Download our FREE ipad APP today! DORVAL: WATERFRONT LUXURIOUS CONDO $725,000 Suzanne Dutoy Chartered Real Estate Agent 514-826-1080 "Your neigbour and your community's agent " RE/MAX Royal (Jordan) inc. - Chartered Real Estate Broker Advertise your business on front page for only $125 * per week. Call for more information now! 514-457-7656 info@westendtimes.ca * Call for details 999111112 /westendtimes1 /westendtimes.ca Saturday, October 13, 2012 Covering Montreal & Surrounding Areas Vol. 18, No. 7 Wednesday morning at 12:19 A.M. an estimated 4.5 earthquake on the Richter scale, shook the Montreal region. Read more inside! EARTHQUAKE! 444092411 Direct access barcode to our website.

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Apps help Montrealers hail a cab Photos: TAG taxi™ Taxi Diamond & TAG taxi™ work together Good news for tech-savvy Montrealers TAG taxi™, a free smartphoneapplication, is now working with Taxi Diamond, Quebec's biggest taxi broker,to help Montrealers hail a cab. This John Symon Special agreement will improve the technology offer for ordering taxis in Montreal, marrying taxi expertise with a unique mobile expertise and client-oriented approach.The app (application software) is currently available for iPhones and Android smartphones. A Black- Berry version is in the works, but no release date has yet been announced. "TAG taxi continues to grow and develop a strong network," explains Patrick Gagné, TAG taxi™ CEO. "Our partnership withTaxi Diamond is due to similar corporate cultures: the desire to continuously improve our services with the help of technology. We have always put users at the heart of the taxi experience and, our collaboration with Taxi Diamond follows that line. Because of this agreement, users will benefit from a fleet of over a thousand vehicles and an unparalleled coverage in Montreal." "Using TAG taxi is quicker than calling for a cab,because of the auto- mated processing of the call.Added to that is the geolocation of the TAG user,which simplifies the address confirmation for the taxi company.A surprisingly high number of callers don't know the address they are calling from (for example,when they are in a public place), so this feature is important.Another frustration factor for a lot of users was the fact that, once the dispatcher had finished the call,they-the users-had no way to verify when the taxi would come (or, sometimes, whether it would come at all). Now, the app clearly indicates which vehicle will come to pick them up, and users can follow the car's journey to them on their screen," concludes Gagné. "For over 90 years,Taxi Diamond has continuously aimed to innovate in insuring dispatch to taxi drivers," says Dominique Roy, president and general manager of Taxi Diamond de Montréal. "Each innovation we brought has come a long way to improve the quality of taxi customer service. We are therefore very proud to work with the TAG taxi team. Our vision, which is expressed through cuttingedge services such as taxi-sharing, a high quality service and preferential relationship with our clients - is perfectly in line with the TAG taxi™ vision." From now on,TAG taxi users in Montreal, will see a Taxi Diamond car come their way (or Taxi Candare, in the Cartierville and St-Laurent districts). Both Taxi Diamond and TAG taxi smartphone applications were launched in 2012. Similar apps offered by rival companies can be found elsewhere in the world with different models of operation. TAG taxi is also available in Trois-Rivières and has plans to expand to Toronto soon. TAG taxi™ is a company created in Montreal in 2011, initiated by Prospek, an integrated communication agency, specialized in interactive business strategies.TAG taxi offers taxi ordering services via smart * OCTOBER 13, 2012 3 555102912 phones, contributes to easing access to taxis in urban areas and optimizes urban transportation. To know more, please visit tag-taxi.com and download the application. L'Association de Taxi Diamond de Montréal is the second biggest taxi broker in Canada. Founded in 1922, Taxi Diamond has over 1,000 taxi vehicles to provide its services. Each year, Taxi Diamond provides over 5 million taxi rides in Montreal. Taxi Diamond was the first taxi company to use GPS tools to dispatch calls in Montreal. www.taxidiamond.com Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca

Earthquake wakes up Montrealers No reports of damage As many Montrealers were r e m i n d e d early on Wednesday morning, this city is in an earthquake zone. About 12:19 a.m., an earthquake estimated at 4.5 John Symon Special on the Richter scale shook the Montreal region; the epicenter was apparently close to St. Amable on the South Shore. There were many reports of people being woken up, but no reports of damage or injuries from the earthquake. Highways crews were apparently out verifying the Turcot Interchange after Wednesday's earthquake, but they had reported nothing amiss by the end of the day. The October 10 Montreal earthquake was very minor compared to the 9.0 Richter scale earthquake that hit Japan on March 11, 2011, triggering up to a 40-meter tsunami. The largest-known earthquake in Montreal occurred on September 16, 1732 and registered an estimated 5.8 on the Richter scale.That 1732 earthquake was big enough to damage 300 houses according to Wikipedia, as well as destroying another 185 buildings in a subsequent fire. The map here shows historic seismic activity around the Montreal area. Shown here are the locations and dates of earthquakes of at least 5 on the Richter scale (yellow circles), earthquakes of 4 to 4.99 magnitude (blue circles) and tremors of 3 or more (purple circles). There have also been many small tremors in our region; generally it is difficult to notice Source: U.S. Geological Service The map here shows yellow circles and dates for earthquakes registering 5.0 or more on the Richter scale. Wednesday's 4.5 earthquake will add another blue circle with an epicentre near St. Amable. seismic activity that registers less than 2.5 on the Richter scale. The Richter scale is logarithmic, meaning that a 9.0 earthquake has a "shaking power" 10,000 times stronger than a 5.0 earthquake. Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca 4 OCTOBER 13, 2012 *

111121612 Vol. 18, No. 7 Saturday, October 13, 2012 Hudson, St. Lazare, Senneville, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Baie d'Urfe, Beaconsfield, Chateauguay, Kirkland, Pte. Claire, Pierrefonds, D.D.O., Dorval, Lachine, NDG, CSL, Ville St-Laurent, Mtl-West, Hampstead, Westmount, Montreal, Lasalle, Verdun, Laval Montreal Earth Shake When our region shook at 12:19AM Wednesday, what did you think? Bettman had bodyslammed Fehr? That Red Bull junkie had smacked down to earth? Zambito's cement shoes had finally been delivered? By Thursday night, the Zen question was 'what is the sound of NHL pucks not dropping?'. Rick Moffat Sports This planet of ours could use a shakeup. I'd like to think what startled us both nights was an outbreak of common sense. There's plenty of evidence to support my case, in the CFL alone. This week Ottawa took a major step closer to returning the Canadian game to our nation's capital (with my apologies to Queen Pauline). Going back to Frank Clair Stadium at Lansdowne Park will bring back fond 999102812 memories for me. Ottawa had "street meat" to rival the vendors outside Toronto's train station. Ottawa always had the coolest named quarterbacks: Julius Caesar Watts and Prince McJunkins the 3rd. Hardly the Banal by the Canal, that turf hosted Wonderful Monds,Admiral Dewey Larry and Rohan Marley, who I have to believe played linebacker AND sang the anthem as well as his older brother could. Ottawa is where I learned my first obscene chant--"What the _uck's a Gee-Gee!?" at Panda Bowl games versus my alma mater Carleton. I still don't know what a Gee-Gee is, but as I recall they weren't good for much of anything. The CFL is also calling off the fashion police this week to "rock the pink" as Alouette Chris Jennings put it to me recently. Brandon London has been fined for a previous on-field fashion felony this season (a flagrant Nike swoosh tainting what is a Reebok world) to the point where he and his teammates were cautious about being caught pinkhanded before the CFL officially let players think pink. "Ventrell Jenkins' mom is dealing with some sort of cancer," London told me. "It's something that people around the world 111012713 are affected with and not just in October. That's why I wear the pink gloves in warm-up before the games. It's an inspirational thing. I still remember the day my mom called me in college. She had a cyst--it wasn't even a real bump or anything. "I cried for 2 days straight just because I thought we had to wait for a test. I can only imagine what someone else is going through when their mother says they really have breast cancer. "It's my way of saying thanks for people in the community to get more involved, thanks for stepping up with organizations and charities." The pink appeal resonates with a number of other players for very personal reasons. "My grandmother, she passed on to be with the Lord and it just came out of the blue with her," says Jennings, the former Cleveland Brown. "She was never sick or anything and it just came out of nowhere and most definitely I will be rocking the pink for her and others." "Wearing the pink in the NFL was an awesome experience...a dream come true to be on that playing field in the NFL and to support a good cause." Victor Anderson has pink packed for the road trip to Toronto. 111012713 "You can never go wrong wearing it and putting the name of someone, your loved ones or those suffering from breast cancer. I'll have some pink on. It's touched my family as it has hundreds of thousands all over the country and back in the States and all over the world. "My grandmother passed away of cancer, it's a terrible disease.We'll just continue to fight it and try to find ways to beat it. I commend the doctors and nurses putting in a great effort to do so." Alouette kick-returner Trent Guy:"I would definitely be wearing pink, I'm a big supporter-I have a breast cancer survivor in my family, as well as we lost a family member last year. I'm big into supporting, trying to find a cure." The C-word especially resonates with Als fans because of AC. "With myself and my family and other people, it's touched and affected so many," admits Anthony Calvillo. "It's always good to bring awareness because at the end of the day you're trying to raise money to cure this ugly disease and the only way to do that is to create awareness." "The CFL is doing that...and I think it's great because it's one of those things...you just do not want to be affected by it." Anthony and Alexia are hoping October marks her 5 years in remission. He's pondered a remission party but isn't sure about the etiquette. Life is always worth celebrating. Did you hear Alan- Michael Cash's confession on Thanksgiving Monday? He admitted on the CJAD postgame show that he "borrowed" his sack celebration from a college teammate. In the trenches, it's a 'bury or be buried' world so Cash celebrates sacks by working his imaginary shovel to dig a grave for rival quarterbacks. "We had a pretty good defense at NC State and I told my guy I was using it. He's says as long as I'm getting it done." The Als have a tradition of flamboyant sack dancers: Junior AhYou's Hawaiian fire dance is my alltime favourite. In Nouveau Alouettes history (since the rebirth in '96) Grant Carter fired sixguns. Elfrid Peyton revealed the flexibility of James Brown to crouch low for his "freeze move." "Elfrid used to get yelled at in Winnipeg by Coach Dave Ritchie during warm-ups for dancing to this 70's soul song that taught you a dance step," recalls former CFL allstar turned CJAD analyst Dave Mudge, now an investment 777082612 advisor with BMO-Nesbitt Burns. As an o-lineman, he was trained not to notice, or even be noticed. But as Elfrid's former teammate then opponent, even Mudge had to peak and laugh. So here's to Cash digging in for better defense with his teammates. About the only things the Als were able to hold onto on Thanksgiving were 1st place and Cash's imaginary shovel. Our CJAD colleague Ed Philion, never one to hold back on his emotions after a sack NFL or CFL, suggests Cash take it to the next level like Tito Ortiz and pile some imaginary dirt onto the imaginary grave. After hitting 4.5 this week, Montreal, whatever it takes to feel the earth move. Rick Moffat is Sports Director and Voice of the Alouettes and Montreal Impact on CJAD 800, www.cjad.com follow on: twitter@RickMoffat . If you would like to send Rick a letter please e-mail: rickmoffat @westendtimes.ca Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca * OCTOBER 13, 2012 5 888090212 ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS FOR ONLY $75/ PER MONTH MIN. 6 MONTHS Call for more details 514-457-7656 555091011

Chef Peter Webster's weekly recipe - Page 20 3551 boul. St. Charles, Suite #547, Kirkland, Quebec, H9H 3C4 514-457-7656 info@westendtimes.ca www.westendtimes.ca Distribution Hudson, St. Lazare, Senneville, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Baie d'Urfe, Beaconsfield, Kirkland, Pte. Claire, D.D.O., Pierrefonds, Roxboro, Dorval, Lachine, NDG, Ville St-Laurent, Châteauguay, Cote St-Luc, Snowdon, Hampstead, Mtl-West, Westmount, Laval, Verdun, Lasalle, Montreal Managing Editor: Tom West Contributors: John Symon * Michael Joffre * Dr. Sima Goel * Carlo Gagliardi * Peter Webster * Frank Kermit * Christine Latremoille * Linda Richer * Donna Byrne * * Stuart Nulman * Chris Nilan * Rick Moffat * Pierre Soucey *Sergio Martinez * Emily White Advertising Melissa Levy ADVERTISING DEADLINE (Wednesday at 5 p.m.) 514-457-7656 CLASSIFIED DEADLINE (Wednesday at 5 p.m.) 514-457-7656 SUBSCRIPTION General subscriptions in Canada: 1 year $100, 2 years $175 Subscription to the U.S. and outside North America: 1 year $150 US All contents of this publication are sole property of The West End Times Newspaper. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily intended to reflect those of the publisher. Any reproduction in whole or in part and in print or in electronic form without express permission is strictly forbidden. Permission to reproduce selected editorial may be granted by contacting the publisher in writing. College Saint-Louis was recently awarded a $2,000 prize by the Quebec government for its Art and Water project. The project involved 200 students who became interested in fauna of the St-Lawrence River and in the restoration John Symon Special and cleaning up of one of its tributaries, Bouchard Stream. This stream is among the last ones on the island that has managed to somewhat remain more or less in a natural state. It draws its source near Sources Blvd and drains across Trudeau Airport before crossing under Dorval's Bouchard Blvd near the Queen of Angels Academy. The stream joins Lake St. Louis near Sevigny Ave. But, at the airport, the stream accumulates de-icing salts and antifreeze (glycol) which is sprayed on the aircraft in winter. Two nearby streams, Denis Stream in western Dorval and Bertrand Stream in Bois de Liesse Park, also drain the airport and surrounding industrial parks. So much glycol is found in Bertrand Stream that it no longer freezes in winter according to an undated document from The Green Coalition. Denis Stream is so badly polluted with oil and grease that it actually caught fire once; the fire department had to be called to where this stream empties into Valois Bay. Montreal draws its drinking water downstream from where Denis and Bouchard Streams join the St. Lawrence River. Despite the pollution, Bouchard Stream still harbours fish and beavers. Youths from College St- Louis' Water Committee began planting trees along the stream banks, picking up garbage there, and raising awareness of the importance of the stream. Stu- Photo: borough of Lachine In this picture: the Principal of College Saint-Louis, teachers, students, artists, representatives from MBSB, the Mayor of Lachine, GRAME Lachine, Interlex and Montréal's RSMA College St-Louis Essor wins award Students try to save Bouchard Stream dents also asked Bell Canada to "free the stream" that was put underground some 30 years ago to make way for a parking lot at 200 Bouchard Blvd. The teenagers would like to see Bell help the community to restore and clean up the stream. Municipal councils of both the City of Dorval and the borough of Lachine unanimously supported a resolution presented by the student members of the Water Committee. A round table has been created since then, reuniting airport officials, Bell Canada and municipal authorities in an effort to improve the Bouchard watercourse. Through this project, the students learned about the fragility of our ecosystem and the need to protect the habitat where fish, birds, and mammals reproduce. The project has generated new partners; now many public and private schools from Montreal and from Kahnawake have joined in efforts to improve the health of local watercourses through the ART et Water project. This $2,000 prize awarded to College St-Louis is due, in large part, to the implication of the artist and painter Maja Vodanovic as well as of the arts and art history teachers, Jovette Aubin and Christelle Senecal. Because of this regional award, the school is now eligible for the provincial finals next February. According to the Quebec Ministry of Education, 6 OCTOBER 13, 2012 * 39 th Leisure and Sports, "The Essor... Awards are given out each year to recognize the excellence, efforts and enthusiasm of the educators and school authorities who help young people undertake innovative and imaginative projects at school." College St-Louis-with campuses in Lachine and in LaSalle-is a French language public international school in the Marguerite- Bourgeoys School Board (MBSB) with 930 students from grades 7 to 11. More information at: : http://maja.ca/collegest-louis-2/ www.lesamisdemea dowbrook.org/ GolfDorval.pdf Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca

Stephanie Gliksman's Misfit Academy Tackles Homework in new book Building on her success last year after the release of her first book, Misfit Academy: When Kids Rule the School, English Montreal School Board Special Education Technician Stephanie Gliksman has released her second book entitled Squished Bananas and Other Homework Battles. Geared for students in Cycle 1 and Cycle 2, Gliksman's new book features Jimmy Bee, a Grade 3 student who will do anything and everything, from looking for bugs and brushing his dog's teeth to avoid doing his homework. Fortunately, Jimmy Bee's mother has a few tricks up her sleeve to ensure her son gets his work done. If you would like Stephanie Gliksman to visit your classroom and read Squished Bananas and Other Homework Battles to your Cycle 1 or Cycle 2 students, please contact her at:sgliksman@emsb.qc.ca.Following the reading, Stephanie engages in a fun, educational and very interactive activity with the students. Both books in the Misfit Academy series: Squished Bananas and Other Homework Battles and When Kids Rule the School, are available in paperback at local bookstores including Jack and Jill Shop (5330 Queen Mary Road) and KidLink Books & Toys (5603 Monkland) as well as on Amazon.com in both e-book and print editions. ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS FOR ONLY $ 19. 90 /WEEK FOR 50 WEEKS = $995 PER YEAR Call for more details 514-457-7656 info@westendtimes.ca EVERY DAY - Buy any LARGE 14" PIZZA UNLIMITED TOPPINGS $ 12. 99 + tax * OCTOBER 13, 2012 7

Fully clothed skeletons? Think Mexico, think Posada Who is Posada, you may ask. José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) was Mexico's most famous illustrator, engraver, lithographer and etcher, his caricatures appeared in various newspapers and every year reproductions of his works are profusely displayed in his country during the celebration of Sergio Martinez Special the Day of the Dead, just a few days after our own Halloween holiday. Being quite close to Halloween, the occasion couldn't have been better for the exhibition that the Consulate General of Mexico in Montreal is announcing for this coming week which will continue until November 23.A selection of 97 prints by Posada will be on display at this first exhibition of his works in Montreal. Posada began to work quite young as a lithographer and then while still a teenager, he started to draw political cartoons for the newspaper El Jicote (The Bumblebee).As it has been the case with many other political cartoonists and satirical writers, Posada's works antagonized him with those in position of power who usually don't have much sense of humour, in his case with a local political chieftain, a situation that forced Posada to move out of his native Aguascalientes to the city of Leon, in the state of Guanajuato. In 1888 a flood that caused great damage in that city forced him to move again, this time to Mexico City where he started to collaborate with important publications of that time drawing political caricatures as well as "realistic sketches of daily life in the old quarters of San Pedro and San Pablo in Mexico City, near the renowned Merced Market" as the press release from the consulate remarks. There he worked for Irineo Paz a liberal publisher and grandfather of Mexico's Nobel Prize winner Octavio Paz. Despite having seen his works printed in various newspapers and in other publications, Posada died in poverty and mostly unrecognized in his country. In fact, recognition only came after his death.Today his works are very much associated with Mexico's art, his style being considered as a pioneering form of expressionism in his country and the depiction of people in the form of skeletons, a kind of metaphor for the Mexican society in early 20th century and especially a satirical depiction of the upper class during the pre-revolutionary period under the authoritarian rule of Porfirio Diaz. The exhibition "Gravures de José Guadalupe Posada" ("Engravings by José Guadalupe Posada") will have its official opening this Wednesday, October 17 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and it will be open to the public from Monday to Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. until November 23, at the Espacio México gallery, 2055 Peel Street, first floor (metro Peel). Free admission. Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca 8 OCTOBER 13, 2012 *

The 41st edition of the International Festival of New Cinema started this past Wednesday with the premiere of the Quebec-made film "La mise Sergio Martinez Special à l'aveugle" ("Small Blind") directed by Simon Galiero, and will continue until October 21 at different venues with an eclectic selections of 288 films from 52 countries. Like any event of this nature, the selection contains films with various degrees of quality. Having seen some of the films already, here are some of my recommendations so far: "STORIES WE TELL"-Deep into personal territory This Canadian film made by Sarah Polley and in competition in the Focus on Canada and Quebec section is one of the most interesting revelations of this festival. First of all, it is unusual for an artist-in this case a film director-to get so deep into her own personal life and go on revealing aspects about her own past that she started to discover as she was making the movie. Using at times the format of a mock documentary, she searches into the life of her mother Diane, an actress who performed in Toronto and occasionally in Montreal as well, and who died of cancer when Sarah was a girl.Sarah's father,also an actor, is the main narrator of the story which as the movie advances into its second half starts to explore into a semi-secret and Festival of new cinema Don't miss these movies personal territory ultimately presenting the characters with a surprise that would have an impact on everyone, especially Sarah herself. A very well made film, original in the approach taken to the narration of the story, and edited in a way that at the same time reveals a candid view and a wellorganized plan on the part of the director when putting together all the pieces of the story. "MARS ET AVRIL"-Science fiction with a Québécois flavour This film directed by Martin Villeneuve is based on a local graphic novel and is set in a futuristic Montreal where one can accidentally be tele-transported from a metro station (Champ de Mars) to Mars, actu- Jacques Languirand as a musician playing very special instruments ally. "Mars et Avril" plays with the French names for the months, but also for the planet which at the time in which the story is set is just about to be visited by human beings (or so it seems).On earth,and more specifically in Montreal, septuagenarian musician Jacob Obus (Jacques Languirand) plays a very special kind of music using instruments shaped in the form of women's bodies.The instruments are designed by his friend Arthur (Paul Abmarani) who in turn is inspired by females who he asks to pose for him.One night beautiful photographer Avril (Caroline Dhavernas) appears at a concert and immediately catches the eye of both, the veteran musician and the instrument de- signer.As a result a love triangle develops, in which another curious character will have something to say: Eugene Spaak (Robert Lepage) whose head is in fact a hologram and who is an immortal in possession of great cosmological knowledge. The story has surrealistic touches and it also approaches some existential questions with humour. (Playing in French with English subtitles). IN THE RACE FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE OSCAR Uruguay's entry into the Oscar race for Best Foreign Language Film is interesting to see:"La demora" ("The Delay") directed by Rodrigo Plá is a moving story of the relationship between Agustín (Carlos Vallarino) an old man who is becoming senile and shares a cramped apartment in Montevideo with his middleaged daughter Maria (Roxana Blanco) and her three children. Maria is a single mother for whom living on a very basic salary is already a problem, taking care of her father makes things even harder for her, and at one point she makes a decision that would make everyone think about becoming old and be seen as a burden. (Playing in Spanish with French subtitles). Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca * OCTOBER 13, 2012 9

If you were a working or aspiring stand-up comic in NewYork City about 30 years ago, there were three major comedy clubs where you plied your trade in order to make it in the world of comedy: the Improv, Catch A Rising Star and the Comic Strip. In his introduction to 999102112 111040113 111120912 Stuart Nulman Book Banter Skyhorse Publishing, $28. 95 Jeffrey Gurian and Richie Tienkin's book that recounts the 35-year history of the Comic Strip, "Make 'Em Laugh", comedian Chris Rock writes that comedy clubs in NewYork City about 30 years ago were like colleges for aspiring comics. "The two main schools (and schools of thought) were Catch A Rising Star and The Comic Strip. Catch wasYale, and the Strip was Illinois State University, Urbana. Catch was stressful, like you were always on the verge of being expelled if you didn't keep up your grades.The Strip was laid back. If you put in the work and studied, you would do well. But if you blew off a term smoking pot, it didn't go on your permanent record. Catch was more rigorous, like you needed to back up your joke with references. The Strip was like, 'fooood fiiiight!'" Since Richie Tienkin Book Review by Stuart Nulman Make 'Em Laugh by Jeffrey Gurian and Richie Tienken ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS FOR ONLY $75/ PER MONTH MIN. 6 MONTHS Call for more details 514-457-7656 999110412 opened the Comic Strip on June 1, 1976, it became the training ground for some of the best stand-up comics that have graced comedy clubs across North America, not to mention festivals,TV shows and movies. How's this for illustrious alumni ... Jerry Seinfeld, Ray Romano, Chris Rock, Billy Crystal, Lewis Black, Colin Quinn, Larry Miller, Gilbert Gottfried and Lisa Lampanelli (and that's just scratching the surface). But for those who have performed at the Comic Strip and have made the club their training ground and launching pad into the world of stand-up comedy, it was more than a club. It was a place to hang out, to develop and polish your routines, and most of all, to create a close, familial atmosphere amongst your fellow comics who had the same goal as you, but with very little or no vapid competition amongst each other. Being part of the Comic Strip fraternity was in a way a very treasured membership. Comics would hang out with each other every night until dawn (and having late or early meals at a local diner after the club closed its doors for the night), would eagerly await the regular softball game as part of the Comic Strip's team, and would look forward to attend the annual Christmas party or NewYear's Day brunch. Tienkin teamed up with NewYork-based comedy writer/performer/aficionado Jeffrey Gurian (who writes a regular internet comedy column called "Comedy Matters" and is host of his "Comedy Matters" internet TV channel) to write an intimate history of the Comic Strip and its impact on the world of contemporary standup comedy. The book contains interviews with 30 prominent comics who have built their careers on the Comic Strip stage.They have divided them into Photo: Stuart Nulman Co-authors of "Make 'Em Laugh" Jeffrey Gurian (left) and Richie Tienken, pictured at the 2010 Just For Laughs festival two generations: the "Older Kids" (Seinfeld, Rock, Romano, Crystal, etc.) and the "Younger Kids" (Lampanelli, Jeffrey Ross, Jim Gaffigan,Adam Ferrera, etc.). Tienkin and Gurian get the comics who are profiled in the book to open up to them about how they started at the Strip, how they developed their trademark routines, the rigors and struggles of making it as a comic in a highly-charged competitive atmosphere that is NewYork City, and a lot of favorite memories of being part of the Comic Strip brotherhood. Basically, because Tienkin and Gurian are respected insiders in the comedy world, it made the difficult task of getting comedians to speak their mind about how they started in the business, the difficulties of breaking into comedy and how the respect they have for their fellow comics became much easier, and it shows quite vividly in the book. When you read "Make 'Em Laugh", you get several consensus of opinion of what it was like to work at the Strip: the lottery method of auditioning; waiting for hours to get a spot to perform onstage (even if it was after midnight on a weeknight, with very few people in the audience); getting "passed" and asked for your day and time availabilities (also known as "avails"); being honored or intimidated by the critiques of your performance by the late Lucien Hold, the club's manager (or if you had the good fortune to be hooked into one of his lengthy conversations, where you would be lucky if you got one word in edgewise); and when he wasn't managing the early career of Eddie Murphy, how Tienkin was a caring, nurturing individual to every comic who passed through the Strip's doors (which gained him revered rock star status amongst them). And of course, the book has plenty of anecdotes and backstage stories of carving out careers in comedy during the golden era of the burgeoning NewYork comedy club scene, in which the Comic Strip was an integral part of that scene. For example, there is the time when Paul Reiser was performing at the Strip's branch in Fort Lauderdale, when he found out he got the role of Modell in Barry Levinson's classic 1982 flick "Diner". He was told by the production people that "we're not sure yet what he's (Modell) gonna do, but you'll flesh him out when you get there (to Baltimore, where the film was shot)." "Make 'Em Laugh" is a very enjoyable, insightful book about a pioneering comedy club that has become a virtual comedy institution.And although many comedy clubs across North America have come and gone in the 35 years since the Comic Strip first opened its doors, the respect it has gained and how important and relevant it remains to new generations of stand-up comics will ensure its doors will stay open for many more years. Stuart Nulman's "Book Banter" segment is a twicea-month feature on "The Stuph File Program" with Peter Anthony Holder,which now has almost 150,000 listeners per week. You can either listen or download it at peteranthonyholder.com , or Stitcher.com or subscribe to it on iTunes. Plus you can find it at www.CyberStationUSA.com,www.KDXradio.com , True Talk Radio, streaming on www.PCJMedia.com, and over the air at World FM 88.2fm in New Zealand,Media Corp in Singapore andWSTJ, St. Johnsbury,Vermont.Stuart can be reached at: bookbanter @hotmail.com . Comment on this article at: www.westendtimes.ca 10 OCTOBER 13, 2012 *