The second comic featured in my Comedy Spotlight is none other than Larry Noto!
Q: Were you a funny kid?
Yes! I wasn’t the class clown or anything. I loved watching “SNL” as a kid..I was raised on “SOAP.” My parents recorded every episode of that show, without commercials. We had SIX VHS tapes full. When we were kids and home sick from school, we would be SO EXCITED because we could watch some. I would study what I saw on those shows. The joke was that I had no idea who Julia Childs was, but I knew who Dan Akroyd as Julia Childs. So I would do an impression of Dan Akroyd doing an impression of Julia Childs.
Once I got into high school, I would do impressions of teachers. Not to disrupt the class, but during our schools variety shows.
Q: When did you know you wanted to do stand up professionally?
There are a couple of key moments for me. I was fifteen on a bus in Ocean City with a friend and his family. I started making jokes with the people around me…total strangers. More and more people started listening. Two days later, we get on the bus again, and the people motion for us to come to the back of the bus. We didn’t know who they are. They said “We saw you on the bus the other day, and thought you were hysterical!” They thought it was a show! ::laughs:: I thought to myself “Wow, I can make strangers laugh!”
Q: Did your parents have any objections?
No objections, just that an education was important. They didn’t want me going to Hollywood with all the drugs and such. I’m glad they had a united front on me getting my education.
Q: Who is your favorite comedian?
Woody Allen. I know some people don’t, but his stand up is smart. Witty. Don Rickles makes me laugh harder than anyone else. I’ve seen him three times now. Jim Gaffigan, Bill Burr..great live stand ups.
Q: What makes YOU laugh?
::laughs:: No one’s ever asked me that question.
::long pause::
I stumped you!
You did! Oh..Larry David! I love that situational comedy..it’s so hard to describe. “Curb Your Enthusiasm” is my favorite of all time. It’s layered..not an easy laugh. I like stupid stuff too. “Spaceballs.” “National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.”
Shitters full!
Yes! Shitters full! I can’t quote history to save my life, facts about wars..but I can quote movies from beginning to end. Not just the lines, but the inflections as well.
Q: How do you deal with hecklers?
You know, I haven’t had to deal with hecklers. I tend not to encourage them anyway. It can throw you off. I’m pretty organized in my comedy, so if I stray too far, I go off time, and that annoys me. Although once, I did have a guy that annoyed me so much, I just yelled “WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP?!”
Q: Is there anything off limits for you material wise?
I’m not really political. It’s not my thing. I try not to be..mean. Just not my style. People see me as being a cleaner comic. I’ve written some things that ARE darker, and edgier, but I don’t know if they want to see that from me. With my comedian friends, I of course will tell those edgier jokes to see if it’s funny. That’s where the marketing genius interferes with the comedian!
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