Jeremy says, Three years ago Joan used to perform weekly at the (now closed) Cutting Room in NYC, a small room that held about 100 people with a very old new york feel (think little tables for two with candles, piano player…). I got two tickets to an 8pm show and brought my BFF Kyra with me.

We got there at about 7:55…..to an oversold general admission venue. We had to sit on the stage, literally overlapping the cue cards taped to the floor. What this translated to was Joan tearing into to us for 75 minutes! Sample zinger: “Forty years in the business and I’m reduced to performing for a bunch of ugly drunks!” as she pointed to us. So she interacted with us and we were, of course, very responsive — probably ideal front row audience members for a comedian.

At the end of the show I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was her assistant/handler, who said, “Joan thought you guys were great sports and would like to meet you back stage.”

So we went backstage to a shoebox of a dressing room, and to this day I cannot believe how nice and interested in us she was! We were back there for a solid 15 minutes chatting! She asked about what we did, where we live, what colleges did we go to. When I told her I worked as a concierge she so enthusiastically responded “Ooo what hotel?!?!?” genuinely interested. She hugged us and kissed us on the cheek and let us take photos with her.

After two photos I noticed she was clutching a tin of altoids and I flashed back to watching Joan on the Academy Awards red carpet offering famous people Altoids. I immediately asked to reenact that situation. The true professional she is, she gladly opened the tin and extended it towards me with a big smile on her face, all while staring into the camera. And that is what this picture is of — I hope you enjoy it. BTW the proceeds of these weekly shows went to her two charities, Gods Love We Deliver and Guide Dogs for the Blind. Very noble.”

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