Legendary comedian Chris Rush will headline two Comedy Factory Outlet Reunion shows on Friday and Saturday (November 28 and 29) at the Northeast Comedy Cabaret. From the Comedy Cabaret website:

For many, many years in Philadelphia, the word “Comedy” was always associated with “Factory Outlet,” as the center city club played host to such comedy luminaries as Andrew Dice Clay, Tim Allen, Robin Williams, Howie Mandel, Chris Rock, Bobcat Goldthwait, and marked the comedy club debuts of Larry “Bud” Melman, Monty Python’s Graham Chapman, director John Waters, and Adam McKay (writer-director of “Anchorman,” “Talladega Nights,” and “Step Brothers”). The club itself is long gone, but for one weekend only, the NE Philadelphia Comedy Cabaret will be hosting a “Comedy Factory Outlet Reunion” featuring some of the most popular acts in the CFO’s history.

Both Halves of the Staff were intimately connected to the C.F.O.– The Female Half did her first open mike there and The Male Half regarded it as his “home club” for the better part of the decade known as the ’80s. The club took an unorthodox approach to booking– a product of the subtle genius of proprietor Clay Heery (aka “Captain Cranky”)– and it attracted large and loyal crowds for most of its run into the early ’90s.

While the club’s main competition, the Comedy Works, worked the obvious angle– a roster heavy on acts with network television exposure, movie credits, commercial credits– Eddie Murphy, Richard Belzer, Paul Reiser, Rich Hall, Rita Rudner– Heery’s Outlet for the most part sought out somewhat obscure or cult-status headliners– acts that might have been as yet undiscovered but no less exciting or capable of delivering, sometimes booking the room more like a bizarre, post-modern salon (John Waters? Larry Bud Melman?) rather than a comedy club.

The C.F.O. also placed an emphasis on local talent. The club’s “Midnight Madness” show was a rare open mike opportunity after the second Friday that gave many an up-and-comer the rare chance to perform to a weekend crowd (or at least that portion that chose to stick around!) and the Thursday night open mike show often attracted sold-out crowds– unheard of for the time.

In its location on Bank Street in Olde City Philadelphia (and at the earlier location at Cavanaugh’s at 32nd and Market), the Male Half recalls getting a comedy education– seeing such acts as Harry Anderson, Dr. Will Miller, Jim Tam, Grover Silcox, Joanne Deering and Emo Phillips. The Female Half logged many an hour in her formative comedy years watching such acts as Rosie O’Donnell, Dom Irrera, Klaus Myers, Bobby Collins and Andrew Dice Clay— sometimes for four shows in a weekend– from the riser at the back of the house.

And, perhaps most importantly, the Comedy Factory Outlet is where the Male Half and the Female Half first met!

We look forward to November 28 and 29.