Asbury Park Comedy Festival To Hit Paramount Theatre This Weekend

The inaugural Asbury Park Comedy Festival is hitting the Asbury Park Boardwalk on Saturday.

The Paramount Theatre, at 1300 Ocean Ave., will host Margaret Cho, known for "Drop Dead Diva," and Jim Florentine of "That Metal Show" and a regular on Sirius XM’s Howard Stern and Opie & Anthony shows.

The night will be hosted by Vincent Pastore, who played the role of “Big Pussy” on HBO’s "The Sopranos." The festival doors will open at 7 p.m. 

In conjunction with the show, The Wonder Bar — across the street from The Paramount Theatre — will host a line-up of musical acts through the day and night. 

The festival will be benefiting The Lenny Bruce Memorial Foundation which supports Lenny’s House, a women’s alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility in Pittston, Pa. Kitty Bruce, daughter of the late, legendary comedian and free speech advocate, Lenny Bruce, heads the Foundation and the facility.

The day’s events are being produced by Nick Clemons, or Clarence Clemons III. Clemons is the first son of the late Clarence Clemons, the longtime sax player in the E Street Band. At midnight, that event will be headlined by The Nick Clemons Band.

“We are thrilled to bring a major comedy event to Asbury Park," Clemons said. "The town has seen such a great revival and we hope this festival will add comedy to the many things that bring people in to town.”

Clemons also stressed that this is a “pure” benefit.

Tickets for the comedy festival are available through Ticketmaster.com and at the Stone Pony and Asbury Park boardwalk box offices. They range from $20 to $60 in price, and only limited seats remain at the $60 level. Wonder Bar admission is $10 at the door but comedy show tickets may be shown at The Wonder Bar for $5 admission.

For more on the comedy festival and the band line-up at The Wonder Bar, go to: www.asburyparkcomedyfestival.com