Colin Quinn Takes Us Inside His "New York Story"

Steve Adubato goes one-on-one with Comedian Colin Quinn, who goes into detail about growing up in Brooklyn in his new Netflix special "Colin Quinn: The New York Story."

1/25/17 #2009

Excerpt:

"People from New York accuse you of information. Like you owe them the information. Don't say "excuse me, did I just block you?" "Where did you get the ice cream?" [laughter] [applause] You're like, "Holy ----!" [laughter] And then if you tell 'em, they want to review you. Like "Over there, is it good?" [laughter] And if you say, "It's good" you have to leave, or they might come back like, "Where's that guy that said this was good?" [laughter] He needs no introduction. Oh my... it just says "Colin Quinn, Comedian." Comedian! But he's so much more! No! That's all that... Yes! That's all that matters! Listen, you're here. [laughter] And you're terrific. By the way, so what we're we just looking at right there? That was me saying how New York people, like, other places they say, "Excuse me, where's the museum?" And in New York, they accuse you of information. Like, "Where did you get the ice cream?" Like they don't say, "Excuse me." They act like a challenge like, "Where did you get the ice cream?" Listen, hold on, I didn't ask you to explain the bit for me, I'm from Jersey. I think I get the bit. That's from Netflix! And it's called? What's the matter with you? Am I like...? My question, is that obscure? Netflix called? The New York Story. Explain the whole genesis of this thing. It's awesome. Thanks. It was just basically, you know, I've been trying to write this whole thing, you know. I sit with... I sit with Seinfeld, we go to the diner all the time. I'm sorry, who? [laughter] Jerry! Big Jerry I call him. And... and, well I'm always talking about New York, like I'm obsessed with it. He's obsessed with New York, and I'm obsessed with New York. And I'm like, "No, New York's changed over the years." He's like, "Nah!" I go, "It's changed. Believe me. The personality." So I started thinking about the whole personality of when I was growing up, and what it was, and how it's changed. So it became the show eventually. You wrote it? Yeah. Every word of it? Yeah. And you brought it to this audience that eats it up? I gotta ask you something. The biggest way New York has changed is? Just that I feel like the personality... the New York personality, it no longer exists. You know. It's interesting. You call it the "New York personality"? Right. Does that mean the people? The people, yeah. Are...? Are you saying that different people have come here from other places, and therefore made the place different? Because... describe where you grew up. The neighborhood. Cause I grew up in Newark, New Jersey. Part... Well Newark's a perfect example. I mean when I..."