The Black Hoody

Estee Adoram has been the booker of the Comedy Cellar for more than 40 years. Luke Girgis and Estee Adoram discuss how the Cellar grew from one show a night in a basement nobody wanted to visit into the most iconic comedy club in the world. They cover the recommendation system that controls who gets an audition, why Estee has never formally "passed" a comic, the distinction between real comics and career comics, and the new venue being built across from the Blue Note that could become the best comedy room on the planet.Luke Girgis is the founder and host of theblackhoody.com, a Substack publication and podcast for senior executives in the music and comedy industries. Luke Girgis also runs Be Like Children, an artist management company, and has spent 20 years working as an artist manager.Subscribe to The Black Hoody on Substack: www.theblackhoody.com

Noam Dworman owns the Comedy Cellar, the iconic New York comedy club that turns away 20,000 fans per week. Today, the greatest comedians in the world like Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Louis CK, and Bill Burr pop in at the cellar regularly to test new material and refine their craft before taking it to the world.In this episode, Noam pulls back the curtain on his comedy empire and reveals:How he built the Comedy Cellar into a legendary institution- His history as owner of the iconic New York music venue Cafe Wha?The rigorous standards comics must meet to perform at the CellarThe unique culture that makes the Cellar an irreplaceable launching pad for comedyThis is episode three of The Black Hoody Podcast with Luke Girgis, interviews with entertainment executives, agents, artists and managers building remarkable businesses.If you have guest suggestions for future guests, email me: contact@theblackhoody.com

Emilio Savone joins me today. The owner of 5 NYC comedy clubs, a ticketing platform, a record company and management firm reveals how he built a vertically integrated empire. He explains:▫️ Why comedy clubs make 20% profit margins while restaurants struggle at 3-5%▫️ The custom ticketing platform that increased his sales by 3,000% tickets overnight▫️ How he built multiple revenue streams from every comic▫️ The biggest mistakes club owners make that kill their businesses (and how comedians sabotage their own careers)▫️ Why treating rejection like "elite sport training" is the ultimate business advantage▫️ His simple formula: 40% ticket sales, 55% drinks, 5% events = sustainable profitsThis episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone building in entertainment, hospitality, or creative industries. Whether you're an entrepreneur, artist, or business operator, Emilio's blueprint shows how scrappy, boot strapped execution can lead to incredible businesses.