By Eric Jankiewicz
There’s something funny about Glendale.
The owners of a bar at 71-22 Myrtle Ave., called The Avenue, are gathering the wits of the working-class neighborhood and other areas of Queens for a comedy show in the bar. Robert Schoemig, one of three owners, said they tried something similar in 2011, but people in the area didn’t show much interest.
Now a comedian who lives in the area, Johnny Baron, and Schoemig decided to try again. This time they drew on the neighborhood’s talent as a way of attracting people nearby to the show.
“We wanted to do something where people can stick in Queens,” Schoemig said. “And we’re really taking off now. People love it and they’re coming back.”
Schoemig hosted a show in the beginning of April and the next one will be on April 24. The shows are always free and held in the basement, an appropriate place for an amateur comedy performance, Schoemig said. The upcoming event will feature five comedians, most of them from Queens, bantering with the audience for 15 minutes each.
Rather then competing with Manhattan’s myriad of comedy clubs, Schoemig believes that the bar’s show is an alternative for people who don’t want to travel all the way to Manhattan.
“You shouldn’t have to go all the way over there for fun bar activities,” he said. “This borough already has so much to offer through diverse cultures so it only makes sense that we also have comedy shows.”
Reach reporter Eric Jankiewicz by e-mail at ejank
