and Russ Meneve, comics from the Big Led by A-list performers Ted Alexandro Apple formed the New York Comedians Coalition to address what they see as their most pressing issues, beginning with pay structure. Alexandro and Meneve are assisted by fellow comedians Buddy Bolton, Tom Shillue, and Ray Ellin.

The Coalition, which has over 300 comedians signed on, including such famous members as Colin Quinn and D ave Attell, has begun negotiating for better pay rates with all of the major comedy clubs in Manhattan. Meetings with each of the clubs are taking place this month.

"Of the top 10 working comedians, we have eight of them, at least," Bolton said. "They're doing it because it's the right thing to do. They want to help the process that helped them get to where they are."

The main gripe that the comedians have is the pay rate, which was $50 for a 20-minute weekend spot in 1985, and raised only to $60 in 2002. Adjusted for inflation, the 1985 rate is worth about half as much today.

"The comedians are seeking a cost of living increase proportionate to the 1985 dollar," said Alexandro, who helped to increase payments to $60 in 2002. "We got them to raise it at every club in New York. Since 1985, the pay was $50 per set. In 2002, we got them up to $60. Gotham Comedy Club went up to $65. The Comedy Cellar went up to $75, then rescinded it to $60."

Cary Hoffman, who owns Stand Up New York, said the pay remained stagnant for so long "because it's New York and in New York things are done different than in the rest of the country. The showcase system that was set up in New York 30 years ago… [involves] paying comics a relatively small amount of money. Out of town is not showcase, it is headlining. Our business is still not what it was before 9/11. I, Cary Hoffman, am probably going to open my books to the comics."

"I told the comics at the beginning that we should ask for what we deserve," Shillue said. "Look at the price of gasoline from 1984 to today. Look at the cab fare. Attendance is up [at comedy clubs]."

Chris Mazzilli, who owns the Gotham Comedy Club, pointed out that comedy shows are very inexpensive when compared to other entertainment. He said, "Most clubs are about 10 bucks during the week and $15 for a weekend. Jazz is $30-35 [per ticket]. Broadway shows are $75 to $100. Even Off-Off Broadway is $20-25. Comedy is underpriced. If all of the clubs... raise their cover charge a dollar or two, and [pass] money to comedians, end of problem."

According to the club owners, they would like to pay more, but their businesses are not making enough to afford it.

"We are paying a little more than we can afford right now," said Noam Dworman, who co-owns the Comedy Cellar. "Insurance has gone up five or six times. Many, many periods of the year, we question whether we will meet our week-to-week expenses. The more we pay them [comics], the better off we are. We never look at it as a positive thing that we have to pay them less than what they want. Whatever we can pay, we pay."

Beth Seidenfrau of Stand Up New York said, "The comics will have to do more time on the weekends, and only the main comics will get those spots."

"The timing is very bad right now," said Al Martin, who owns the New York Comedy Club, the Improv, and the Boston Comedy Club. "We are heading into the winter months. It's a very slow time of year in the comedy business. In the mid-'80s… there were only four or five comedy clubs in Manhattan. You have the same amount of people that live in the Tri-state area… now being divvied up by 12 clubs." Alexandro and Meneve originally considered forming a union, but ultimately decided to form a coalition when members felt unionizing was too big of a step, initially.

Bolton said, "We don't have to make a club 'union' or 'non-union.' It would have put clubsother, which would be very bad." He added that the coalition can give a stamp of approval to a club.

Organizing the comedians has had an unintended counter-effect - the owners are banding together. "It's certainly got the club owners talking," said Martin. "We have usually not talked as much before. So, it's certainly been a unifying force."

Although the first issue that the Coalition is tackling is most relevant to paid, non-famous, stand-up comedians, it seeks to represent come- dians of all levels, from new, unpaid open-mikers to household names.

Comedians who have already become rich and well-known are supporting the Coalition. "If they respect the art form of stand-up comedy, it certainly contributes to the betterment of the art itself," Meneve said. One thing that the Coalition leaders and the club owners agreed upon was that it remain friendly, if possible. They also agreed that ways should be found for both comedians and club owners to make money. "We just hope that it is settled amicably," Hoffman said. "We manage television writers and comics. My other position is that my clients get paid as much as they can. Everybody should be making more money, including them."

Ellin said "[When] the first letter went out to the club owners, they knew what we wanted: a cost of living increase. The whole thing is very tricky. Some of these club owners are our friends. You also want to continue having… an amicable relationship. Navigating that is really important."

Comedians who aren't yet paid by the clubs are encouraged by the Coalition's leaders to join for several reasons.

"When I was in the city, one the things that I wanted was to network with the comics," Shillue said. "I would have jumped at the chance to join a coalition like that. We're going to work with those guys to try to improve the conditions in the other clubs as well." Ellin said, "Hopefully, the open-mikers and bringers will get better treatment as a member of the Coalition. As bringers they're not going to be subjected to sweatshop conditions."

"The immediate thing of what's in it for them is to be part of a coalition of comics," said Alexandro. "(It) is a wonderful thing for networking and establishing ties with established comedians. The ones that are coming up now will arrive on the scene with a fair wage waiting for them. Once this is resolved, we do hope to resolve some of the concerns for newer comics." The Coalition's long-term goal is to be a voice for comedians to communicate their concerns with the owners.

According to Meneve, the Coalition is "fighting for the fairness of comedians and the club owners as well. [We are] always keeping our finger on the pulse of the entire community, and addressing problems as they come up." Alexandro said the level of commitment and cohesiveness among comics has been inspiring, and said that the Coalition was not created to antagonize owners. "This is not an 'us against them.' It is a partnership and a working relationship. We needed to stand up and get together to address our issues. We still want to keep it professional and amicable," he said.

The owners also see it as a way to convey their grievances to the comedians.

Mazzilli said he expects the comics to act more professional. "Sometimes guys don't show up for a spot or they're late," he said. "It's something that can be worked out. The guys… have treated me with respect, and I treat them with respect." Most of the club owners and Coalition leaders felt that the issues will be resolved in good faith, and that keeping their relationship on friendly terms is mutually beneficial. "We love the comics; we hang out with them all night, every night," Dworman said. "We try as little as possible to think of it as a business relationship."

You can also e-mail Jerry L. Kahn at jerry@thecomical.com or visit him at www.BorderingOnTheRidiculous.com.