Howie Mandel, crowd let the good times roll at Lynn show

LYNN – “How can you not like it?” said Jay Anderson, a City Hall volunteer. “Put a thousand people in downtown Lynn on Friday night? It hasn?t been done since the ?60s.”To be more specific, it was around 1,300 people from Lynn and surrounding cities who crowded into the auditorium at City Hall Friday night to take advantage of a rare celebrity sighting: Howie Mandel doing stand-up comedy.?I think it?s the biggest thing that?s ever hit the North Shore,” said Tom Morten, Lynn resident and regular City Hall show attendee.Paul Devoe, another Lynn resident, agreed, “It?s local, it?s not that expensive, there?s free parking – why do I have to go all the way to Boston when I can go right here? The acts are only going to get better. It brings more people to downtown Lynn, and Lynn?s only going to get better.”A few members of the audience even got closer than they realized as Mandel made them part of the show.One woman in the middle of the auditorium, “Caroline the nurse,” answered medical questions as a part of Mandel?s bit, and another man, “Josh,” sitting in one of the first few rows got out of his seat to give Mandel “a present.”It was a picture of what “Josh” described to Howie as, “Me when I was thinner and you when you had hair.” Howie told the audience he would hang the picture in his living room. They also handed the comedian a book of the history of Lynn.It?s not clear if Mandel planned to incorporate the audience into his act the way he did, but by the end of the show, many audience members were shouting, “Howie! Howie!”Mandel responded with a witty, “Did tonight?s performance say, ?Come in and talk with Howie?? Now serving number 214! I feel like I?m up here interrupting you people!” to which the audience roared and clapped.Mandel also threw in a few of his favorite character voices, to the request of someone in the audience who yelled, “Do Bobby!”?Tonight was a definite success – everybody was laughing, and I?m sure Blue Ox and Turbine are wall-to-wall right now,” said Jamie Marsh, Director of the Office of Economic and Community Development, and show coordinator.?As important as bringing in 1,300 patrons to enjoy a show like Howie Mandel is, the fact (is) that these ticket holders are patronizing local businesses before and after shows.?As satisfying as watching a show come together after months of promotion is, seeing people like Carlos from Tatiana?s post on the Auditorium Facebook page that they are offering specials show night,” marsh continued, “Or hearing from George (Markos) at Brothers Deli that he had to put on additional staff and knowing that the Blue Ox is booked solid show night with reservations (is more satisfying).”As much of an impression Mandel left on the city, Lynn also left an impression on Mandel.?I have to say, I?ve never been to Lynn before,” said Mandel. “Lynn is fun.”