NYC comedy club suing Gov. Cuomo over closure
Stand Up NY comedy club co-owner Dani Zoldan says businesses 'are opening up all around us,' yet his business has been closed for nearly one year.
A New York comedy club owner, who is suing Gov. Andrew Cuomo over the closure of his business for nearly one year, called on comedian Jerry Seinfeld, a proud New Yorker, to come back to New York City and support the industry.
Seinfeld, who has called NYC home since 1976, reportedly has been in the Hamptons on Long Island during the coronavirus pandemic.
"We’re still doing shows outside of the venue, we’re doing shows on the train every Saturday night, on the 1 train starting from the Upper West Side, we’re doing shows on rooftops, anywhere we can," Dani Zoldan, the co-owner of Stand Up NY comedy club, told "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday.
"I would throw that offer to him [Seinfeld] to maybe come to the city and perform at one of our shows just to see what other comics are going through in the city."
Zoldan noted that he has been in New York City "since the summer" then said he doesn’t think "that it’s cool" that Seinfeld has "been far away from the city and not really on the ground, supporting comedy and it’s an unfortunate situation."
The comedian was seen in East Hampton in September arriving at his $32 million house in a vintage Porsche, a week after calling a comedian who fled New York City for Florida a "putz" and saying he would never abandon New York City, The Daily Mail reported.
A spokesperson for Seinfeld did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment on Wednesday.
In October, however, Seinfeld said that he isn't giving up on New York City and believes others shouldn't either.
Seinfeld appeared on CBS’ 60 Minutes to discuss Manhattan's response to the coronavirus pandemic and why he believes that the city can and will recover.
The actor also referenced the op-ed he wrote in The New York Times rebutting Stand Up NY comedy club co-owner and writer James Altucher’s article about how NYC is "dead forever."
Altucher argued in a New York Post op-ed that New York will not bounce back after the devastation from the pandemic has closed numerous businesses and caused some residents to move away.
Seinfeld, in a New York Times op-ed, claimed that Altucher was giving up on the Big Apple.
"The true greatness that is New York City is beyond rare," he wrote. "It’s unknown. Unknown anyplace outside of New York City. This stupid virus will give up eventually. The same way you have."
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"We’re going to keep going with New York City if that’s all right with you," Seinfeld continued. "And it will sure as hell be back. Because of all the real, tough New Yorkers who, unlike you, loved it and understood it, stayed and rebuilt it."
"I have nothing against that guy," Seinfeld said on the CBS program. "He's fine. I didn't like that nobody was rebutting it. Then I realized, ‘Oh, I guess that's my job.’ Somebody — a real New Yorker has to answer this."
Altucher responded to Seinfeld’s prior comments directed at him on Twitter writing, "I’m glad @JerrySeinfeld took the time from his compound in the Hamptons to write a piece on me without addressing any of the actual problems NYC faces. - some putz from LinkedIn."
In a follow-up tweet, Altucher said: "Jerry is a good guy but I wish he saw the actual reality of what is happening now. A ranticle will not solve the city’s issues."
Speaking on "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday, Zoldan, Altucher’s coworker, also addressed the lawsuit, noting that businesses in New York City "are opening up all around us," yet his business has been "completely shut down" for almost one year.
"It's been very difficult," Zoldan said, especially without being allowed to have indoor shows.
"And mentally, financially, it's been very difficult especially when businesses and industries are opening up all around us, from bowling alleys, pool halls, movie theaters, to increasing restaurant capacity, weddings are now allowed in New York," he added.
"We just don’t understand why we can’t be able to operate under the same guidelines as restaurants and bars."
The Upper West Side comedy club sued Cuomo on Tuesday, claiming the lawmaker’s executive order to shut down the venue nearly one year ago violated the U.S. constitution.
The Stand Up New York co-owners argue in the Manhattan federal court suit that Cuomo has unequally enforced lockdown restrictions by lifting some of the limitations on restaurants and movie theaters, while the club is forced to remain closed. The suit is seeking a permanent injunction that will block the state’s shutdown orders from keeping the club shuttered.
The lawsuit argues that the unequal enforcement deprives the owners of rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, which ensures equal protection under the law to all U.S. citizens.
The comedy club owner has repeatedly slammed the restrictions imposed on the state, noting to Page Six in December that "SNL" is allowed to film indoors, in front of an audience, while his club remains closed.
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Zoldan told host Brian Kilmeade on Wednesday that is has been "impossible" to get a response from anyone with the Cuomo administration.
"We’ve reached out to the administration. We've reached out to local politicians. I mean, these people are hard to reach and when you do reach them, no one has an answer," Zoldan said, calling on officials to at least have a "conference call" with comedy club owners.
Cuomo’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
Fox News’ Jessica Napoli, Naledi Ushe and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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