Comedians Artie Lange, Rich Vos, and Bob Levy perform at Ritz Theater in Scranton on Sept. 21
From a press release:
Comedian, actor, radio/podcast host, and author Artie Lange will be back in Scranton for a night of stand-up comedy at the Ritz Theater in downtown Scranton with Rich Vos and the Reverend Bob Levy on Friday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m.
Presented by Laugh Out Lepka’s Comedy and DamnMillennial! Promotions, “The Week in Sex” podcast hosts Allan Fuks and Keanu Thompson will also perform at the Ritz (222 Wyoming Ave., Scranton), and Scranton comedian Kevin Lepka will get roasted on stage for his birthday by John Walton, Will Robbins (Half & Half), Russell Austin, Eddie Allen, Shawn Harvey, Bernie Maopolski, Keanu Thompson, Allan Fuks, and Tom Riccobono, along with Lange, Vos, and Levy.
Tickets, which are $46.50, plus fees, are on sale now and can be purchased online via Eventbrite. For more details, see the Facebook event page.
A native of New Jersey, Artie Lange began his career in the comedy clubs of New York City. His breakout work with the popular sketch comedy group Live on Tape led to him being cast as one of the original series regulars on Fox’s sketch comedy show “Mad TV,” where he made his television debut.
The success of Lange on “Mad TV” got him cast opposite Norm MacDonald in his first starring role in the MGM feature film “Dirty Work.” This led to a string of movies, including supporting roles in the Dreamworks feature film “Old School” starring Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, and Will Ferrell, as well as New Line Cinema’s “Elf,” also starring Ferrell. He later reunited with MacDonald as a series regular on “Norm” on ABC.
When “Norm” finished its run, Lange came back to New York City and began sitting in regularly as a guest comedian on the nationally syndicated radio program “The Howard Stern Show.” In October of 2001, he became a regular member of the show and served as a co-host for nearly a decade.
Lange starred in, co-wrote, and produced his own feature film, “Beer League,” to rave reviews. He was a frequent guest on the “Late Show with David Letterman,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and “The Best Damn Sports Show, Period” and a guest roaster on Comedy Central’s roasts of Hugh Hefner and William Shatner. Elsewhere on television, Lange appeared in episodes of “Entourage,” “Rescue Me,” “Louie,” and “Californication.”
In 2008, his first book, “Too Fat to Fish,” debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. The book is a collection of narrative episodes from throughout Lange’s life, from his childhood to his USO trip to Afghanistan in July of 2008, with a foreword written by Howard Stern. While new audiences learned what “Stern Show” listeners already knew – that he is one of the funniest people alive – he is also an artist haunted by his fair share of demons, which overtook him in the years that followed. After a suicide attempt, a two-year struggle with depression, and years of chronic opiate addiction, Lange entered recovery and built himself back up, chronicling his struggle in his next book and second New York Times bestseller, “Crash and Burn,” written with “Too Fat to Fish” co-author Anthony Bozza and published in 2013.
In his hilarious third book, “Wanna Bet? A Degenerate Gambler’s Guide to Living on the Edge,” he explains the philosophy that has kept his existence boredom-free since the age of 13 – the love of risk. An avid sports better and frequent card player, Lange believes that the true gambler gets high not from winning, but from the chaotic unknown of betting itself. He recounts some of his favorite moments, many of which haven’t involved money at all.
In this candid and entertaining memoir, he looks back at the times he’s wagered the intangible and priceless things in life: his health, his career, and his relationships. The stories found in “Wanna Bet?” paint a portrait of a man who would just as quickly bet 10s of thousands of dollars on a coin toss as he would a well-thought-out NBA or NFL wager. Along for the ride are colorful characters from his life who live by the same creed, from a cast of childhood friends to peers like fellow comedian and known gambler Norm McDonald. The book is a tour of a subculture where bookies and mobsters, athletes and celebrities ride the gambling roller coaster for the love of the rush. Through it all, somehow Lange has come out ahead, though he does take a few moments to imagine his life if things hadn’t quite gone his way. Unrepentant and unrestrained, the book is Lange at his finest.
Lange currently hosts the Artie Quitter Podcast and continues to perform his stand-up comedy across the United States while co-starring on Judd Apatow’s hit HBO show “Crashing.”
Raised in New Jersey, Rich Vos is a no-holds-barred performer who destroys in comedy clubs around the country. A comedian’s comedian, he can be heard regularly on “Opie” and as a guest on the most popular podcasts, including “WTF with Marc Maron” and “The Joe Rogan Experience.”
Vos also has his own hit podcast and a radio show, both called “My Wife Hates Me.” His co-host is his wife, comedian Bonnie McFarlane.
He has been seen on HBO, Showtime, Starz, “Jimmy Kimmel,” and Comedy Central, where he has two stand-up specials. He appeared in the hit Netflix movie “Women Aren’t Funny,” which he also produced.
As a comedy writer, he’s come up with the best lines for the Comedy Central Roasts and was a writer on the Oscars. He currently has four albums of material available online.
Bob Levy is a comedian, radio personality, and former wrestler who is best known for his appearances on “The Howard Stern Show,” as well as being the co-host of the “Miserable Men Show” on Howard 101. He has often hosted comedy roasts, was a frequent guest on “The Opie & Anthony Show,” and was a performer on The Killers of Comedy Tour. He now hosts “The Bob Levy Show” on the Radio Misfits Podcast Network.
