Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of playing my ukulele at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (with my good buddy Aram Bajakian backing me up on electric guitar). The night was packed with improv skits, stand-up, guitars, ukuleles, and good witty fun - all part of a show called Underground Americana hosted by Andy Rocco. Andy and I crossed paths this past summer on a subway ride in Brooklyn - and on the train struck up a conversation on the awesome power of the ukulele (I had mine with me and was coming home after a show). I handed him off a CD before hopping off at my stop - and a few weeks later got a call to perform on his show. Since then Andy and I have had the chance to connect and I've become a big fan of his comedic work. Andy has a big show coming up this Saturday December 5th - snag a reservation here - UCB Theatre - New York - Make Reservation. Over a cup of coffee in midtown Manhattan, Andy and I talked about where he's been and where he's going on his comedy journey. 

How long have you been pursuing comedy as a career? When did you decide to take the plunge and pursue the comedy thing full time?

I have been pursuing comedy as a career full time for a few years now. I think, my last real job was a temp assignment in 2007. I was lifting and moving boxes of files from one end of an office to another. Now, I coach/direct improv groups and once in a while I do a voice over or some commercials.

Tell us about your experience with The Upright Citizens Brigade first as a student and now as someone who has a regular show there?

Well, I started classes at UCB in 1999. I had been doing stand up on and off for about  two years and was living in CT with my folks. I had a very odd fear of going to NYC for anything. Once in a blue moon, I would do an open mike, but NYC used to really frighten the crap out of me. I think it's because, I watched a lot of 70’s & 80’s moives where gangs would constantly roam the subway and I was feeling if you were ever in peril, citizens of New York would do their best to ignore you. So I worked the graveyard shift at Kinko's in CT, then in the morning I would take the train and go to class at UCB. I was terrible at first, but I really did enjoy learning all about comedy. I was hooked. I would go to UCB all the time, just to see shows and hang out. The UCB just became my life. I went to community college pointlessly for 4 years, no major, no direction and I never got a degree. I didn't have many friends there, and there is no partying.    UCB was what I wanted my college experience to be like, fun, friends, and I had finally I had direction in life. I was a total geek about the whole thing!  Now, I am little more subdued. At times I can't help myself and the total geek comes out again. I think, you when you start out, you have something to prove. It's a great and wild attitude to have when you are younger. When you get older, you have already proven you can be good and now you have to be cool about it all the time and that is harder than breaking in.

Anyway, it's nice now. I have conversations, where I say "Hi, I am Andy Rocco" and someone will say "I know who you are" - that's cool and kind of embarrassing. I don't how to classify it. I have certain level of fame, where people know me, but it's not the same fame where teenage girls are pissing themselves at the mere sight of me. The guy at Subway is blown away while he's making my sandwich. It's really nice to be welcomed and feel part of something bigger then yourself. 

I heard about a big show you did with Tom Schiller - tell us how that went down?

I love Tom Schiller. He is amazing and so great. He directed a commercial that I did. It was a very big campaign so I spent a good amount of time with him and we just became friends. It was so cool. I couldn't get over that this accomplished guy is on a first name basis with me!  I asked him to do my show and he agreed. I was so pleased. He did the show twice! The last time show he did the show, it was great. We had ball. I did interview with him and talked about SNL, comedy, and making movies and he showed a video that he never showed to an audience before, it was insane and funny! I was going to have him on again, and was excited to do it again, but he had a work conflict. My favorite thing is that he ended that last e-mail  “I want to do it.  Ask me again!"

Do you always approach strangers with ukuleles on the NYC subways?

I don’t always approach strangers with ukeleles on the subway, but that's how I met you. I have musical acts in show. I don't have a particular way to pick the music acts for the show. People recommend bands to me to pick. I listen to them, sometimes I will pass. Sometimes, I will see people playing on the street and I ask them. If there is nothing engaging about them, I don't bother.  Sometimes, I ask people I really like and they never get back to me. I went on Craig’s list once and got a great one. I also went on Craig’s list got one who never showed up. So, I have varied approaches when it comes to getting the musical acts. You looked like a together young man, and you had ukulele I had been listening to a lot of ukeleles at the time, and I figured I would ask because I am always on the look out for musical act. You gave me a CD and your card. I listened to it and I thought was AMAZING! If I didn't like it, I wouldn't bother. Although, this does raise the question, why don't I just start talking to random pretty girls on the subway?   

Well thanks for the good words on the music - Aram and I had a blast being on the show. Where do you see things going for you in 2011? 

Well, I hope to keep working on thematic shows, like the show on Dec.4th is a parody of a Christmas Carol. It's a variety show with a story. I want to make more shows like that.  I want continue keeping honing my craft. I hope to make new web series as well called "Andy Rocco's Tales of the Absurd" I want to do a podcast, because I have been listening to a lot of different ones and I am all jazzed about it. And I hope to find another steady acting gig to pay the bills. All that and I want seltzer maker. I like seltzer. 

-Brian

Images courtesy Andy Rocco and UCB