I chatted with Giamarco Soresi about his heritage and his standup traditions.
Q: When did you know you wanted to be a comedian?
50% When I failed at acting for so long it was no longer financially viable.
50% I always knew I wanted to be on the stage but it took me a long time to realize that I didn’t want to be a vessel for someone else’s thoughts (or I wasn’t that good at it!) and repeat the same thing night after night. What made me feel alive was directly expressing my own thoughts and feelings in a less structured way and thankfully that also ended up being what people enjoyed most from me.
Q: So I read that you’re originally from Maryland. Talk about your upbringing in a Jewish/Italian household.
My parents were divorced and so removed from their own upbringings that if anything I consider myself more raised by various school theater departments than anything else.
I did once ask my mom if she thought there was something after you die and she replied “That’s gotta be something better than this shit” so in that sense it was a traditional Jewish upbringing. My dad’s Italian side was less informed by heritage and more by repeat viewings of The Godfather. So growing up Italian mostly meant that whenever I disagreed with him about something he’d retort “Don’t ever go against the family!”
Q: What are some pros and cons of being on the road?
The pro’s are I’ve gotten to explore places in America to move to when New York City is submerged in water. And then places outside of America when the civil war breaks out.
The cons are the absurd amount of time I spend at airports and that it’s hack for a comedian to complain about them onstage.
Q: Betty or Veronica? And why?
Veronica because she looks more like my girlfriend and that will cause less of an argument.
Q: So you have a cool podcast..who is your white whale? (aka dream guest)
The Rock because we went to the same college and he once saw me in a production of Hello, Dolly! But only if he was drunk (on his own tequila brand if he insists) because the problem with famous guests if they struggle being honest.
Q: What is your favorite film of all time and why?
Black Swan because I think that’s the ideal end of an artist’s life: to producer an incredible piece of art and then die before you have time to realize all the mistakes you made.
Q: What is your routine before going on stage? Do you have a pump up song?
I wish I could listen to music. I usually just obsessively pace backstage, going over all the new jokes that I’m hoping to do that night.
Q: How do you deal with hecklers?
If someone is being authentic, I’ll engage in a conversation of course (gotta get those crowd work clips) but only if they allow me to conclude it. If someone wants to ruin a show, there’s nothing I can do to stop them and hopefully the venue intervenes. But that’s a last resort.
Q: If you had the opportunity, which comedian/actor/politician would you like to Roast?
I’d like to roast the shit out of Jerry Seinfeld right now. That pop tart movie was brutal.
Q: Are you excited to return to Magooby’s?
Yes! Gorgeous venue and love when the audience is slanted downwards toward the stage. I was told the space used to be for showing off tractors? I wish they’d change more tractor exhibits to comedy clubs. The shows are gonna be great.
Gianmarco headlines Magooby’s this weekend! Buy tix