the comic's comic

Meet Me In New York: Joe Mande

What do they say about New York City: There are eight million stories, and sometimes it seems as though eight million of the people telling them think they're comedians? No, that's not it. It is a fact, though, that America's biggest city is also its biggest comedy mecca. Hollywood may be Hollywood, but New York City is where comedians are born funny, become funny or arrive to thrust their funny upon us. I think we should meet some of these people. This is a new recurring feature, a mini-profile of newcomers, up-and-comers and overcomers of New York's vibrant comedy scene. It's called Meet Me In New York.

People in the New York comedy scene already know that Joe Mande is an emerging comic -- heck, he won an award with that very title two years ago at the ECNY Awards. Today, Mande has emerged into a bright, young stand-up worth watching in the years to come. How bright? Bright enough to know how to make Andy Rooney watchable (this past weekend's edition of The Andy Rooney Game is up), bright enough to sell a book idea based on pictures of idiot hipsters (Look at This F*cking Hipster is available for pre-order, and due out in March 2010), bright enough to be on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, and bright enough for me to know he should get more ink in this space. So let's get to it! With comedy partner Noah Garfinkle, Mande hosts the popular Totally J/K show; and solo, he has put up a one-man show based on his time working for Maury Povich. Find out more, right here, right now.

Name: Joe Mande
Arrival date: Summer 2005
Arrived from: Boston (via St. Paul, Minnesota)
When and where did you start performing comedy? I guess I started as a teenager in Minnesota. I used to do an open mic at a comedy club in the Mall of America called "Knuckleheadz." I was also in a high school improv troupe called "Clownaz." A lot of my early comedy ventures ended with a "z." But I think I started for real during my junior year at Emerson College.
What was your best credit before moving here? I was in a big article in the Boston Globe entitled "Will the Next Jay Leno Please Do Stand Up?" which, as a headline, I found to be a little back-handed. So there was that...and one time Gary Gulman told me I was funny after a show.

Why did you pick NYC over LA or anywhere else? I think I was destined to be a New York Jew. Even as a kid, I saw myself growing up to be either the starting point guard for the Knicks or the anchor of Weekend Update. I suppose I'm still waiting for one of those things to happen. I've never seriously considered living in LA. I've resented that city ever since I was rejected from the USC screenwriting program in 2001.

How long did it take to get your first paid gig in NYC after moving here? I don't remember. I mainly do "alternative" rooms, so I usually get paid in drink tickets.

Meet Me In New York: Giulia Rozzi

What do they say about New York City: There are eight million stories, and sometimes it seems as though eight million of the people telling them think they're comedians? No, that's not it. It is a fact, though, that America's biggest city is also its biggest comedy mecca. Hollywood may be Hollywood, but New York City is where comedians are born funny, become funny or arrive to thrust their funny upon us. I think we should meet some of these people. This is a new recurring feature, a mini-profile of newcomers, up-and-comers and overcomers of New York's vibrant comedy scene. It's called Meet Me In New York.

Now take a look at Giulia Rozzi. Two 'i's, one 'g', all good. You may have seen Giulia Rozzi performing with her friend Margot Leitman in their monthly sexy funny comedy showcase, Stripped Stories, or as a nominee last year for ECNY's best female stand-up comedian. She also has something in common with me. And you'll probably never guess what it is. Ha! Either way, get to know a little bit more about her, right here, right now.

Name: Giulia Rozzi
Arrival date: January 2004, then I tried to escape in 2006 but came crawling back in 2008.
Arrived from: Los Angeles the first time, Boston the second time.
When and where did you start performing comedy? Hmmmm first time ever was at a high school talent show in my hometown of Belmont, MA, followed by two open mics at Nick's Conedy Stop on Boston and a few student shows in Ithaca, NY, where I went to college. But I really started at The Comedy Store in L.A.
What was your best credit before moving here? I had a small part in a sketch on The Jimmy Kimmel Show with wrestler Mick Foley

Why did you pick NYC over LA or anywhere else? I first picked LA :) But it was too far from home and I didn't feel like I was moving forward there. I was young without any work ethic so much of my time was spent tanning, smoking pot, and hoping I'd get discovered. I came to get my ass kicked and it did in fact get kicked.

How long did it take to get your first paid gig in NYC after moving here? I think I made $25 doing a guest spot on someone's show at Carolines my first year here. I'm not sure, whatever it was, it wasn't much.

How is this scene better/same/worse than the scene you moved from? I remember when I did my solo show my first year in NYC and there were other comics in the audience. I assumed they were there early for their own shows and were passing time by watching mine, but then I learned they specifically came to see me and "support me." Support? That's when I realized NYC has a really amazing community of comedians that respect, support and are actually friends with one another. Not to say you can't find that in L.A., you can, I just think it's stronger in NYC probably cause we're all in this gritty struggle not just career-wise but city life wise, so we cling together whereas in L.A., the career pressure is of course hard, but you can shake it off by hiking a gorgeous mountain in the sunshine or by lying on a beautiful beach. Here it's a harder life, which for me, forced me to work harder. NYC also has more shows, more venues, more self-produced opportunities, I like that. However L.A. has more casting opportunities which now (after my NYC training as a comic and actor) I feel ready for but I'm on the wrong coast! My other gripes about NY are mostly about stereotypical city things like the small apartment sizes, high rents, it's overcrowded, dirty, blah blah. And I miss the L.A. sunshine. I miss that a lot.

Meet Me In New York: Mike Vecchione

What do they say about New York City: There are eight million stories, and sometimes it seems as though eight million of the people telling them think they're comedians? No, that's not it. It is a fact, though, that America's biggest city is also its biggest comedy mecca. Hollywood may be Hollywood, but New York City is where comedians are born funny, become funny or arrive to thrust their funny upon us. I think we should meet some of these people. This is a new recurring feature, a mini-profile of newcomers, up-and-comers and overcomers of New York's vibrant comedy scene. It's called Meet Me In New York.

Mike Vecchione has appeared on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham and has come tantalizingly close to winning New York's Funniest Stand-Up contest the past two years, this year taking home the "People's Choice" award, which (fun fact?) did not include cash or an actual award. He looks like a Staten Island police officer and isn't afraid to joke about that, or anything really, as his act sounds as though he is a chosen disciple of the Comedy Church of Dave Attell, Latter-Day Sinners. In a good way, obviously. In fact, Vecchione also has served our nation as a teacher! Now it's time for you to learn something about him.

Name: Michael Vecchione
Arrival date: December 2003
Arrived from: Philadelphia
When and where did you start performing comedy? Philadelphia, October 2000
What was your best credit before moving here? My best credit before moving was a local TV clip on the Comcast network.

Why did you pick NYC over LA or anywhere else? I picked NYC over LA because it was closer to Philly and there are more rooms, more opportunities for stage time and more of a focus on actual stand-up.

How long did it take to get your first paid gig in NYC after moving here? My first paid gig in NYC came through my friend Marina Franklin, who ran a weekend room in the Bronx (it was an Italian restaurant) and booked me and four other comics for a Saturday.

How is this scene better/same/worse than the scene you moved from? The scene is very similiar to when I moved here at the end of 2003. I worked as hard as I could writing and performing in rooms until I gradually broke into the clubs. I am thankful to work the clubs and I try to use each spot to improve in some way.

Do you already have an "only in New York City" moment yet? My "only in NYC" moment happens whenever I cannot find parking...

What tip would you give to any comedian who moves here? I would tell any comedian moving here that geography will not make you a better comic. You have to immerse yourself in the scene, get on stage as much as possible, use the stage time to improve, write as much as possible.

Where do you see yourself five years from now? In five years I hope to be writing, performing comedy, doing something meaningful on television, like maybe -- on that MTV show Jersey Shore.

These days, you can see Vecchione perform regularly in clubs around New York City, including Carolines and the Comedy Cellar. He'll also be headlining the Catch a Rising Star in Providence, RI, on Dec. 18-19, 2009.

Here's a clip of Vecchione from Live at Gotham, talking about how far we've come from yesterday's problems, and offering solutions for today's problems. Roll it!

Which NYC comedian would you like to see me style and profile next for Meet Me In New York? Send your nominations to: thecomicscomic AT gmail DOT com

Meet Me In New York: Damien Lemon

What do they say about New York City: There are eight million stories, and sometimes it seems as though eight million of the people telling them think they're comedians? No, that's not it. It is a fact, though, that America's biggest city is also its biggest comedy mecca. Hollywood may be Hollywood, but New York City is where comedians are born funny, become funny or arrive to thrust their funny upon us. I think we should meet some of these people. This is a new recurring feature, a mini-profile of newcomers, up-and-comers and overcomers of New York's vibrant comedy scene. It's called Meet Me In New York.

Perhaps you're heading home for the holiday weekend? Sounds about as good a time to bring "Meet Me In New York" home for the holidays, too, by profiling a native New Yorker. Plenty of aspiring comedians move to the big city seeking fame and fortune. What about those of us who grew up right in the thick of it? Meet Damien Lemon (on Twitter, on Tumblr, on MySpace, photo by Aviva Klein). He presents a stand-up showcase every Wednesday night at the Laugh Lounge in the Lower East Side. And Lemon has a clever voice himself. Learn a little bit more about him now.

Name: Damien Lemon
Arrival date: Since birth
Arrived from: The womb, but I represent New York
When and where did you start performing comedy? December 2005, at Sal's Comedy Hole in the Village.
What was your first credit? I'm still working on my first TV credit, but I've featured for Dick Gregory at Carolines and opened for Aretha Franklin at Radio City Music Hall. I'm also working to repair that other credit.

How did growing up in NYC shape your desire to be in show business? I grew up between Brooklyn and Westchester County so I've always considered Manhattan "The City." The beautiful thing about Manhattan is you can see performers when they are a "nobody" and watch their talent develop and witness their long grind until...BOOM they are instant stars to the rest of the world. I think when you see that enough, you start to believe it can happen to you, if you have the talent and work hard.

Meet Me In New York: Nate Bargatze

What do they say about New York City: There are eight million stories, and sometimes it seems as though eight million of the people telling them think they're comedians? No, that's not it. It is a fact, though, that America's biggest city is also its biggest comedy mecca. Hollywood may be Hollywood, but New York City is where comedians are born funny, become funny or arrive to thrust their funny upon us. I think we should meet some of these people. This is a new recurring feature, a mini-profile of newcomers, up-and-comers and overcomers of New York's vibrant comedy scene. It's called Meet Me In New York.

Today I'm going to introduce you to Nate Bargatze, who has a mouth from the South (and the rest of him hails from there, too), has performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, as well as Just For Laughs in Montreal.

Name: Nate Bargatze
Arrival date: October 2004
Arrived from: Chicago
When and where did you start performing comedy? I started January of 2003. I am from Nashville, Tenn., but moved to Chicago to start comedy. I was there for a couple of years, went back to Nashville for a couple of months and then moved to NYC with another comedian, Sven Weschler.
What was your best credit before moving here? I got a review in a newspaper in Chicago were I was described as a "pudgy Southerner."

Why did you pick NYC over LA or anywhere else? I was already in Chicago and knew a couple of comics that had moved here. New York also has a lot more stage time and I knew NYC is where I could get better faster with the stage time and being around so many great comics.

How long did it take to get your first paid gig in NYC after moving here? About a year

How is this scene better/same/worse than the scene you moved from? Chicago has a great scene as does Nashville. But the stage time is the main difference that makes New York the best in my opinion. Also you can go watch some of the best comics out there every night and it keeps pushing you to get better.

Meet Me In New York: Dan Soder

What do they say about New York City: There are eight million stories, and sometimes it seems as though eight million of the people telling them think they're comedians? No, that's not it. It is a fact, though, that America's biggest city is also its biggest comedy mecca. Hollywood may be Hollywood, but New York City is where comedians are born funny, become funny or arrive to thrust their funny upon us. I think we should meet some of these people. This is a new recurring feature, a mini-profile of newcomers, up-and-comers and overcomers of New York's vibrant comedy scene. It's called Meet Me In New York.

In this installment, we take a look at a guy who surprised me last year with his pitch-perfect Dave Chappelle impersonation. He'll make his TV debut on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham on Dec. 11. But meet him now: It's Dan Soder.

Name: Dan Soder
Arrival date: Jan. 6, 2007
Arrived from: Denver by way of Tucson
When and where did you start performing comedy? Tucson in July/August 2004
What was your best credit before moving here? Opening for Troy Baxley and Ben Creed.

Why did you pick NYC over LA or anywhere else? New York is notorious for making people better comics, there’s more stage time and you’re exposed to a ton of different styles. I just didn’t feel like L.A. fit me, plus my car was on its last legs and I didn’t want to sink more money into it.

How long did it take to get your first paid gig in NYC after moving here? About a year.

How is this scene better/same/worse than the scene you moved from? Tucson was a great place to start, I got to go from open mics to MC’ing to featuring all in the comfort of the same club. There were other clubs and casinos within reasonable driving distance so you got a taste of what the road was like, plus I got to work with comics that are really funny and influence me to this day. When I got to New York, I quickly saw how competitive and talented a lot of the comics were, so it made me rethink my act and what I was doing. In Tucson, if you worked, the worst-case scenario was going up in front of 15 people, even the mics had an audience (besides comics), but in New York you can go up in front of three people at 1 a.m. On the other hand, in New York you get to see national headliners work out new stuff and do the same room you’re doing, which kind of blew me away at first.

Meet Me In New York: Brooke Van Poppelen

What do they say about New York City: There are eight million stories, and sometimes it seems as though eight million of the people telling them think they're comedians? No, that's not it. It is a fact, though, that America's biggest city is also its biggest comedy mecca. Hollywood may be Hollywood, but New York City is where comedians are born funny, become funny or arrive to thrust their funny upon us. I think we should meet some of these people. This is a new recurring feature, a mini-profile of newcomers, up-and-comers and overcomers of New York's vibrant comedy scene. It's called Meet Me In New York.

Today it's time to look at one of the many comedians who have moved here from Chicago in the past few years. She's in the middle of her debut run of her first one-woman show, and she just happened to have a birthday yesterday. No more hints: It's BVP, aka Brooke Van Poppelen!

Name: Brooke Van Poppelen
Arrival Date: March 16, 2006
Arrived From: Chicago
When and where did you start performing comedy: April 2003, Chicago
What was your best credit before moving here: Opening for Michael Winslow. That’s right, Sgt. Larvelle Jones from Police Academy.

Why did you pick NYC over LA or anywhere else? NYC picked me. I had been visiting regularly from Chicago for about six months doing indie shows, bringer shows -- whatever I could do to make a great tape to submit for festivals. I started to enjoy the people, the city, and the scene itself so much that when I got called out for a Montreal audition I just cancelled my flight home. Very responsible, I know, but it’s all worked out almost four years later. Living in Los Angeles never crossed my mind.

How long did it take to get your first paid gig in NYC after moving here? Wow. Spot pay doesn’t register with me and when I do receive it, it immediately gets spent on booze or falafel. I will however say that I was performing on a special St. Patty’s Day show at Stand-Up NY for like little to no money. I had to go up before Dave Attell which made me nervous because I adore him. I had one of the better sets of my career at that point. After Dave got offstage, he found me, told me I was great, and gave me half of his spot pay. That’s pretty cool.

Meet Me In New York: Rory Scovel

What do they say about New York City: There are eight million stories, and sometimes it seems as though eight million of the people telling them think they're comedians? No, that's not it. It is a fact, though, that America's biggest city is also its biggest comedy mecca. Hollywood may be Hollywood, but New York City is where comedians are born funny, become funny or arrive to thrust their funny upon us. I think we should meet some of these people. This is a new recurring feature, a mini-profile of newcomers, up-and-comers and overcomers of New York's vibrant comedy scene. It's called Meet Me In New York.

Today I introduce you to Rory Scovel, who I first read about when he entered Seattle's comedy competition in 2006 and made it to the finals with his unique set choices. This summer, he appeared at Montreal's Just For Laughs as a New Face, and this fall, he is a finalist in New York's Funniest Stand-Up contest (finals to be held Nov. 3 as part of the New York Comedy Festival). Photo of Scovel by Mindy Tucker.

Name: Rory Scovel
Arrival date: March 1, 2007
Arrived from: Washington, D.C.
When and where did you start performing comedy? March of 2004 in Washington, D.C.
What was your best credit before moving here? Live at Gotham on Comedy Central taped right when I moved up.

Why did you pick NYC over LA or anywhere else? I moved to NYC because I grew up on the East Coast. I lived in Greenville, SC, then Spartanburg, SC, then Washington, D.C. It only made sense to keep moving north to NYC. I've always wanted to live here and be a part of the entertainment universe that NYC is. I love everything about this place in and out of performance. NYC has so much character and I felt I would miss ever being here if I went to L.A. first. I think NYC is also a great place to really sharpen your skills as a stand-up comedian and meet lots of comics that are really doing great things with their careers.

How long did it take to get your first paid gig in NYC after moving here? Two months. I emceed a night at the HA Club, then didn't.

Meet Me In New York: Ali Wong

What do they say about New York City: There are eight million stories, and sometimes it seems as though eight million of the people telling them think they're comedians? No, that's not it. It is a fact, though, that America's biggest city is also its biggest comedy mecca. Hollywood may be Hollywood, but New York City is where comedians are born funny, become funny or arrive to thrust their funny upon us. I think we should meet some of these people. This is a new recurring feature, a mini-profile of newcomers, up-and-comers and overcomers of New York's vibrant comedy scene. It's called Meet Me In New York.

Name: Ali Wong
Arrival date: March 13, 2009
Arrived from: San Francisco
When and where did you start performing comedy? Fall 2005, San Francisco
What was your best credit before moving here? SF Weekly selected me as the "Best Comedian of 2009" and the SF Bay Guardian awarded me a "Best of the Bay 2009" award

Why did you pick NYC over LA or anywhere else? I moved because I wanted more opportunities and to get better. I've been doing comedy for four years and still have a lot of growing to do. Some of the very best comics in LA get three sets a week, and that's considered good! Three sets per week is not enough stage time to improve and experiment. But in NY, I had heard about people getting multiple sets every single night. So I took a test trip out last September, and had such a great time performing and meeting inspiring comics like Sean Patton, that I knew NYC was the right place for me.

How long did it take to get your first paid gig in NYC after moving here? One month
How is this scene better/same/worse than the scene you moved from? San Francisco was a great place to take risks because there's no industry there. Plus, if the clubs like you, you get to work with great headliners like Dave Attell, Dave Chappelle and Patrice Oneal. At the very least, you can always sit in the back and watch the show for free. In NY, it's hard to get a set that's longer than 10 minutes. I was able to do at least one 30 min set per week in San Francisco. Longer sets allow you to tell an unpolished story, and find the jokes on stage, in front of an audience. It's so important to have the time and freedom, to just practice having fresh words and concepts come out of your mouth into a microphone. That's how I write. But here, there have been times where I've gotten 5 sets in one night. That could never happen in San Francisco because finding parking 5 times in one night, would turn me into Michael Douglas' character from Falling Down. I'm also really impressed by how NYC comics are also writers for late-night TV shows, screenwriters and sketch performers. It's just nice to see so many possibilities of how a stand-up can make money in comedy.
Do you already have an "only in New York City" moment yet? I saw Jesse Spano from Saved by the Bell eating lunch, Rachel Bilson buying ice cream and John Mayer with his fitness trainer, all in one hour, and nobody bothered to harass any of them.
What tip would you give to any comedian who moves here? Get ready to hustle.
Where do you see yourself five years from now? Knocked up. I don't want to have a retarded baby so I gotta get preggers in five years for sure.

Here's a clip of Ali Wong in action. Roll it!

Which NYC comedian would you like to see me style and profile next for Meet Me In New York? Send your nominations to: thecomicscomic AT gmail DOT com