Showing results by narrator "Barry Friedman" in All Categories

Barry Friedman, a veteran of 30 years on the comedy road, delivers another punchline on stand-up. Filled with garden-variety kleptomaniacs, large, rum-drinking Bahamians, bitter, glorious, troubled, and sex-addicted women with ankle monitors, loquacious drug addicts, first-time Vegas lesbians, and tall, neurotic Jews in sweaters - and these are the sane people - The Joke Was On Me is the story, his story, of laughs and love, and almost fame. It’s all true - as much as comedy will allow anyway.

When writer-comedian Barry Friedman’s son died from a drug overdose one Friday morning, Barry was devastated, but not surprised. Paul’s death had been in dress rehearsal for years. The world alternately froze and galloped, after Paul was found face-down in his room. Barry had to find a way to continue, reject magical thinking, and forge a meaningful path for the future. During the following four days, Barry dealt not only with his crushing grief but also incidents ranging from the ridiculous to the profound.

Why are the churches closed on Christmas Eve in Florence’s San Frediano district? This mystery perplexes an acclaimed American poet who journeys to the fabled city seeking inspiration. The proprietor of his hotel, raconteur Alberto Giannotti, reveals that it has nothing to do with the holiday—and everything to do with poetry.