected and this has been a sad yet beautiful reminder. Al gave so many their starts in comedy, mine included. In 2019 I signed up for The Industry Room auditions a few months after my first open mic… oh the delusion! February 2020 I stepped on the Broadway stage for the first time. The mic cord fell out of the mic and I was too green and nervous to just plug it back in. I ended up yelling chaos about bluetooth technology before someone came to plug it in for me. 

Talk about embarrassing…

What Al did for the community was exactly this. A stage for people with a dream. Whether they are delulu or not. He shared his stages with newcomers and legends alike and allowed for so many of us to break into the game. 

I spend every week in the greenroom of Greenwich talking with fellow comics. This week one comic had his Late Night premier just hours before coming to Greenwich. I asked him why he wasn’t out partying, under a blanket of women, or being hand fed caviar. He laughed and said, I gotta get back to work and mentioned he was happy to be there of all places. He mentioned the fun he has not only on stage there but also hanging with the comics. 

I want to say thank you to Al Martin and his family for creating a space like this. A space for dreams to come true. For people to pursue their passions. For people to come and laugh and connect. 

I don’t know who or where I would be without these clubs or the people who have become family to me. 

Thank you Al Martin.

Special shoutout to Mel and Sam, I love you.

Thank you for being like big sisters and opening up your homes to me.