LONG ISLAND CITY — Hunters Point is no joke.
The comedy scene in the booming nabe has been taking off, attracting some of the biggest names in the business to an increasing number of clubs.
Last week Jerry Seinfeld dropped by The Creek and The Cave on Jackson Avenue to watch Colin Quinn, who has been testing new material for his show “Colin Quinn LIVE” at the venue for the last two months, said owner Rebecca Trent.
Seinfeld didn't perform, but went on the stage to introduce Quinn, with whom he had worked with in the past. Last year, the 90s funnyman directed Quinn's Broadway show called “Long Story Short.”
He is also the latest star to make an appearance in the neighborhood, which has seen new clubs pop up in recent times and has been able to pull in bigger names.
A new comedy venue — The Laughing Devil Development Stage — opened there only a couple of weeks ago at the Breadbox Café on 11th Street. It's the brainchild of The Laughing Devil Comedy Club, which was established in December last year and organized the first ever comedy festival in Long Island City in May.
"In the last couple of weeks, the comedy scene has exploded in Long Island City, specifically the Hunter's Point area," said Steve Hofstetter from the Laughing Devil Comedy Club. "It's becoming the new hotbed for comedy in NYC. And I think Seinfeld's drop-in signifies that the neighborhood has really arrived."
Quinn also came to The Creek and The Cave Saturday to give a keynote speech for the venue's 10th anniversary celebration.
Among the other artists who have recently performed at The Creek and The Cave — which hosts about 100 shows a month, most of which are free — were Louis C.K., the star of a comedy series "Louie," Gary Gulman from "Last Comic Standing," and Judah Friedlander, who stars in NBC’s "30 Rock."
Earlier this month, Adam Ferrara, who played Chief Needles in “Rescue Me” and appeared on “The King of Queens,” performed at the Laughing Devil Comedy Club, where he promoted the debut of the American version of “Top Gear," a British TV car show.
"This is our biggest headliner to date, and we're excited," Hofstetter said at that time.
Hofstetter said he expects Mitch Fatel, who regularly performs at the famous Comedy Cellar and Ted Alexandro who appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman" and Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform at his club in the near future.
"I think it's happening here because this neighborhood is growing so quickly," Hofstetter said about the growing comedy scene in the area. "Manhattan is out of space and Hunters Point is just one subway stop away."
