Insider Report from Comedy Central Park SummerStage!

This past Friday, Central Park Summerstage filled Rumsey Playfield with 5,000+ comedy fans, blessed with an opportunity to see Julian McCullough, Mike Birbiglia, and Stephen Lynch in Central Park pro-gratis!

Full report and more backstage photos after the jump.

The field quickly filled up with rabid fans ready to descend upon the stage in an angry mob if it weren't for the 4 foot barricades separating them from the performers.

To sweeten the deal everyone got a free Address the Mess tote bag! It was worth the price of admission alone.

For personal amusement there was a reality show style "confessions" booth. However the crowd that day must have had some pretty dark secrets that they would not be easily lured into revealing.

Equipped with a VIP pass I wandered into the backstage eager to put my paparazzi skills to the test.

This is "Backstage" which was flowing with endless champagne and caviar – err make that a limited supply of Cheez-Its and beer.

Julian McCullough reigned as the official Master of Ceremonies and did a marvelous job offering himself up as the mozzarella sticks-like appetizer for a steak dinner of Mike Birbiglia and an endless chocolate fountain dessert of Stephen Lynch.

Mmm, delicious comedy!

Birbigs regales the audience with tales of adventure and woe.

I did not even see Stephen Lynch walk on stage. It's like he teleported straight from his dressing trailer. Once onstage he performed an extra long, extra special set. He played songs sure to spark dinner table conversations for the next month – on such topics as Manphrodites, Satan, and waiting for his AIDS test results.

After the show Mike Birbiglia was presented with a pizza cake in honor of his 30^th Birthday.

Mike was touched.

I didn’t believe it was actually a cake and not a pizza until I saw it with my own eyes.

Amy Schumer, of Reality Bites Back fame, even stopped by for the celebration with her prom dates.

And I'll leave you with a picture of Julian that I sold to Tiger Beat. You're welcome ladies. Also, the powers that be have announced that Comedy Central Summerstage will become an annual event – rejoice! and then start saving your invisible pennies.