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By Barbara Anne Kirshner
Stand-up comedy may arguably be the most challenging of all the art forms since it demands instantaneous response from audiences. If laughter erupts, it’s a dream but if the joke falls flat, it’s a nightmare for the comedian. Stars of Tomorrow Showcase was caught last Friday night, January 26 at McGuire’s Comedy Club in Bohemia. The comedians on this bill were strong and enjoyed waves of laughter from the packed house.
McGuire’s is an offshoot of Governor’s in Levittown, an institution in comedy that has been around for over 35 years featuring home grown LI comedians in addition to national headliners. McGuire’s opened in 2017 and quickly became a popular destination on LI for a great evening of comedy.
Seasoned comedian, John Trueson, hosted the Stars of Tomorrow Showcase. He warmed up the audience with his witty banter, then kept the energy up as he bridged introductions from one comedian to the next.
There were two guest spots on the bill filled by comedians with impressive credits. Tim Gage was first up and Tom Mc Guire closed the show. Both were so funny; it was hard to catch your breath from all the laughter. In one joke, Gage poked fun at his own foibles. “I’m getting older which sucks. Last week my neighbor said to me, hey Tim, is it plastic or cardboard tomorrow and I knew the answer.”
Jason Pallini, a young man who came to his stand-up stint dressed in a green suit which made him stand out since most of the comedians were dressed casually. His first comment was delivered from the audience’s perspective, “Oh, this one’s wearing a suit. This ought a be good.” Then he followed that up with, “ My friend told me not to wear a suit, people will think you’re better than them, but I said no the first thing they’re gonna think is, oh, look that little boy got into his dad’s closet.”
Nick Damadeo, with gray hair and wire-rim glasses, looked around the room and said, “ I know what you’re thinking, isn’t it past his bedtime.” He went on to do a very funny political bit. “This immigration thing everybody is talking about-out of control! Immigration has always been out of control. When my ancestors came to this country they didn’t have any money, they were broke. But they pursued their own dream and started their own business, organized crime.” Damadeo, a lawyer, added a witty legal anecdote, “People say lawyers have no compassion. That isn’t true! One time I screwed up a client’s appeal. I drove 300 miles to apologize to that guy right before the execution.”
Kelsey McKeon, introduced as a favorite at the club, was hilarious as she explained her strategy for choosing dates. “My first thing is to always have a best friend who’s like an FBI agent and I have one of those. You give that girl a phone number and she has his first and last name, a picture, everyone who lives in his house, his Subway order, what he wants to name his first born child and his hopes and dreams he’s had since second grade. I’d be like, oh, I think he works in a car dealership and she’s like, no, no, no, his dad just owns one. He says he travels for work a lot. Yeah, he’s an Uber Eats driver. No, he lives in a gated community. Jail, he is in jail!”
Trueson ushers the next comedian up with, “Are you ready? This is going to be trouble. Debbie D’Amore!”
D’Amore, who has become a regular at McGuire’s, pops onto the stage amidst enthusiastic applause, they know her. D’Amore’s physical humor is priceless. “So, I rubbed up against somebody on my way up here. The reason I know that is because I got a little sensation,” she shivers with delight, then addresses an audience member, “Did you feel it?” She is at home onstage like she’s talking to friends. At one point, she singles out an audience member named Frank and refers to him several times during her act. Debbie, who is very well-endowed, segues into a hysterical routine about buying a bracelet (another word for under garment). “It lifts you up. Look how they’re lifted up, Frank.” The audience explodes in laughter when she goes back to Frank. “The problem is, it snaps over here,” and she bends pointing to her crotch. “So, when I go to unsnap it, it hits me in the back of the head and now I can’ t reach back there to put it together. I need help…Frank!” Laughter and applause from the crowd. “Would you follow me into the bathroom, cause I gotta pee. Every time I get up here, I gotta pee.” The audience roared while Frank seemed delighted with the attention.
The night also included a first timer, Dominic Dimeglio. If this comedian hadn’t been introduced as the new kid on the block, you would never know. He had excellent timing and appeared comfortable. “Full disclosure, most of those claps are from my family. I told them if you don’t come tonight, I’ll kill myself.” Each of his jokes was met with whistles and applause.
Last up was Tom Mc Guire who fired on all cylinders right from the start. “I’ve got to be honest; I get a little irresponsible when I drink. I get up the next morning and there are questions that need to be answered. I look around like whose couch is this? Where is my wallet? Why did I uber from 3 Harmony Drive to 4 Harmony Drive? That was weird because I live at 5 Harmony Drive.” A joke about his car accident and his dad’s reaction made for big laughs. “I got into a car accident when I was 17 years old and my dad reminded me every day for a year at random times like at a family dinner, we’re saying grace and he yells, lord, I ask that you help my son, Tom, to open his eyes while he’s driving. Only a moron hits a parked car!” Tom McGuire’s rollicking humor was a perfect way to top off an evening of fun.
Of special note, almost all the comedians who appeared in the Stars of Tomorrow are graduates from Governors Comedy College which was created to give up and coming comedians the chance to hone their talent then appear in a showcase like Governor’s Comedy College Where The Stars of Tomorrow Are Born (Feb 19). The outstanding comedians are invited to appear in the Stars of Tomorrow Showcase.
For a fun night out, catch a show at McGuire’s where jokes keep flying.
Upcoming McGuire’s February shows:
All Star Comedy, (February 15&22), presents the finest comics from LI, NYC and across the country.
Headliners from New York City, Atlantic City and Las Vegas like Charlie Baquet and Friends (February 10), Sean Donnelly (February 16 &17) and Mike Finoia (February 23&24)
1627 Smithtown Ave., Bohemia, NY 11716; (631) 467-5413
