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    Comedian

    • 20022002
    • RR
    • 1h 22min
    IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    6.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Cast & crew
    • User reviews
    • Trivia
    • IMDbPro
    Jerry Seinfeld in Comedian (2002)
    Trailer
    Trailer1:29
    2 Videos
    15 Photos
    DocumentaryComedy

    A look at the work of two stand-up comics, Jerry Seinfeld and a lesser-known newcomer, detailing the effort and frustration behind putting together a successful act and career while living a life on the road.A look at the work of two stand-up comics, Jerry Seinfeld and a lesser-known newcomer, detailing the effort and frustration behind putting together a successful act and career while living a life on the road.A look at the work of two stand-up comics, Jerry Seinfeld and a lesser-known newcomer, detailing the effort and frustration behind putting together a successful act and career while living a life on the road.A look at the work of two stand-up comics, Jerry Seinfeld and a lesser-known newcomer, detailing the effort and frustration behind putting together a successful act and career while living a life on the road.A look at the work of two stand-up comics, Jerry Seinfeld and a lesser-known newcomer, detailing the effort and frustration behind putting together a successful act and career while living a life on the road.

    • Director
      • Christian Charles
    • Stars
      • Jerry Seinfeld
      • Chris Rock
      • Garry Shandling
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Christian Charles
    • Stars
      • Jerry Seinfeld
      • Chris Rock
      • Garry Shandling
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 62User reviews
    • 37Critic reviews
    • 62Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos2

    Comedian
    Trailer 1:29
    Comedian
    Comedian
    Trailer 1:29
    Comedian

    Photos15

    Jerry Seinfeld in Comedian (2002)
    Jerry Seinfeld in Comedian (2002)
    Jerry Seinfeld in Comedian (2002)
    Jerry Seinfeld in Comedian (2002)
    Jerry Seinfeld and George Shapiro in Comedian (2002)
    Jerry Seinfeld in Comedian (2002)
    Jerry Seinfeld and Orny Adams in Comedian (2002)
    Jerry Seinfeld in Comedian (2002)
    Jerry Seinfeld in Comedian (2002)
    Jerry Seinfeld in Comedian (2002)
    Comedian (2002)
    Comedian (2002)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jerry Seinfeld
    Jerry Seinfeld
    • Selfas Self
    Chris Rock
    Chris Rock
    • Selfas Self
    Garry Shandling
    Garry Shandling
    • Selfas Self
    Greg Giraldo
    Greg Giraldo
    • Selfas Self
    Sherrod Small
    • Selfas Self
    Jim Norton
    Jim Norton
    • Selfas Self
    Allan Havey
    Allan Havey
    • Selfas Self
    Colin Quinn
    Colin Quinn
    • Selfas Self
    Cynthia Koury
    • Selfas Self
    Orny Adams
    Orny Adams
    • Selfas Self
    George Wallace
    George Wallace
    • Selfas Self
    Robert Klein
    Robert Klein
    • Selfas Self
    T. Sean Shannon
    T. Sean Shannon
    • Selfas Self
    • (as T Sean Shannon)
    Gary Greenberg
    • Selfas Self
    Shawn Seymour
    • Selfas Self
    Richard Spector
    • Selfas Self
    Michael Britt
    • Selfas Self
    Craig Figueiredo
    • Selfas Self
    • Director
      • Christian Charles
    • All cast & crew
    See production, box office, & company info

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Fresh from the success of his sitcom, comedian Jerry Seinfeld decided to do the unimaginable: he completely retired his stand-up act, electing to start over again by developing entirely new material. "Comedian" follows Seinfeld through this process, as he rehearses in front of small comedy club audiences, meets with fellow comics and finally appears before a national audience. —Shannon Patrick Sullivan <shannon@mun.ca>
    trailer narrated by hal douglascomedianstand up comediancomedy clubrape joke96 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • See a man who had everything, who did a show about nothing, try to come up with something.
    • Genres
      • Documentary
      • Comedy
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Interestingly, the funny in-joke teaser trailer for the film has nothing to do with its subject, doesn't feature any scenes or characters from the documentary nor does it ever mention what the movie is even about. It instead follows a trailer narrator called Jack (played by the legendary movie trailer narrator Hal Douglas who along with Don LaFontaine and Nick Tate narrated the trailers for almost every single big Hollywood blockbuster during the 1990's), who's in a recording booth trying to record the opening narration for the trailer for the Comedian, but since the film is not a typical Hollywood blockbuster, Jack is simply unable to find the right non-epic wording that would properly describe such a normal non-blockbuster movie.
    • Quotes

      Jerry Seinfeld: The equivalent for a normal person would be to go into work each day in your underwear and try and do your job that you normally do. All of a sudden you can't do anything. That's how a comedian feels when he's doing a new bit.

    • Crazy credits
      After the credits end, there's a short scene in which Colin Quinn tells Seinfeld a very old joke.
    • Connections
      Edited from Late Show with David Letterman (1993)
    • Soundtracks
      Caravan
      Written by Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol

      Published by Famous Music Corp. (ASCAP) and EMI Mills Music, Inc. (ASCAP)

      Performed by Medeski Martin & Wood

    User reviews62

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Blood, sweat and jokes.
    This documentary is for someone who thinks stand up comedy is easy. No one has an idea what goes on behind the scenes, even the great Jerry Seinfeld, who after a hit TV series decides he wants to go back to the places that gave him his break.

    We can feel the pain of newcomers such as Orny Adams who is trying to begin a career as a comedian. His presence in the film makes one understand the frustrations these actors go through on a nightly basis wherever they face a public that wants to be entertained with non stop jokes. It is very hard indeed to be able to do it every time.

    The documentary is very fast in the sure hands of Christian Charles who obviously has an eye for capturing the comedians at their most vulnerable points.

    We get to see a shaky Seinfeld trying new material. Sometimes he is good, but sometimes he really stink. He has been away from the scene for such a long time that it takes him a while to find his feet. His scenes with Bill Cosby, the great Robert Klein and others are the best things going with the film.

    People in general will have a second view after seeing this movie about the funny men in comedy clubs.
    helpful•7
    2
    • jotix100
    • Dec 8, 2002

    FAQ1

    • Didn't this movie have a hilarious trailer?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 2003 (Norway)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Anatomy of a Joke
    • Filming locations
      • Carolines on Broadway, Times Square, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Barry Katz Entertainment
      • Bridgnorth Films
      • New Material
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,751,988
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $60,224
      • Oct 13, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,751,988
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 22min
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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