When hoping to see some live comedy, many people first think of Manhattan. Places like The Stand, The Comedy Cellar, or Caroline’s have bred some of the top comedians in the country. However, Hudson County is also home to some phenomenal comedians and comedy shows. One such comedian, Bradley Marco, is on a mission to make Hoboken even more comedy-friendly. The way he sees it, why should Hudson County residents have to cross the Hudson River in order to see a great comedy show?
Luckily for Hoboken locals, Bradley Marco is a man of action. He created Agita, Hoboken’s premiere stand-up comedy showcase. The show takes place once a month at Willie McBride’s on Grand Street. Next month’s show, taking place on Monday, September 12th at 7:00 PM, will feature comics from TV, Instagram, and TikTok. Read on to see how comedian Bradley Marco is making Hoboken the next hot comedy destination.
Hoboken Girl: Where are you from + where do you live now?
Bradley Marco: I’m from wherever people don’t think I’m from. I often get asked if I’m from New Jersey, or Brooklyn, and sometimes people even ask if I’m from another country — and I’m like alright, I really need to work on annunciating. I’m from a little town called Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and I still have strong ties to that area. I’m in Manhattan now, but I used to live in Hoboken. I lived there for 2 years, on Madison Street. I love my old neighborhood. I’m there at least once a month. I still get my haircut at Mr. L’s. I produce a show (in Hoboken) now, once a month.
(Photo credit: Bradley Marco)
HG: What do you like about Hoboken?
BM: So much. It’s such a promising city. Where I grew up, it took over 5 years just to pave the main street and that was exciting to see. Then I end up somewhere like Hoboken, and all I see is development and progress and excitement everywhere. It’s very charming and has a lot of good energy around it. One of the hardest things to find outside of my hometown was that neighborhood feel, that community, and Hoboken definitely offers that.
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HG: What are your favorite spots in Hoboken?
BM: I lived near Fiore’s — and we can talk about the Saturday special all we want, that’s a beautiful sandwich — but I emphasize for people who are true fans, go there and get the sun-dried tomatoes. They are so good. They make their own, they marinate it, and it’s just that much better. You cannot go wrong with Cuban in Hoboken. You name it: La Isla, The Cuban, all those places are really phenomenal. And Empire Coffee — shoutout to Empire Coffee.
HG: How did you get into comedy?
BM: I got into comedy from a friend — a Hoboken local photographer, Marie Papp. I went to her to get some headshots because I was getting curious about acting. Marie is an awesome photographer and she has all these exciting ideas and she was planting little seeds for me. She was like, ‘Hey, you should try comedy,’ because she knew I was interested in performing. She told me about a class out in Short Hills. So, I’d take the train out once a week and I’d take these comedy classes, and it was such a fun community. Next thing you know, I developed some material and had some shows. My first couple of shows were at Scotty’s Comedy Cove. Then I started tapping into the NYC comedy scene, and it went from there.
(Photo credit: Bradley Marco)
HG: What is it like to start doing stand-up comedy?
BM: It’s scary and then tremendously exciting and then scary again. You have the initial scare of getting on stage and trying it out. You’re worried if your jokes are funny or not, worried how you’re going to respond to people on stage if they shout back at you, worried if you forget your lines, there’s just so many things that you start to ruminate about. Then you do it, and you might have to do it a few times, but you eventually do it and you feel really good. And then all of a sudden you get hungry, and you want to book more shows. It’s challenging and competitive. It’s a lot of networking and goes beyond just your performance on stage.
HG: Did you always know you were funny?
BM: Quite the opposite. Outside of my set, I am the least funny guy, not only out of my family, but out of my friends. I actually kind of wear that as a badge of honor. I think there’s some pressure for us comics to fit into that mold of class clown, or to always be super animated, and I’m not. I’m comfortable with that now.
HG: What are ‘The Medigans’ + ‘Agita’?
BM: I wanted to have a brand greater than myself, so that’s why I created The Medigans. The Medigans is a sort of umbrella brand. Underneath The Medigans, there’s me, Bradley Marco; there’s Agita, which is a comedy showcase I produce; and then whatever other ventures I want to do in the future. Agita was my first crack at producing a comedy showcase. We have these really awesome headliners to close every show — all professional comics. We’re also giving opportunities to new comics who are trying to get their legs and get some more confidence and more reps. So it’s both fostering a community to grow talent locally here in Hoboken, but also bringing world-class performers to Hoboken.
(Photo credit: Bradley Marco)
HG: Why did you decide to have your showcase in Hoboken?
BM: I thought about it for a while. There’s a lot of shows in Manhattan, and a lot of opportunities to get shows in Manhattan, and it would be convenient for me, but like I said before, I often go back to Hoboken, Hoboken’s a home to me. There are showcases that pop up in Hoboken every once in a while, but I wanted something consistent, and I wanted something that I could contribute to growing. I want to give locals the opportunity to come and see these world-class comics right in their neighborhoods. You don’t have to traverse the Hudson just to see a really awesome comedy show, we’re bringing it right to you so it’s convenient and consistent.
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HG: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start doing stand-up?
BM: A lot of comics will say to do open mics, and I think they are great, but my personal advice beyond that is to take a class. I can’t really speak to NYC classes, I took mine out in the Short Hills area, but try to find a class even if it’s in a suburb. It can be expensive in the city, and more affordable outside of the city, so be creative and work with your budget. If a class isn’t working for you, try another. Really be in an environment that allows you to write that first 5 minutes. Only focus on that first 5 minutes. Don’t try to do anything beyond that. Get it airtight.
You can see Bradley perform with Agita on September 12th at Willie McBrides at 7PM. To keep up to date on Bradley’s show schedule, check out his website and follow him on Instagram. You can also follow Agita on Instagram to stay updated on shows at Willie McBride’s.
