Comic John McClellan headlines Live Stage

The following article was printed in the October edition of "Entertaining Life", Bellmore Life and Merrick Life's monthly entertainment issue.

by Douglas Finlay

“I’m really excited about this show, I want to give it everything I’ve got,” explained 20-year veteran comic John McClellan of his headline act appearing on Saturday, November 27, at the Bellmore Movies Live Stage. Call it “An evening with...”

Having appeared at the Seattle International Comedy Competition, the San Francisco Comedy Festival, the Chicago Comedy Festival, the New York Underground Festival and scores of other worldly festivals where the “laugh’s the thing,” Mr. McClellan has honed his craft to the point of being “real escapism.” He has even opened for rock star David Lee Roth.

His comedy is about being “free of the constraints of life, of responsibility,” he said. “It’s punk-rock hedonism. Don’t bring the children.”

Like many comedians, his comedy is born of his own fortunes – and misfortunes, his “situations where it’s all about the dark side of life, the life that starts after dark.”
“It’s, you know, about getting drunk, getting into trouble and then getting out of it,” he continued, “a very specific show.”

And he doesn’t drag anyone from the audience into his act as a prop, or to validate his points, for example. It’s all just “good fun, of course.”

The show offers another level of excitement for him as well, as he looks to “break free from the normal morés of comedy” with this show. This isn’t just any show, he implored, “this is the show!”

Going out with a millionaire

Of special interest will be his material that provides some insights into his “gig” on “Millionaire Matchmaker,” a show scheduled to air on Bravo during the same time frame he performs in Bellmore.

He was picked by a millionairess to be her date on the town, and he talked briefly to Bellmore Life about how it all came down.

“I stood in line with about 30 other comedians, many dressed in shorts and t-shirts. They just didn’t get it,” he said.

While they may not have gotten it, he had plenty of it, admitting he was mad as hell and was going to spew his routine as far as the farthest seats in back.“I wanted to battle, I had a chip on my shoulders during the audition that day,” he said.

But something strange happened that typical day on the way to nowhere: the producer of the show liked his material. “She laughed at my stuff,” he said, recounting the moment.
He was asked after the show if he wanted to be on Bravo. OK!

He told next of a dinner party in which he talked with several millionairesses. “Finally, one woman, whom I won’t name, but her name is well known, said she wanted to go out with me. She wanted someone who could be romantic and funny, both,” and Mr. McClellan obviously fit the bill.

“I spent, like, 12 hours of planning a full day of being with this millionairess,” he said of his date. “And the cameras followed us everywhere.”

So, there you have it. You’ve been warned.

Mr. McClellan has some dark, funny stories to tell – about him and about us. And he has a secret he wants to share about his date with a millionairess, a woman he may just reveal during the show.

Doors open at 9:30 p.m for a 10 p.m. start, with two opening acts. Tickets are $15 in advance, or $20 at the door.

For tickets call 516-785-4234 or visit Gary Smith’s NYEntertainmentclub.com.