I'd love to grand stand and say that I always knew Nick DiPaolo would come through with a fantastic interview for the launch of Tragic Laughter, but that'd be a lie. I'm fortunate that he agreed to the interview in the first place, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. If you don't know who Nick DiPaolo is, the following should give you a pretty good idea of what you can expect. If you want more please visit his official website at NickDip.com, check out the TL main page for links to his comedy cd's, or tune into to Opie and Anthony on March 27th all day long to hear him on the radio. So that's enough from me, keep reading our first Tragic Talk with Nick DiPaolo.

TL: First off – how far below BlogTalkRadio does being the Tragic Laughter launch interview rank in your career accomplishments?
 
Nick: It's a tie....just below my guest spot on Suddenly Susan

TL: I read that you were born in Danvers, I’m from Worcester. That’s not a question I just like to pretend that me being from a city an hour away from your birthplace gives us something in common. But I had a roommate in college, who was from Danvers, and I need to ask – have you ever seen “Session 9?” and did you ever try to sneak into the Danver's State Mental Hospital?

Nick: Sneak in? Fuck, I did better than that, I worked there for a few summers as a grounds keeper, when I'd come home from college. It was the best fuckin job ever! Those interior shots that you saw in that movie...that's just how it looked and hasn't changed when I was working there in the early 80's...creepy fuckin place. I got attacked by a mental patient while moving furniture in one of those buildings. He said I had owed him 500 bucks and pinned me against a wall. Weeks later, I was walking down a hallway with my boss who was a Vietnam vet who had been working there for years and that same nut was walking by us and my boss looked around to make sure nobody was around and slugged him in the stomach.

Also, while in that building on a different day while painting walls, a completely naked broad who was about 55yrs old runs up to me and asks me if I knew the words to the song "Ol McDonald" I said no and she ran away. I use to sit on a tractor and cut this huge lawn in front of the main building but the funny part was these lunatics would take naps and be laying all over the lawn and would refuse to get up so I had to cut around them..like I was making "lunatic"cookies. I used to take girls parking up there at night. It used to scare the shit out of them. The place was surrounded by cornfields, and there are bars on the windows and you could see the nuts screaming out the windows at night...the girls would be clinging to me and yelling "let's go home please!" And of course i said "yeah, we can go home but you know...." anyway you can figure out the rest.
 

TL: Even though I have read that you didn't’t really find your voice until you got to New York, was there anyone working out of Boston who was an inspiration for you when you were just starting out?

Nick: Of course, all those guys, Lenny Clarke, Steve Sweeney, Don Gavin, Kenny Rogerson.
 

TL: You’ve done a few things on TV (Sopranos, Rescue Me, and the horribly underrated Lucky Louie to name a few). Would you rather be a regular TV actor and do stand up on a limited basis (like Leary), or do you like the occasional TV spot and staying in the clubs?

Nick: Neither...I'd rather have a talk radio show and play in theaters to my radio show fans. I"ve done enough tv to know I don't care for it's watered down horse shit. As far as something like Rescue Me or Leary's career why of course that would be great but that's very atypical of how it usually goes. I had a radio show here in NYC for just 6 months and i was packing these clubs and they were rabid "nick di paolo" fans. I have a real talent for radio and i see that as my future while continuing to do stand up. I am a comedian and i'll always do it regardless of what else is going on.
 

TL: One thing that interests me about comedians is the fact that sometimes you guys go to the worst places on the world for four or five days. What does Nick Di Paolo do when he’s playing a club in Wisconsin for instance? Or have you reached the point where you just won’t do gigs in some of those places anymore?

Nick: What's the matter with Wisconsin? You said you grew up in Worcester didn't you LOL? Don't you like fine cheese? Yes, I do hate the road now. It was fun when I was 26 and single and trying to fuck every girl at every store at the local mall. But now the down time is a killer. If there aren't any good movies I want to see which is usually the case, I take 2 ambien and drink a six pack and wake up 4 mins before show time. You have to do those gigs.....I have bills to pay..I chose this life. You can't get to choosy but yes I do try to stay east of Chicago
 

TL: When I was looking at your comedy CD “Road Rage” on Amazon the highest ranked tag customers’ associate with similar products was “clay Aiken.” I can’t think of someone that you’re less like then Clay Aiken, but I wonder – is that a bigger insult to you, or to Clay Aiken?

Nick: I don't even understand the question..but fuck you and fuck Clay Aiken! LOL
 

TL: On April 5^th you’re at the Gibson Amphitheater in LA with Artie Lang. How does that compare to say the shows that you’ll do from April 17^th – 20^th in Hartford, at The Funnybone?

Nick: One venue has 400 seats the other has a couple thousand...I get paid about the same for each even know one is one night and the other is Wednesday thru Saturday. There will be more Jack Daniels at one than the other. One is a one hour drive, the other is a six hour flight. Other than that I can't think of any difference.
 

TL: Are there certain comics working right now who you’re a fan of that might surprise people, or maybe people haven’t even been exposed to yet? I won’t ask you who sucks because I don’t want to read about you having to fight your way through Gallagher II’s entourage next week.
 
Nick: No. I see a bunch of nerdy self promoting geeks with no balls..but good computer skills...they are a fuckin bore!

TL: You said on O&A once that you aren’t very good with technology – yet you are easily one of the most internet available comedians that I’ve come across, how’d you pull that off?

Nick: I married a woman who is way smarter than me and who is great with technology but more importantly she is gorgeous and has huge tits and a skinny waist. Also, I hooked up with a co. called Baker Media and Mike Baker is the genius behind my new website (nickdip.com) This guy knows his stuff and he is bringing me into the 21st century with all this shit. Go to BakerMedia.com to see his work. Also, internet porn helped me find my away around a little bit. That reminds me Joe, do you know how to get jizz out of a mouse pad? (TL Note: You can try a mixture of Sprite and tears, that sometimes works for me. But for safety I put a thin plastic cover over my mouse pad for this exact reason)
 

TL: For those who don’t know you do Nick Di Paolo Blog TV (the schedule can be found on Nick’s website – and I’ll put it on the TL site w/ the interview), where you are sitting in your house, in front of a webcam, live. How has that been received? I absolutely love it, and once I figure out how to turn on my webcam I’d love to jump on there with you. I just think it’s a great way to connect with your fans, and I wonder if it’s an idea that you’ve enjoyed so far, or might it be too much interaction with the filth that makes up Nick Di Paolo’s fan base?

Nick: Jesus Joe, "the filth that makes up my fan base?' the fuck does that mean? You can be presumptuous little prick can't you. Don't confuse my fans with Jim Norton's. lol My fans are white heterosexual males who have had enough of being portrayed on tv as emasculated morons, but yes you are right, I do need my private space and time. I am not and never was a sociable guy. And yes we would love to have you join us. I can click on your name and make you my co host and let my filth fan base rip you to shreds.(TL Note: I am absolutely taking Nick up on this offer as soon as our schedule's allow it)
 

TL: Your use of the internet leads to my favorite subject, mainly me – do you think that the internet has made it possible for comedy, and stand up comedians to approach that level that used to exist during the comedy boom?

Nick: For some I guess, but also like the 80's boom it has made a lot of mediocre comedians more popular than they should be. Just my opinion.
 

TL: I see what you’re doing with the Internet TV show, and the BlogTalkRadio experiment, and hell even agreeing to this interview – but have you seen any benefit to the time you’ve spent on the internet with these different ventures?
 

Nick: Not yet...too early to say. I just started paying attention to this stuff very recently. But I don't doubt it can help people market themselves. I like to think my fans come out because of all the stuff I've done on Comedy Central over the years...in the end it should be about the material...and if they find me on the web...why that's just a plus.
 

TL: There is always this rumor about XM and Sirius Satellite Radio merging – if that ever happens will we get a Nick Di Paolo radio show sandwiched between Howard and Opie and Anthony? Would that be something that you were interested in doing?

Nick: Yes, I would love to do radio whether it be commercial, satellite, blog!! It's a very powerful tool for a stand up..more than tv.
 

TL: Last question before the plugs – for anyone who has already purchased your first CD “Born This Way” your wife is the nurse on the cover and I just have to ask – how did you pull that one off?

Nick: How did I pull it off? What am I the fuckin Elephant Man over here? Mario Joyner (comedian from MTV) once said back around 1990, i was the only non celebrity he knew who got celebrity quality pussy. At one time no chick was out of my range. Now, i look like Buttafucco so I understand your confusion. LOL

TL: I'll let you go with that one because I know you're busy. Nick DiPaolo BlogTV is live @ 1PM EST on March 25th, and 26th I highly suggest everyone checks that out because as soon as I figure out this webcam I am going to jump on there and allow Nick's fans to rip me to shred's. Thank you so much Nick DiPaolo and welcome to the Tragic Laughter Family.

Nick: Thanks Joe I had fun doing this...I gotta go..I have a waxing at 3pm

TL: If you want to keep up to date with Nick DiPaolo head on over to his official website. Also we'll keep an up to date schedule of events on the TL Main Page so you can find out when Nick DiPaolo is coming to your city. Nick will be on O&A all morning on XM March 27th, and will be performing at Caroline's in NYC Thursday Night (8PM), he's also going to be in Hartford, CT at The Funnybone April 17th - 20th, and Uncle Vinnie's Comedy Club, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ April 25th and 26th. 

Again we'll keep you updated on Nick's schedule, but if he's in your area you should absolutely support him, go see him, you'll have a great time. If you're still lukewarm about him you can find his two comedy CD's in MP3 format on Amazon.com (linked from the TL Main Page -- so check those out as well).