By Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg
Paul Mecurio is an investment banker-turned-stand up comic who was on the original writing team for The Daily Show -- he's won an Emmy, a Peabody, and he's performing at Rascal's in Montclair through Sunday. He recently took some time to talk with City Belt about stand up, tough day jobs, and Henry Winkler's onion.
If you could play any sitcom character in the history of TV (besides characters you've created), who would it be and why?
I would play Alf. I get
to be abrasive yet loveable and since I don't have a colon, I never
have to worry about getting colon cancer. What's better than that?
What's your favorite show on TV?
The
View. I'm fascinated that it takes four people to interview Henry
Winkler. Are there that many layers to the Winkler onion? Actually, my
favorite show is Curb Your Enthusiasm. I relate to Larry David speaking
his mind wherever and whenever he wants. It's the show on TV that is
the most reflective of life.
If you could give one struggling actor a big break, who would it be?
The
dude who plays mini-me in the Austin Powers movies. When you're that
small in this society I assume you're struggling. I'd cast him as the
new James Bond – just think of all the double entendres.
We
run a series called Day Job in which we ask struggling
performers/artists how they pay the bills. What's the worst day job
you've ever had?
Poop wrangler for a famous Vegas Dung Beetle act. I
had to sign a non-disclosure agreement when I left them so I am not at
liberty to say who they are, but let's just say the beetles were very
high maintenance.
How did comedy become your job?
I
was writing jokes for fun while working on Wall Street as a lawyer and
investment banker. Then, I sold some jokes to Jay Leno and he performed
them on The Tonight Show and that got me started writing jokes for him
regularly. Then, I started trying out my material at coffee houses and
dive bars and that got me into stand-up, all by happenstance really.
How did you move from Wall Street to comedy? Was comedy something you always wanted to do?
Actually
I always wanted to be a curler (yes the ice game), but I sucked at
working the broom. I am unable to grip anything with my right-hand due
to carpal tunnel syndrome, which I developed from my days as a Champion
Bedazzler.
But
really, after living a secret double life for two years, I finally
decided to make the jump to stand-up fulltime and it's been great.
What's most difficult: being a stand-up comic/comedy writer or a Wall Street lawyer?
Stand-up.
It's so subjective. Plus there's no rhyme or reason to the way the
business works. A person can be really talented but not in the right
place at the right time. On Wall Street, even a lower level person with
basic competence can make a decent living. In entertainment, a person
with immense talent can struggle for years in obscurity. Oh my god. As
I say this, I feel suddenly very depressed and suicidal. What have I
done?
You've worked on The Daily Show, a fairly progressive show. Do your politics influence your comedy? If so, how?
Yes, I think any good comic needs to have a point of view and write
from that point of view to set themselves apart from other comedians
and to establish your individuality. I don't go on stage with a
particular agenda to skewer the right or the left. Really, I go after
both sides – that is, any issue or person that needs to be brought down
a peg or seems disingenuous.
If you could attend a White House press conference, what would you ask?
How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood. That and Sanjaya – really? Come on people!
Paul Mecurio @ Rascal's Comedy Club
Thurs., 4.12 (8:30 pm); Fri., 4.13 (8:30 pm & 10 pm); Sat., 4.14 (8 pm, 10 pm & 11:30 pm); Sun. , 4.15 (8 pm)
501 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, NJ
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