Talk:Kambri Crews

Untitled

Regarding the proposal for deleting this article due to lack of notability -- Kambri Crews is notable for the following reasons:

1. The quality and number of top comedy venues and comedy shows that have invited Crews to perform (which grows virtually every month). For example, just last week (on June 10, 2008), Crews performed at one of the most respected indie comedy shows in the country, Sweet, where she was on the same bill as Kristen Schaal (brilliant correspondent for The Daily Show and co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords). As a result of this appearance, VH1 got in touch with Crews to explore using her in a new TV show.

2. Crews' steady weekly comedy gig. Crews performs every Thursday evening at the comedy show Family Hour hosted by MTV correspondent Sara Benincasa. The only other regular performer on that show is Tom Shillue, who is one of the most respected comedic storytellers in the country -- Shillue has performed on The Daily Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, his own half-hour special for Comedy Central, etc.; and also has a comedy album (titled Overconfident).

3. Recognition by the comedy press. Time Out New York spotlighted Crews in its May 19, 2008 edition, designating her the best viewing choice of all the comics and comedy shows playing that evening in NYC.

And I'm comedy press myself. I've done several theatre reviews of comedic stage productions for The New York Times; written or cowritten 14 books, which include five Dummies books, and a contribution to a Mad Magazine anthology; and I cover comedy daily for my website HyReviews.com.

I'm very tough about comedy; but I'm also known for having an eagle eye for talent. Crews is a rising star.

4. Uniqueness. Crews' combining of comedy, storytelling, and American Sign Language (both her parents are entirely deaf), along with the exceptional depth of her stories and her mining humor out of even the most hair-raising of childhood memories, is unlike anything anyone else is doing. It's fresh, original...and notable.

5. Crews is writing a book. It's currently at the proposal stage, but she's going to be shopping it around to publishers within a couple of months. As an experienced author, it's my professional opinion that her book will definitely get picked up by a publisher. (And has a pretty good chance of becoming a bestseller.)

I'll just add that I have zero financial connection to Crews. (Or, for that matter, to any of the thousands of performers and scores of performance venues I cover on my Web site.) I simply recognize and deeply respect her talent; and believe Crews has already done enough through her performance work to be considered notable.

Hybender (talk) 10:11, 18 June 2008 (UTC)

This is a textbook case of "Well, they should be notable, so I'll write about them in Wikipedia to let people know!" Most tell-tale language is the deadly "rising star" (others would include "up and coming" and "next big thing"). Tell-tale markers include "She's writing a book!" We also get "Fresh" and "unique" and "famous in my town" and the ever-popular "has worked with notable performers" (Notability is not contagious!); none of which add up to notable. --Orange Mike | Talk 13:24, 18 June 2008 (UTC)

Mike, I respectfully disagree.

And, frankly, am more than a little surprised by the vehemence with which you're arguing this.

Addressing a few of your points:

Tell-tale language is the deadly "rising star."

Well, Crews is not yet a star.

Neither are many of the other comedy performers listed in Wikipedia. That's a high standard going well beyond "notable."

Don't knock me for being accurate...

We also get "Fresh" and "unique" and "famous in my town."

She is indeed fresh and unique; and "my town" is New York City, the most competitive place in the country for comedy (aside, possibly, from LA).

And Crews has performed at most of NYC's top indie comedy venues.

If you aren't familiar with Comix or the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre or The Peoples Improv Theater, or shows such as Sweet or Mortified, then those names won't have any impact on you.

But they mean Crews is playing for the major leagues in NYC alternative comedy.

"has worked with notable performers" Notability is not contagious!

With respect, that's sort of distorting what I said.

A very common way to gauge the standards of a show is to look at who performs on that show.

For example, when Ed Sullivan booked The Beatles, that upped the prestige of appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show.

So it's quite reasonable to point out that last week Crews was on the same bill with Kristen Schaal; and that she performs regularly with Tom Shillue.

It's not that their fame is "contagious." It's that their being at these shows indicates the standards of these shows; and that Crews has met those standards.

"She's writing a book!"

Mike, she is writing a book.

Based on Crews' performances, and the one chapter I've seen, it's going to be a good one.

And I say this as a professional book analyst who evaluates such things every week.

If writing a book is a cliche, so be it.

But in this case it's accurate.

Anyway...I looked up Wikipedia's rules on notability for performers. They're as follows:

Has had significant roles or been featured multiple times in notable films, television, stage performances, and other productions.

So far, only stage performances. But that's common for comedy performers.

What's notable is that the stages are respected NYC venues.

Has a large fan base or a significant "cult" following.

Crews does have a national fan base, particularly among the deaf community, thanks to her blog LoveDaddy.org (which covers material that overlaps with her stage shows). But I honestly don't know what the numbers are. I can ask Crews about it if this turns out to be a significant point.

Has made unique, prolific or innovative contributions to a field of entertainment.

Not prolific or innovative. But yes, what Crews does is unique for the world of comedy. There's no one else like her.

Mike, if you're determined to look at every aspect of the entry in a negative way, then it's not difficult to find reasons to be dismissive.

But I wish you'd instead look at the article in a positive light.

At any rate, thank you for taking the time to explain your perspective, so at least your deletion proposal isn't quite so baffling anymore.

And thank you for taking the time to read my own perspective on it.

Obviously, I'd love for you to change your mind.

But if that doesn't happen, I'll simply do what I can per Wikipedia's rules to fight for the article, and hope for the best.

Hybender (talk) 17:45, 18 June 2008 (UTC)

I have yet to see Crews become a star.

she has authored one book, that’s it.

guess your know it all predictions didn’t come true. Paige Matheson (talk) 19:06, 1 November 2023 (UTC)