REJECTION SHOW PRESS QUOTES
"For most people, rejection means a bottle of Jack and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. But for one comedic genius, rejection has meant a cult hit show, national recognition, and now --a book deal? "Rejected" author Jon Friedman first gave life to The Rejection Show after he found himself passed over for a job at Comedy Central and, worse, dumped. Since then the invariably hilarious lineup of rejected New Yorker comics, Late Show sketches, and dismissive childhood sweethearts has featured a variety of New York personalities. Check out the failures and the mayhem if you are sucker for bloopers and outtakes, or just revel in others’ disappointments." -NEW YORK MAGAZINE
"On the surface, The Rejection Show is a mere demonstration of unsuccessful work by usually successful comedians, writers, filmmakers, and cartoonists. Deep down, though, it provides an interesting look into the thought processes of magazine editors, network executives, and others who wield power." –THE ONION
"The Rejection Show" is a series that makes gold from the dross of the city’s cultural industry by offering comedians, writers, and the like the chance to present work that has been passed over by television shows, magazines, and other established outlets." –THE NEW YORKER
"If The New Yorker has rejected your cartoon, if ’SNL’ has fired you, if Conan doesn’t think you’re funny enough, host Jon Friedman just might. The Rejection Show is a pastiche of writers and actors who didn’t make the cut, and its cult audience can’t imagine why." –AMERICA ONLINE
"Who knew being shown the door could be so much fun." –CHARLES GIBSON, ABC NEWS
"The Rejection Show has gotten so much mainstream press that we suspect people are purposefully botching the pitches they care most about, and then "settling" for showing them off here." -THE L MAGAZINE
"The highlight is watching the performers vibe off the audience’s laughter, turning what could’ve been a negative into the ultimate live validation."–THE VILLAGE VOICE
"Ever wonder what you’re not seeing? Each month comedians perform pieces that have been rejected by anything from Conan O’Brien to The New Yorker..." –TIMEOUT NEW YORK
“Novelists, TV writers, stand-up comics, cartoonists, filmmakers, recording artists, dramatists, and poets come together for a friendly but edgy celebration of failure.” –LA TIMES
"Rejection hurts. Luckily, this hurt comes from laughing so hard you pull a muscle. Comic Jon Friedman offers a ‘Summerfest of Rejection’ -- TV sketches, movie pitches, and New Yorker cartoons go from the cutting-room floor to Mo Pitkin’s. Friedman cracks us up all summer by making his previously sporadic Show quasi-weekly." -FLAVORPILL
"In New York, audiences are finding that failure is fun!" –ABC NEWS
"’The Rejection Show’ is a refuge for the rebuffed, a haven for the heave-hoed, a destination for the deep-sixed." –NEWSDAY
"Like a gang of Farmer Ted’s leading the geeks through the brutal, estranged halls of high school, the Rejection Show features some of NY’s finest rejected writers and performers, in this comedy-centric event. -THE L MAGAZINE
"Not just a brilliant idea, it’s a well executed one." –COMEDY CENTRAL
"’What do you get when you display a whole bunch of stuff that didn’t make the cut at the New Yorker, Conan, and a bevy of other shows and publications? Evidently, some funny shit.” –GAWKER
"True to it’s maxim, ‘Just because it’s been rejected doesn’t mean it’s not good.” –FLAVORPILL
"Rejection can be hilarious -- especially when it’s someone else’s. But the Rejection Show is not just your chance to laugh at the misfortune of others. It’s the best of the rest, so to speak; a showcase of comedians turned down by Conan O’Brien, rejected television writers, and cartoonists who find more SASEs in their mailboxes than checks." –AOL CITYGUIDE
’Freelance Chicken’ (Live Intro & Footage)
The Rejection Show Valentine’s Day Video