Stand-up comedy keeps getting hotter, on LI and beyond

Mike Nicolia is nervous, but excited. The 24-year-old from West Islip is about to deliver a stand-up set during open mic night at The Brokerage Comedy Club in Bellmore. He works as a construction manager by day, but nights are reserved for his passion: Comedy.

“Telling jokes is like cliff jumping. If you don’t jump far enough, you could fall into the pit. But if you overstep it, there’s no excitement,” says Nicolia. “When you deliver a joke, there has to be a certain beat and pattern when you land your punchline.”

Stand-up comedy has been around for decades, but the genre keeps getting hotter. Netflix is on a spree of streaming new comedy specials from the likes of Ellen DeGeneres and Trevor Noah, while Amazon 's original show, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” -- which dropped its second season last month -- features a female stand-up  from the late 1950s. On Long Island, affection endures for native comics Jerry Seinfeld, Rosie O’Donnell, Billy Crystal, Eddie Murphy, and Kevin James. Live comedy is now a draw at concert venues, including The Paramount in Huntington, which has a series of headliners booked for 2019.

“One third of our programming is comedy related. It’s become an important part of what we are offering,” says Adam Ellis, director of marketing at The Paramount , where comedian Jim Breuer, who grew up in Valley Stream, is entering his second year in residency. “The production cost is much less than what a major music concert tour with multiple bands would be.”

FROM CLUB TO BIG STAGE

Leading the pack is Sebastian Maniscalco, a Chicago comic who sold out 12 shows at Governor’s Comedy Club in Levittown in 2015 and 10 shows at The Paramount in 2017. Now he’s headlining four shows at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 19 and 20.

“I started doing shows at Governor’s with only half the room filled. Afterward I’d meet the people and take pictures to make that personal connection,” says Maniscalco, 45. “When I’d come back a year later, the same people brought their mother and father. It exponentially grew from there because I was speaking their language.”

Bethpage comedian John Ziegler, who opened for Maniscalco at Governor’s, now tours around the country and hosts the Brokerage's monthly open mic night.

“I was petrified when I first started comedy. It would have been very easy for me to just quit,” Ziegler says. “But the Long Island comedians were nice, helpful and supportive. I remember that when I work with newer comics.”

Comedian Michele Fox, 49, of Melville, took a class at the Brokerage called Stand-Up University three years ago and has been developing her skills ever since. A mother of three, Fox spends her day taking care of her family. But at night, she ventures out to grab some stage time.

“I learned to make my first joke one of the strongest because once you get a big laugh then you can exhale,” Fox says. “Now I look for the funny in every situation and that’s a great way to live.”

New comedian Mary Capone, 47, of Farmingdale, goes for the self-deprecating approach (from family dynamics to illness), which she feels makes her relatable to the crowd. “Instead of crying about it, I make jokes," she says. "It helps me find joy, because I get a thrill when I make people laugh.”

BOOM FACTOR

But what’s causing this current comedy boom? Many cite social media as the main driver.

“The fear of performing stand-up comedy is dissipating,” says Brokerage co-owner James Dolce. “Social media has made it more relaxed for people to get on stage because they are regularly posting clips that hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people watch.”

For nine-year comedian Anthony DiDomenico, 39, of Bellmore, the computer screen is not a replacement for the stage. “You can make a funny video, but you don’t hear any laughter,” DiDomenico says. “There’s nothing like being in front of a crowd, saying something you wrote and them laughing as a result. It’s an indescribable feeling.”

Veteran comics come by the open mic night to inject some seasoned comedy to the show and work out new material.

“I stunk for five years,” recalls Carie Karavas, 53, of Bethpage, who has been on the local circuit for 30 years. “Once your confidence level comes across to the crowd, then they are with you, and your nerves go away.”

Newbie comic Sean Brown, 27, of Uniondale projects an energy on stage that includes a big smile and kind demeanor.

“Being a young black comic, I bring a different perspective,” Brown says. “Long Island embraces me and I embrace them back. I just want to speak my truth and make everybody laugh.”

Although he only has been at it for a year, Brown knows how to handle himself on stage, especially when things go south.

“Everybody has bombed,” he says. “The key is to slow down. If you rush, you tend to leave things out of the joke.”

PC PROBLEM

Performing stand-up can be tricky business in the current politically correct social climate. Most comics steer clear of blue material, sans a few curses.

“People are very afraid to offend anybody these days, and I think it’s really hurting comedy,” DiDomenico says. “Comedy is the art form where you can say whatever’s on your mind. It’s all just a joke.”

The Brokerage’s open mic night runs on the second Friday of the month. To get stage time, roughly seven minutes, comics must bring six people, who pay a $12 cover plus a two-item minimum.

“I have some friends that are super supportive about it,” Nicolia says. “They want to help and watch me succeed.”

Long Island comics say there’s a strong sense of camaraderie among them. “We talk all the time, give each other advice and get each other gigs,” DiDomenico says.

Very often, the gang will hit a diner after a show where they discuss the evening’s activities.

“Everybody tells stories about their experiences on stage,” Fox says. “It’s the best part.”

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.