Rascals in Cherry Hill, NJ, has two more shows tonight, then it shuts its doors for good. The folks at the Crowne Plaza are turning the space into a spa, making standup comedy exceedingly difficult, if not impossible.
From left: Paul Bond, Rascals manager Jason Pollock
Rascals, the company, is dead. Deader than dead. No one will open a club called Rascals in this century. Creepy bookers and other unsavory types are circling like sharks. Will there be another, similar club to serve the comedy needs of South Jersey/Philly metro standup fans? (Well, we certainly hope so. We grew quite fond of the idea of having a club six minutes from our house. We are now without a “home club.”) It is our fervent hope that a decent room opens up and soon. This side of the Delaware River is packed with too many standup fans with oodles of disposable income for it not to have a top-notch comedy showcase that presents a varied slate of national touring headliners and solid regional pros and local up-and-comers.
From left: Vinnie Nardiello, Pat Breslin and Rio (unpictured) rounded out this weekend’s bill
Such a room, hooked up with a radio station with a sweet (and appropriate) demographic, with a reasonable budget for advertising, would obliterate what little competition there is over here and would erase the effects of a decade or more of lame-o “B rooms” (and “C rooms”… and “D rooms!) that have operated in these parts since the bust of the early 90s.