View source for Al Lubel

{{Short description|American stand-up comedian}}
{{Infobox person
|name        = Al Lubel
|image       =
|caption     =
|birth_date  = {{birth year and age|1956}}
|birth_place =
|death_date  =
|death_place =
|other_names =
|known_for   =
|nationality = American
|website     = {{URL|http://allubel.com/}}
|occupation  = Comedian, actor
}}
'''Al Lubel''' (born 1956) is an American comedian and actor.
==Early life and education==
Lubel was born in [[Queens]] to a Jewish family. He grew up in Florida.<ref name="gaz">{{cite news |last1=Brownstein |first1=Bill |title=This Is A Story About Al Lubel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/424840894/ |access-date=22 October 2023 |work=The Gazette |date=November 4, 1994 |location=Montreal, QC |page=31}}</ref> He went to college in Florida and graduated from the [[University of Miami School of Law]] and then moved to California where he passed the California Bar Exam. He practiced law for four years while moonlighting doing stand-up, and left the bar in 1986.<ref name="gaz" /><ref name="law">{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Judy |title=Comedy Pick of the Week Al Lubel is Al Lubel in Al Lubel a One-Man Show |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/579008976/ |access-date=22 October 2023 |work=LA Weekly |date=September 10, 1992 |page=107}}</ref>
==Career==
Lubel won [[Star Search]] in the comedian category in 1988, winning $100,000.<ref name="Lobell">{{cite web | last=Lobell | first=Daniel | title=Will the World Finally Realize the Brilliance of Comedian Al Lubel? | website=Jewish Journal | date=2021-09-09 | url=https://jewishjournal.com/culture/arts/340434/will-the-world-finally-realize-the-brilliance-of-comedian-al-lubel/ | access-date=2023-10-22}}</ref> He was the subject of an episode of the BBC series ''[[Funny Business (TV series)|Funny Business]]'' in 1992. He appeared on ''[[The Tonight Show]]'', one of the last comedians to perform while Johnny Carson was the host. He has appeared on the ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'' five times beginning in 2001; Letterman told him "There's something wrong with you Al."<ref name="Lubel">{{cite web | last=Lubel | first=Al | title=Al Lubel: my performance anxiety on Letterman | website=The Guardian | date=2014-08-04 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/aug/04/al-lubel-edinburgh-festival-2014-comedy-letterman | access-date=2023-10-22}}</ref> He won the Edinburgh Fringe Festival's Amused Moose Award in 2013.<ref name="Carey">{{cite web | last=Carey | first=Matthew | title="He's An Artist": "Alternative" Comedian Al Lubel Gets Long Overdue Recognition In Documentary 'Mentally Al' | website=Deadline | date=2021-08-10 | url=https://deadline.com/video/mentally-al-documentary-comedy-dynamics-director-joshua-edelman-comedian-al-lubel/ | access-date=2023-10-22}}</ref><ref name="Bennett">{{cite web | last=Bennett | first=Steve | title=Lubel and Ward scoop Fringe awards : News 2013 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide | website=Chortle | date=2013-08-18 | url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2013/08/18/18495/lubel_and_ward_scoop_fringe_awards | access-date=2023-10-22}}</ref>
A documentary, ''Mentally Al'', was created by writer/director Joshua Edelman in 2020 that follows Lubel's life. In it, [[Sarah Silverman]] calls him one of the first [[Alternative Comedy|alternative comedians]].<ref name="Carey" /> The film was named Best Comedy Documentary in the [[The New York Times|''New York Times'']]' comedy roundup in 2021.<ref name="Zinoman 2021 e378">{{cite web | last=Zinoman | first=Jason | title=Best Comedy of 2021 | website=The New York Times | date=2021-12-17 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/arts/best-comedy.html | access-date=2023-10-22}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://allubel.com/ Personal website]
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American male comedians]]
[[Category:American stand-up comedians]]
[[Category:Jewish American comedians]]
[[Category:Jewish male comedians]]
[[Category:Comedians from Queens, New York]]