New York's Funniest Reporter

The Five Most Surprising Performances At New York’s Funniest Reporter Show

Since 2006, over 30 Media Professionals have taken to the stage and courageously given stand up comedy a shot. These are five individuals whose performances caught the masses completely off guard.

5. Lori Harfinest / The Resident (2009) – Donning a neon pink wig and green fashion attire, Lori Harfinest did her entire comedy set in an improvised character (the only time in NYFR History). She had pre Lady Gaga charisma and the audience’s full attention.  She brought tons of energy and stood out from all the other participants that year.

4. Paul Messina  / NY1 (2006) – A last minute entry in the very first NYFR, Messina walked on stage with ice water and papers with notes. After reading a few jokes, Messina abruptly quit his routine and decided to tell funny stories about his years as Reporter & Producer. The audience welcomed the stories and laughter grew progressively louder until the end of his performance.

3. Ellis Henican / Fox News (2008) – For millions of American who had regularly watched Ellis Henican out-debate Bill O’Reilly (a rarity on “The O’Reilly Factor”), this was the first time they actually saw him do stand up comedy. Henican’s debut was highly anticipated and has tremendous buzz amongst Liberals & Conservatives. Henican did not disappoint and his performance proved that he was just as sharp & witty on stage as he was on TV. Henican caught the stand up comedy bug and has performed over 100 times since then.

2. Lauren Sivan / Fox News (2010) – Lauren entered into NYFR a mere 5 weeks before the show with no previous stand up comedy experience. With her mentors TJ McCormack & Jeffrey Gurian, she was determined to give it her all and hopefully connect with a few jokes. Sivan’s debut (her first time ever at stand up) was one of the most dominant performances in the history of New York’s Funnies Reporter Show. According to one judge, “Sivan had a presence, confidence and timing that you’d expect from a seasoned professional comedian, not a first-timer.” Sivan would go on to win the 5th Annual New York’s Funniest Reporter Show.

1. Wendy Gillette / CBS (2008) – Having worked intensively with her comedy mentor Bernadette Pauley, Wendy Gillette walked on stage an immediately connected with the audience on her first joke. However, the stage jitters quickly settled in and Gillette struggled to keep her routine on track. Gillette immediately told the audience that she was nervous and scared but, that it wasn’t going to top her from finishing her set. Something magical happened as the audience began intensely supporting & cheering her on and Gillette’s nervousness rapidly melted away. She finished strong and the audience gave her a Roman-arena applause. It was the performance that summed up what New York’s Funniest Reporter Show is about: Media Professionals conquering fear for a greater cause while laughing all the way.

Jane Valez-Mitchell / CNN

Jane Velez-Mitchell hosts “Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell,” a topical event-driven show with a wide range of viewpoints. A veteran television news journalist, Velez-Mitchell reported for the nationally syndicated Warner Brothers/Telepictures show “Celebrity Justice” and regularly served as guest host for “Nancy Grace,” another HLN program.

As a commentator on high-profile cases, Velez-Mitchell has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and other national cable television programs. During the Michael Jackson molestation trial, she appeared daily on “Nancy Grace” and was featured on CNN’s “Larry King Live” on several occasions, including the evening of the verdict.

Velez-Mitchell chronicles her lifelong battle with alcoholism, as well as her coming out as a lesbian and her discovery of a healthier, happier and more meaningful existence, in “iWant: My Journey From Addiction and Overconsumption to a Simpler Honest Life,” which was released in October 2009, and became a New York Times bestseller. Her most recent book, “Addict Nation” was released in February 2011.Her first nonfiction book, “Secrets Can Be Murder: What America’s Most Sensational Crimes Tell Us About Ourselves,” was published by Touchstone, a division of Simon & Schuster. The paperback version appeared in bookstores in June 2008.

Velez-Mitchell previously spent more than a decade anchoring and reporting for KCAL-TV in Los Angeles. She also served as a reporter/anchor for eight years at WCBS-TV in New York City. In 2010, her HLN show garnered a Genesis Awards from the Humane Society of the United States, her third having won two others on “Celebrity Justice.” Velez-Mitchell is the recipient of a Los Angeles Emmy Award and a New York Emmy Award. The KCAL-TV newscasts she co-anchored won three Southern California Golden Mike Awards and an Emmy. She also wrote, directed and produced “Dancing Through Life,” an award-winning documentary.

Mentor: TJ McCormack

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Greg Mocker / WPIX 11

I moved to New York City in the summer of 2008 because I always wanted to live here. After spending more than 12 years in the TV news business and traveling around the country, I missed my family. I’m from Ohio (one of those good midwestern boys). My parents and brother visit often and my sister lives in Brooklyn.

I also missed the snow and the seasons. I spent the last 4 years in Phoenix, Arizona where I reported on monsoons, illegal immigration, and home owner associations. Before that I worked in Albuquerque, New Mexico. That’s a great place. I liked it there. We should visit. I’ve been to the Augusta National 4 times, although I do not golf. I reported in Augusta, Georgia for 4 years. My first job was in Ardmore, Oklahoma and I was there for 50 weeks. I lived in a garage apartment across the street from the son of an International Rodeo Star.

I am fascinated with this city and the people who live here and the people who keep it going. This place is loud and quiet and full of contradictions and simplicity. I love what I do. I’m just a guy with a question, looking for an answer on the trail of something different.

Mentor: Billy Bingo

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Courtney Friel / FOX News Channel

Courtney Friel joined FOX News Channel (FNC) in February 2007 as an entertainment reporter.

Prior to joining FNC, Friel was an anchor and reporter for KPSP (CBS) in Palm Springs, CA. She also hosted “The World Poker Tour” on the Travel Channel and co-anchored Court TV’s “The Saturday Night Solution.” In 2004, Friel served as a west coast correspondent for FOX’s “America’s Most Wanted.” She has been a field reporter for various networks including E! Entertainment, Oxygen Channel, GOTV Mobile Television, Comcast Cable, as well as the syndicated program “Extra.”

Friel’s first job in local news was the primetime anchor at WBBJ (ABC) in Jackson, TN. A graduate of San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, she began her career at Channel One News where she served as a student reporter.

Mentor: Jeffrey Gurian

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Adam Shapiro / FOX Business Network

Reporter Adam Shapiro joined FOX Business Network (FBN) in September 2007 as a New York based reporter.

Shapiro was previously a general assignment reporter in New York for WNBC-TV morning show Today in New York, covering all aspects of New York City. He also occasionally provided reports for the early evening and nightly newscasts. Before joining WNBC-TV, Shapiro was the anchor of WEWS-TV (ABC) Emmy Award-winning morning show Good Morning Cleveland and the early evening newscast Live on Five.

While there, he received a 2003 regional Emmy Award for Best Anchor and a 2002 Associated Press Award for Best Reporter. Prior to this, Shapiro spent a year as a network correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC) based in Chicago covering major national news including the Versace murder and the Louise Woodward murder trial.Before joining FNC, Shapiro anchored the weekend newscast for WXIN-TV (FOX) in Indianapolis, where he received a 1994 Emmy Award for an investigative piece. Prior to that, he was a reporter for WSJV-TV, then ABC affiliate, based in South Bend, Indiana.A native of Miami, Florida, Shapiro is a graduate of Syracuse University.

Mentor:

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Marlaina Schiavo / CNN

Marlaina Schiavo is a Senior Producer for HLN’s top-rated primetime show Nancy Grace. From field producing to on-air reporting, Marlaina has covered everything from crime and punishment to celebrity justice.

In 1998, Marlaina began her journalism career at CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta. During her tenure, she worked as a Video Editor and quickly reached management level within the company. In January 2002, she returned to the northeast, joining the Fox News Channel in NYC as Newsroom Manager. In 2005, Marlaina landed a Producer position with
Nancy Grace at Court TV and then moved on to HLN’s Nancy Grace in 2007.

Prior to her success in the media world, Marlaina graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor’s degree in Television-Radio. And although she is making her mark in cable television, Marlaina’s passion extends beyond breaking news. Always having a love of comedy and reality TV, Marlaina spent some time in Los Angeles in her early years, where she interned for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and MTV’s Road Rules. Marlaina is grew up in New Jersey and claims that there is more to the Jersey shore than fist pumping. She currently resides in Manhattan with her fiance Eric.

Mentor:

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Wendy Diamond / Animal Fair Magazine

Pet Expert & Author Wendy Diamond was called “The Martha Stewart of the milk and bone dish” (The New Yorker), dubbed “Pet Diva” by the New York Post, and crowned the “Canine Queen” by Forbes. She has appeared on Fox, CBS, NBC, Animal Planet, and with her rescued Maltese Lucky Diamond was one of three judges on CBS’ summer primetime hit show – “Greatest American Dog!” After writing two best-selling books titled “How To Understand Men Through Their Dogs and How To Understand Women Through Their Cats,” Random House unleashed Diamond’s next entertaining albeit informative book titled “It’s a Dog’s World. Also, Wendy is Founder of Animal Fair, (fairness to animals) the first lifestyle media company for animal lovers in support of fairness to animals.

Mentor: Carole Montgomery

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New York’s Funniest Reporter Show will take place on Saturday August 20th, at 5:30 pm at Comic Strip Live comedy club (1568 Second Ave) www.comicstriplive.com