New Jersey Stage 2015 - Issue 11 | Page 40

Don Rickles, Shecky Greene, and Rodney Dangerfield. From an early age, he knew he wanted to be a comedian and now headlines shows around the world. He’s headlining New Year’s Eve at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and just booked a tour that includes shows from Hong Kong to China. But if you want to see him up close, you can catch him at his club back where it all started for him. “Being a kid in this town at that time still drives me because I knew a life that not everyone knows,” said Bradley. “It was a period of time not everyone knows. It’s in me, it’s in my blood. It drives me.” Thanks to his own comedy shows and performances on Comedy Central and late night television (shows like the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Last Call with Carson Daly), Bradley has many friends in the NewJerseyStage.com business that he’s able to lure to the intimate (75 seats) club. He also knows the value of having a comedy club in the city. “It’s the bloodline of comedy,” explained Bradley. “It’s like having a casino and thinking that the blackjack dealers you have are all that you need. If you don’t have people learning how to deal blackjack or people who want to learn, you’re done. All of a sudden four or five people call out sick, who’s left?” On a recent Thursday night, the club had an open mic with roughly 70 participants, including musicians, tattoo artists, and comedians of all levels. Bradley says two headliners drove down from Philadelphia to check out the scene and get on stage, but what really impressed him was seeing a couple of guys that he’s watched for two months go from good to better to ‘oh my God’ levels. 2015 - ISSUE 11 ARTICLES 40