3/31/2008 9:12:00 AM 'Brightest minds in comedy' chosen for festival
About Eddie Brill
Eddie Brill has as worked as the audience warm-up and talent coordinator for David Letterman for more than 10 years.
Plus, he continues to perform in major venues around the United States - from Caroline's in New York City to the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas - and he also has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Town Hall and the Shrine Auditorium.
Brill most recently rocked Radio City Music Hall when he opened for Aretha Franklin.
Brill has been honored three years in a row with the MAC Award winner for best stand-up comedian in New York City.
He started doing stand-up comedy in the late 1970s in college but moved back to New York City and was a copywriter for an advertising agency for a short while.
But in July 1984, he returned to doing stand-up when he started, booked and hosted the Paper Moon Comedy Club in the west village of New York.
Eddie Brill didn't have to think long before he agreed to help coordinate the inaugural Great American Comedy Festival in Norfolk.
In fact, David Letterman's chief talent scout responded almost immediately to the e-mail Lora Young sent about a year ago asking if he would be interested in participating.
"Wow. This would be incredible," Brill said of his initial reaction to the request from Young, who is the director of the Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
While Brill, who has been as a comedian for more than 30 years, has worked with other comedy festivals, he's particularly pleased to be involved in a festival in Johnny Carson's hometown.
After all, the late "king of comedy" is still "a hero to a lot of people in the entertainment industry," he said in a telephone interview from New York City with the Daily News.
In the past year, Brill has advised the committee on topics ranging from the name of the festival to the type of activities that should be included, Young said.
He also was instrumental in securing veteran comedian and actor Robert Klein as the festival headliner. He and Young also hand-picked the 24 comedians who will participate in the stand-up comedy competition.
"We've chosen some of the brightest minds in comedy," Brill said of the 24 comedians who will be competing in Norfolk at the festival, which is set for June 16-22.
Along with bright minds, Brill said he looks for other qualities when evaluating comedians.
Some are "smart and silly . . . others are smart with good material. We're looking for the type who would have been on the ("Tonight") show," Brill said.
Because of the Carson connection - and the fact that Robert Klein is involved - all 24 comedians jumped at the chance to be part of the festival, Brill said.
And he's still getting calls and letters from people who want to be involved.
"We're excited to be coming," Brill said.
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Want to learn more?
For more information about the Great American Comedy Festival, go to www.greatamericancomedy festival on the Internet. Tickets to the various festival events also are on sale at the Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce office at 371-4862.
