New York promoter was an influential figure in US stand-up

Rick Newman, the founder of New York’s Catch A Rising Star comedy club, has died at the age of 81.

His venue on the Upper East Side was pivotal in the stand-up boom of the 1970s, giving a stage to the likes of Jerry Seineld, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Andy Kaufman and Larry David – among many others of that groundbreaking generation. .

His wife Krysi Newman told The Washington Post that he died of pancreatic cancer.

Newman opened the club in 1972, selling up in 1986. The original club has since gone out of busine

Kaufman, developed his Foreign Man character  at the club, and Newman once recalled: ‘He did Foreign Man until the audiences were booing and walking out. But then suddenly he broke into his incredible Elvis imitation and caught us so completely by surprise that we ended up crying, we were laughing so hard.’

Although it has only just been reported, Newman died on Monday, the day after it was announced that former stand-up turned actor Richard Belzer had died. Belzer was a regular MC at Catch A Rising Star

Billy Crystal tweeted of Newman: ‘He gave me and so many our starts as stand ups. Devastating the day after #RichardBelzer the host at Catch, first to intro me as a comic in ‘74 & a great friend also passed. 2 pillars of my career gone. Sad times.’

Richard Lewis added: ‘You made Catch A Rising Star such a great hang while a generation of comedians we’re learning their craft. You were beloved.’

Lewis Black said: ‘Another sad goodbye. To Rick Newman. If it weren't for him I might be teaching theater. He ran Catch a Rising Star a great comedy club and I was lucky he asked me to play there and my real education in comedy began. He sits on my Mt. Rushmore of those who turned me into a comic.’

This is where it all began for me. #RickNewman was the bomb. Supportive. Warm. A visionary and champion for #standupcomedy. I feel so lucky to have known & worked with him. I learned so much at #Catch. Watching #TheBelz MC was a masterclass. #RIPhttps://t.co/F7RcrenqTj

— Judy Gold (@JewdyGold) February 24, 2023

Here is Belzer talking to Newman about the club:

And here's a trailer for an HBO show about its influence:

Published: 25 Feb 2023