CringeHumor

Every so often the Lord answers prayers and the prayers for many people have been, “Dear Lord, give us more Joe Pontillo and smite the cast of the ‘Jersey Shore’.”
Well, thanks to recent appearance as a cloud on a commercial for the New York One television station and Pontillo’s own internet show “The Life and Times of Hank Valdoeer,” we will get more Pontillo.

However, the young comedian, who works with our friends at J & J Comedy promotions, talked with Cringe Humor about his seven year career and what is next for him.

QUESTION:  What is your most famous role to date?

JOE PONTILLO: Well, I was a talking cloud for a NY1 television commercial. Simply, the world needs more talking clouds, and I was glad to live up to the challenge.

Other than that I have done comedy on several public access shows, appeared on IFC.com, and starred in my own independent zombie film. I am the definition of “huge”

QUESTION: What do you for a real job?

JOE PONTILLO: I am the guy who works for NORAD with his finger on the other button…

QUESTION: [LAUGHS] Other button?

JOE PONTILLO: Yeah, when they decide to press “the button” and fire every missile at one time. I’m the guy who cancels it out by pressing the other button.

QUESTION: Nice.

JOE PONTILLO: Seriously though, I work part time at a bakery supply company a couple of times a week to help pay the bills.  I’d like to say I’m close to quitting and ready to make all my money through comedy/entertainment but it’s hard to say. Worst part is being away for a weekend doing shows and then going into work on Monday, for that one day I feel like a normal person and it sends shivers down my spine.  But I am in a good place now comedy wise.

QUESTION: That is great to hear. How so?

JOE PONTILLO: Well, I work at some of the best clubs on the east coast, I work regularly on Long Island at Governor’s, Brokerage and McGuire’s Comedy Clubs, coming up I will be in Hartford, CT this weekend, and then I will be doing some gigs in Jersey at Banana’s in Hasbrouck Heights and several J and J Comedy venues.

During the week I usually perform at New York Comedy, Broadway Comedy Club and the Laugh Lounge in New York city, as well as other random venues.  It is good to keep busy with shows or I go insane and throw stuff.

QUESTION: Where are you from originally?

JOE PONTILLO: I am from Valley Stream, Long Island.  Border of Queens, represent! But not really.

QUESTION: How did you get started in comedy?

JOE PONTILLO: I have always wanted to do comedy and then I tried it in 2002, but that was the single most ill-advised attempt at anything ever.  I finally attempted comedy for real in February 2004 and have been going non-stop since then.

QUESTION: Were those years after your second start tough?

JOE PONTILLO: Yes. For the first two years, I would go to open mic nights or bringer shows. The bringer shows are shows where a new comic brings a certain amount of friends or family to watch. Open mic’s are like bringer shows without the audience but the same amount of hate.  I started performing close to every night in June 2006 and things have snowballed ever since.

QUESTION: The more comedians I talk to, I am amazed at the amount of charity and free shows they have to do in order for face time. What is your opinion on them?

JOE PONTILLO: Charity shows are great for comics because it’s our way of giving back to the community while still technically taking from it.b [ LAUGHS]  Seriously, I always feel good about myself after doing a fundraiser or benefit show.  Even if I haven’t had the greatest set, I know the people appreciate it more that you came out and performed for their cause.

QUESTION: When you do comedy shows, do you have to tailor your act?

JOE PONTILLO: Yes and no.  You always need to know what kind of audience you are dealing with.  I am not really a dirty comics per se, but I can be. My issue is I tend to curse a lot, but I am also a pro and able to remove the curses just from easily. Cursing is just more fun sometimes. But saying the wrong thing on stage can offend the audience. For example I did an Autism benefit recently and I have a joke where I refer to someone as being “slow”.  For the benefit show I completely changed the joke around so that I wouldn’t say slow, although I’ll be honest I think I ended up adding a curse to do so. [LAUGHS] But it got a big laugh.

QUESTION: As you continue to get your name out there, how important is it to watch how to make name for yourself versus being a pest?

JOE PONTILLO: In normal circumstances, I would say don’t be a pest, but for stand up comedy, you all but have to be pest. It’s horrible but some people you just need to email five or 10 times just to get a desired response from them. And even then that’s not enough.  On the bright side the people you are harassing are probably only seeing about half of the emails you send them so really they don’t think you’re annoying. It’s when you start showing up at their house at 4 a.m. a raincoat yelling “book me” that you a cross a line between business and psychosis.

QUESTION: How would you describe the business?

JOE PONTILLO: This business is a lot of fun as long as you allow it to be fun. I think some people forget that sometimes. We’re comedians we’re supposed to making people happy, even though most of us are miserable.  The funniest part is, the comics are all crazy and so are the bookers. But the end they all need each other, so go team!

QUESTION: Joe, thanks so much for your time and talking with us.

JOE PONTILLO: Thank you. I encourage fans to stop by JoePontillo.com and say hello.

- Don Everett Smith, Jr.

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Don Smith is a comic book writer and author and has been published at Patch.com and InvestComics.com. Visit his site at donsmith74.wordpress.com

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