About Lucien Hold
I just read a number of
Lucien’s obituaries
, and they got a few facts wrong, or maybe just misunderstood them. So I thought I would set the record right if for no one else, then for me.
One obituary spoke of Lucien building the club, as if it was his idea. Lucien did in fact build the club, but he was not the guy who had the idea of opening THE COMIC STRIP, that was Richie Teinken and his partners who did that.
Lucien came on board as a carpenter before the club opened and stayed till he died. 28 years later.
His role as the General Manager and Talent Coordinator was developed and acquired over the course of many years. Lucien paid his dues just like everyone else.
The hosts of the individual shows handled the booking of the comics in the early days of THE COMIC STRIP, not Lucien. Jerry Seinfeld as well as other comics had the responsibility of hosting and booking those early shows.
Lucien did not “discover” Jerry as was stated in one obituary. During the time Jerry was at the club Lucien was a bartender, seater or whatever else the club needed.
And I don’t think Lucien had to give any confidence to Jerry, as one obit said. Lucien often told me that Jerry was supremely confident and knew where he was heading in his career from the very beginning. When Lucien took over booking the club (early to mid 80’s) he told me that he actually absorbed and used the standards that he had watched Jerry use in passing comics and incorporated these criteria along with his own into his selection process.
So Lucien didn’t discover Jerry Seinfeld, but he did discover and help develop Adam Sandler and many others.
As for Chris Rock , although Lucien never officially passed Chris, he had a special place in his heart for him and knew he was special. Here is the story about how Chris was first seen by Eddie Murphy as Lucien told it to me.
It was all as Chris said at the Memorial Service. Chris hung at the club all the time. He had auditioned and not passed for Lucien numerous times. He had had some access to THE COMIC STRIP stage (I believe through late nights) but he had definitely never performed on the weekends.
Eddie Murphy stopped by on a Saturday night and did ask Lucien if there were any young black comics and Lucien did introduce him to Chris. All as Chris had said. But the story continues. Eddie then asked Lucien if Chris was going up. Remember it was a Saturday night. Chris had never been on THE COMIC STRIP stage on a weekend before. Lucien said to Eddie “If you will watch him then he is on next.” Chris went up and killed.
When Lucien told me this story he spoke of how some comics “rise to the occasion”. And this is what Chris did. Lucien said that Chris had always been hot and cold when he had seen him. Sometime his anger turned off audiences, and he was still learning how to balance it and his act. In fact Lucien had said that a very important manager had only earlier that night said disparaging things about Chris in terms of him not being of the level of talent that could make it, asking why Lucien gave him any attention and access to the COMIC STRIP stage at all. Why did he even let him do late-nights?
Well Chris went up and killed. Lucien told me it was remarkable. Chris “rose to the occasion” and then some. When he finished his set he just dropped the microphone and walked off stage to thunderous applause. He said that for the next hour Eddie and Chris were at the end of the bar talking. Lucien took this opportunity to walk up to the manager who had said the unkind things about Chris’s talent and put his finger in his chest (back when he had all 10) and said “THAT IS WHY I LET HIM ON THIS STAGE”
If any of my facts are wrong and you have first hand knowledge I ask you to please email me. If you have access to Chris or Jerry please send this to them, I certainly am not trying to rewrite history, I just wanted to try and get these facts straight while they are still fresh in my mind.
As for the Obits being slightly less than accurate. I offer this story. Recently a very big name comedian passed away and I heard through a friend of his that during the last 3 days of his life much time was spent going over and correcting his obituary to make sure all the facts were correct. In the last days of his life it was important to him that his legacy was properly served.
Lucien’s last 3 days were spent with friends, his legacy really lies with the many people whose lives he influenced.
One obituary spoke of Lucien building the club, as if it was his idea. Lucien did in fact build the club, but he was not the guy who had the idea of opening THE COMIC STRIP, that was Richie Teinken and his partners who did that.
Lucien came on board as a carpenter before the club opened and stayed till he died. 28 years later.
His role as the General Manager and Talent Coordinator was developed and acquired over the course of many years. Lucien paid his dues just like everyone else.
The hosts of the individual shows handled the booking of the comics in the early days of THE COMIC STRIP, not Lucien. Jerry Seinfeld as well as other comics had the responsibility of hosting and booking those early shows.
Lucien did not “discover” Jerry as was stated in one obituary. During the time Jerry was at the club Lucien was a bartender, seater or whatever else the club needed.
And I don’t think Lucien had to give any confidence to Jerry, as one obit said. Lucien often told me that Jerry was supremely confident and knew where he was heading in his career from the very beginning. When Lucien took over booking the club (early to mid 80’s) he told me that he actually absorbed and used the standards that he had watched Jerry use in passing comics and incorporated these criteria along with his own into his selection process.
So Lucien didn’t discover Jerry Seinfeld, but he did discover and help develop Adam Sandler and many others.
As for Chris Rock , although Lucien never officially passed Chris, he had a special place in his heart for him and knew he was special. Here is the story about how Chris was first seen by Eddie Murphy as Lucien told it to me.
It was all as Chris said at the Memorial Service. Chris hung at the club all the time. He had auditioned and not passed for Lucien numerous times. He had had some access to THE COMIC STRIP stage (I believe through late nights) but he had definitely never performed on the weekends.
Eddie Murphy stopped by on a Saturday night and did ask Lucien if there were any young black comics and Lucien did introduce him to Chris. All as Chris had said. But the story continues. Eddie then asked Lucien if Chris was going up. Remember it was a Saturday night. Chris had never been on THE COMIC STRIP stage on a weekend before. Lucien said to Eddie “If you will watch him then he is on next.” Chris went up and killed.
When Lucien told me this story he spoke of how some comics “rise to the occasion”. And this is what Chris did. Lucien said that Chris had always been hot and cold when he had seen him. Sometime his anger turned off audiences, and he was still learning how to balance it and his act. In fact Lucien had said that a very important manager had only earlier that night said disparaging things about Chris in terms of him not being of the level of talent that could make it, asking why Lucien gave him any attention and access to the COMIC STRIP stage at all. Why did he even let him do late-nights?
Well Chris went up and killed. Lucien told me it was remarkable. Chris “rose to the occasion” and then some. When he finished his set he just dropped the microphone and walked off stage to thunderous applause. He said that for the next hour Eddie and Chris were at the end of the bar talking. Lucien took this opportunity to walk up to the manager who had said the unkind things about Chris’s talent and put his finger in his chest (back when he had all 10) and said “THAT IS WHY I LET HIM ON THIS STAGE”
If any of my facts are wrong and you have first hand knowledge I ask you to please email me. If you have access to Chris or Jerry please send this to them, I certainly am not trying to rewrite history, I just wanted to try and get these facts straight while they are still fresh in my mind.
As for the Obits being slightly less than accurate. I offer this story. Recently a very big name comedian passed away and I heard through a friend of his that during the last 3 days of his life much time was spent going over and correcting his obituary to make sure all the facts were correct. In the last days of his life it was important to him that his legacy was properly served.
Lucien’s last 3 days were spent with friends, his legacy really lies with the many people whose lives he influenced.