Wacky wild-eyed stand-up comic Johnny Rizzo is performing Saturday night (Oct. 2) at The River’s Edge Bar and Grill, 300 Roosevelt Drive.
Rizzo, a veteran comic, took a few minutes to talk to the Valley Indy while eating a grilled cheese with tomato.
Valley Independent Sentinel: Are you psyched about doing comedy in Derby?
Johnny Rizzo: “Derby’s a nice town, man.”
VIS: Really? Where do you live?
Rizzo: “Unfortunately, I still live in Bridgeport. My zipcode is 06606. If you take out the zeros, what do you have?”
VIS: That’s the mark of the beast.
Rizzo: “That’s right.”
VIS: How’d did you make out in that tornado a few weeks back?
Rizzo: “I was hoping it would blow the city into the Sound. It didn’t happen.”
Valley Indy: (nervous laughter) Do you do shows in Bridgeport, considering you’re bashing Bridgeport right now?
Rizzo: “It’s almost impossible to get any kind of business or anything off the ground in Bridgeport because it has such a bad reputation. Crime ridden, corruption. When I was growing up it was one of the greatest places to live. They don’t do anything to celebrate it… We have the only zoo in the entire state of Connecticut. It’s the only zoo where the animals are glad that there are bars on the cages at night.”
Valley Indy: That’s horrible. So that Valley is a little step up for you? The Valley has a bit of a reputation, though.
Rizzo: “It has a lot of old architecture. At least there are trees and distance between the houses so you don’t look out your window and see your neighbor beating up his wife.”
Valley Indy: That’s a plus. Which comics influenced you?
Rizzo: “For bravery and social commentary, Lenny Bruce. For just gut-wrenching belly laughs, Tommy Cooper from Britain. Laurel and Hardy, to me, is like an endorphin. If you don’t laugh watching a Laurel and Hardy film, especially a Hal Roach short subject from their early careers, then you are devoid of a sense of humor.”
Valley Indy: What’s your age?
Rizzo: “103.”
Valley Indy: Really? How long have you been doing this?
Rizzo: “Thirty years. Or more. I’ve seen them come and go. I’ve seen the great ones fall down and I’ve seen the lousy ones rise up and vice-versa.”
Valley Indy: What’s an example of a lousy one rising up?
Rizzo: “Well, I don’t like to bash anyone because I think everyone is entitled to make a living. I rather not answer that question because that would just open the doors for rebuttal from that comic and have him bash me.”
Valley Indy: You always hear that comics are insanely competitive and kind of personal with each other. Is that true?
Rizzo: Yes. I’ll give you an analogy. Musicians will see a band in a nightclub. They’ll tell their friends, other bands about who they saw. They help each other out. Comics will sell their mother down the river for a one-nighter.”
Rizzo then talks about a person affiliated with “Saturday Night Live” who turned out to be a jerk once he got famous. He named the person but swore us to secrecy.
The show starts at 9 p.m. For ticket information, call Treehouse Comedy Productions at 203 – 516-5970. Click here for the website. Tickets Saturday are $17.50 or $19.95 with dinner. The River’s Edge can be reached at 203 – 446-2262.
