Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Pontillo.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I suppose I always wanted to be in the entertainment industry and make people laugh. It seemed a lot easier from afar and the transition from making my friends laugh or making myself crack up alone to being funny on stage wasn’t an easy one. Now after years of struggle and hard work I am excited to say that I am almost kind of successful at what I do. And on the bright side, not only do I still love it but I have a newfound appreciation for it, especially in the post-pandemic era.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road because the industry is constantly changing. When I started, social media wasn’t a thing, and stand-up comedy wasn’t an overly appealing business to get into. Now everyone does it and you have to create on two fronts, live shows and on the internet.
Also unless you’re at the high end of the food chain you have to do almost all the work yourself. Trying to get booked and creating content. You’re competing with thousands of people for views and validating email responses. People you know in real life and strangers on the internet. But also it’s best to not look at it as a competition, there is no official finish line. Just keep posting, writing, and grinding and who knows what will happen.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have performed stand-up comedy for over fifteen years. I recorded one special/album ‘Delete Your Account’ which was streaming on Amazon for a while before it lost popularity. Now I am planning to record my second special in just a few weeks. I have been on TV and both terrestrial and satellite radio and have had my jokes featured in various publications. I’ve produced three movies, the last one ‘Social Media Killed The Super Villain’ got into five festivals.
Another film that I appeared in ‘Sunday Sunday Sunday’ was just released this year and is having quite a run on the festival circuit, All of this sounds like a lot and yet I feel like so much more has to happen just to get to where I want to be. Oh man, that sounds depressing. Sorry. I guess what sets me apart from others is my non-stop creation, I don’t even need a script sometimes. Just give me an idea and let’s go crazy.
What matters most to you? Why?
I just want restaurants to get my order right. That’s all! Also, I’d like to create things that last and have my name associated with high-quality work. Building a fanbase is important but so are friends, family, and electricity.
Pricing:
- Buy a t-shirt: $20
- Hire me for a gig: Depends on where/what/why
- I record a personal shout-out: $50
Contact Info:
- Website: JoePontillo.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/pontillogram
- Facebook: Facebook.com/JoePontilloComedy
- Twitter: Twitter.com/JoePontillo
- Youtube: YouTube.com/JoePontillo
Image Credits
Jacqueline Olszewski and Tom Punchur
