By Sean Tuohy
In a dark and unlit New York City club jam-packed with tables and chairs that face a small stage, a group of comics sit around and talk before and after sets.
They talk about their lives, new bits they may try out, or, in most cases, insult one another. It has been going on for years. It is an elite and private club made up of New York comics, the Green Berets of comedians. They are a hardened and tough breed of comedian that can go anywhere and make the crowd laugh or die trying.
These late night discussions were not meant for public consumption, but the stories were too funny not to share. Comic and former “Saturday Night Live” player Colin Quinn brought them into the limelight when he debuted his show, “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.” It lasted three uproarious seasons and covered every topic under the sun in a politically incorrect way. The show's guests included Rich Vos, Louis CK, Jim Norton, Greg Giraldo, and many more. The show was razor sharp and left no rock unturned and no insult unslung.
Here are my favorite moments from “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn:”
Rich Vos and His Kids
Rich Vos and Patrice O'Neil
Jim Norton and Keith Robinson
Greg Giraldo vs. Dennis Leary
For posts from The Boneyard, check out our full archive.