Opie and Anthony's Traveling Virus Comedy Tour

By 2006, Hughes and Cumia, plus comedian Jim Norton on third mic, had been hosting Opie and Anthony on the uncensored subscription-based satellite radio service XM for over a year, from New York City. In April 2006, following the cancellation of The David Lee Roth Show, the pair signed a deal with CBS Radio to simulcast the first half of the show on several of its terrestrial radio stations. Their deal with CBS allowed them to receive the green-light for the tour,{{Cite web |url=http://www.laughspin.com/2007/06/11/opie-anthony-something-wickedly-funny-this-way-comes/ |title=Opie & Anthony: Something Wickedly Funny This Way Comes |access-date=2015-02-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217164826/http://www.laughspin.com/2007/06/11/opie-anthony-something-wickedly-funny-this-way-comes/ |archive-date=2015-02-17 |url-status=usurped }} ideas for which took shape in the following weeks and artist representative Peter Pappalardo was hired as the tour's organiser.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111314422/|title=Shock-jock radio hits the road|first=Nick A.|last=Zaino III|newspaper=The Boston Globe|page=D2|date=August 4, 2006|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=October 14, 2022}} Hughes and Cumia originally envisaged a package comedy tour with several comedians that were regular guests on the radio show, plus theatrical elements. Pappalardo tried to incorporate as many suggestions that the hosts and local promoters had come up with, and sold the tour as "an anything goes type of atmosphere" while adhering to local laws. Each stop on the tour featured the O&A Village, a series of exhibits and attractions including women giving back rubs while dressed in nurse outfits, booths designed by fans of the show, and a "petting zoo" featuring show regulars such as Twitchels and Stalker Patty. The Boston Globe described the tour as "a moving festival more comparable to Lollapalooza or Ozzfest than a typical stand-up event."

File:Rich Vos Traveling Virus Worcester 2006.jpg performing at the 2006 tour]]

The first tour ran for four dates in August and September 2006, and was self-billed as The Comedy Event of 2006.

The 2007 tour kicked off with one show in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 14. An additional seven shows were announced for the summer, which started on June 16.{{cite web|url=https://thecomicscomic.com/2007/06/15/comedians-tour/|title=Comedians tour with Opie & Anthony, take two|first=Sean L.|last=McCarthy|date=June 15, 2007|publisher=The Comics Comic|access-date=October 14, 2022}}

In 2008, plans to stage a full tour were cancelled in favor of a single show at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey, on August 2, 2008.[http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/970-lineup-talk-article-1.315712 970 AM's lineup could be all the talk] Two days later, Hughes and Cumia announced on the air that the tour would no longer continue, due to the booing that newcomer Mike Birbiglia received when he appeared on stage. Hughes revealed that Dave Attell and Jimmy Fallon turned down an offer to perform due to the hostile crowds.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111317619/|title=970 AM's lineup could be all the talk|first=David|last=Hinkley|date=August 5, 2008|newspaper=New York Daily News|page=68|access-date=October 14, 2022}}

• Show 1 — August 5, 2006 — Worcester, Massachusetts – DCU Center[http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/58134/billboard-bits-barenaked-ladies-opie-anthony-m-ward Barenaked Ladies are making 16 multi-track studio recordings for their new single, "Easy," available for paid download from their...]
• Show 2 — August 26, 2006 — Holmdel, New Jersey – PNC Bank Arts Center
• Show 3 — September 9, 2006 — Camden, New Jersey – Tweeter Center
• Show 4 — September 23, 2006 — Cleveland, Ohio – Tower City Amphitheatre
• Show 5 — April 14, 2007 — Las Vegas, Nevada – The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
• Show 6 — June 16, 2007 — Wantagh, New York – Jones Beach Amphitheater
• Show 7 — June 30, 2007 — Uncasville, Connecticut – Mohegan Sun Arena[http://beverly.wickedlocal.com/article/20070628/News/306289936 Opie and Anthony bring their tour to Mohegan Sun]
• Show 8 — July 21, 2007 — Mansfield, Massachusetts – Tweeter Center[http://www.thesunchronicle.com/opinion/columns/review-comedians-tear-up-opie-and-anthony-tour-stop-at/article_42c1b5c3-0717-5c35-9fd1-0697ebc214b9.html Review: Comedians tear up Opie and Anthony tour stop at Tweeter]
• Show 9 — August 4, 2007 — Detroit, Michigan – DTE Energy Music Theatre[http://www.break.com/video/ugc/opie-and-anthony-traveling-virus-detroit-michigan-345369 Opie and Anthony Traveling Virus Detroit Michigan]
• Show 10 — August 18, 2007 — Bristow, Virginia – Nissan Pavilion[http://www.last.fm/event/372659+Opie+and+Anthony+Traveling+Virus+Comedy+Tour Opie and Anthony Traveling Virus Comedy Tour at Jiffy Lube Live]
• Show 11 — August 25, 2007 — Holmdel, New Jersey – PNC Bank Arts Center[http://www.last.fm/event/270044+Opie+And+Anthony's+Travelling+Virus Opie And Anthony's Travelling Virus at PNC Bank Arts Center]
• Show 12 — September 15, 2007 — Camden, New Jersey – Tweeter Center[http://www.lasalle.edu/collegian/entertainment/articles/07/sept19/virus.html Sick comedy infects Philadelphia]
• Show 13 — August 2, 2008 — Holmdel, New Jersey – PNC Bank Arts Center[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/poprockby_jay_lustiglongtime_p.html Summer concert schedule for PNC Bank Arts Center announced]

{{reflist}}

{{Opie and Anthony}}

Category:Comedy tours

Category:Anthony Cumia