Home CultureEntertainment WoW Comedy: Local Laughs in Hoboken {August 24, 2017}

WoW Comedy: Local Laughs in Hoboken {August 24, 2017}

by Hoboken Girl Team
wonder lofts
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Thursday aren’t just thirsty anymore. If you’re finding yourself a little beaten up by the end of the week, then you should probably check your calendar and head down to Mulligans for a seriously good time. While you’ve probably gone to 159 First Street in Hoboken to catch a soccer game and grab a beer, you might not know that every fourth Thursday of the month {yes, that’s this Thursday} from 7:30PM – 9:30PM, the boys at WOW Comedy are bringing local comedians together for a night of quality stand-up {their performers have appeared on MTV, in stand-up specials such as Pride Comedy Jam, and in various festivals through the NYC area}. Tucked away in the private room at Mulligans, this intimate setting is ideal for comedy with a cover that is just $10. And since the co-producers of WOW Comedy, Alex Csedrik and Anthony Bartolacci, are both long time Hoboken residents, they really know what material will stick in the Mile Square. We sat down for a chat with them before attending July’s comedy show — here’s what these funny men had to say about performing, producing, and comedy in Hoboken:

Co-producers of WOW Comedy at Mulligans: Anthony on the left and Alex on the right.

Hello Hydration Sidebar

Tell us about yourselves:

Alex: I’m Alex Csedrik. I’ve been a comedian for over six years. I host regularly at EastVille Comedy Club. I’ve been in the Hoboken Comedy Festival, Meadowlands Comedy Festival, and the 10th Black Box Festival in Atlanta, GA. Finally, I’m the founder of WOW Comedy. I’m fortunate enough to have my good friend Anthony Bartolacci as a co-producer for the show at Mulligan’s.

sojo spa

Anthony: My name is Anthony Bartolacci. I’m a 30-year-old comedian living in Hoboken, NJ with my wife. I’ve been running an open mic at Mulligans for the past two years. Most recently, I was in the Meadowlands Comedy Festival, and I’m currently co-producing the WOW Comedy show at Mulligans with my friend in comedy Alex Csedrik and with the help of Mulligan’s own Josh Lees.

Hobbs Inc

On their inspiration and idols:

Alex: Interacting with other people is my biggest source of inspiration. Hearing how someone else views something makes me more open-minded on the subject, which makes me think about a topic in an off-kilter way. I love Bill Burr, Ricky Gervais, and Larry David.

Anthony: I get my inspiration from people I see every day, doing and saying ridiculous things that I get a kick out of — and a random assortment of my own impressionable experiences. My comedic idol — Doug Stanhope. He does what he wants, lives where he wants, surrounds himself with great people and is the most captivating person ever seen on stage.

Their goals for this year:

Alex: My big goals are to have my short story collection that satirizes issues millennials face published, to continue to get more paid road work in comedy, and to produce more fundraisers for various groups/charities.

yoga renew hoboken

Anthony: Make it into more festivals and continue to become a better writer.

Why comedy and why Hoboken:

Alex: I have a writing and performance background, so comedy seemed like the obvious way to marry the two in order to get paid the most I could in drink tickets. I chose Hoboken because when I started WOW Comedy over four years ago, Hoboken was a relatively untapped market for the comedy scene. I still feel this way.

Anthony: Comedy is something I always wanted to do, but had a crippling fear of public speaking. Eventually, I just sucked it up, went to an open mic, and kept pushing since. Hoboken is a great spot with a lot of night life, so it’s not too hard to get a nice little crowd… and I like being able to walk to the show at Mulligans. {We hear you, Anthony. We liked being able to walk home after.}

About their life, career, and comedy highlights:

Alex: I have a career besides this — I’m a copywriter at an ad agency, and I also do freelance writing. I love writing. But there’s nothing like having people come up to me after a show and saying, “I really needed a laugh tonight. Thank you so much.” Often I forget how lucky I am to have this therapeutic way to express myself. A few years ago, I found out my uncle passed away. The next night I performed, and it was the perfect reprieve for me from worrying about real problems — to only have to focus on making sure I put “Alex” and “failure” close enough together.

Anthony: Life highlight — marrying the love of my life. {Career wise, I’m a Risk Consultant for an insurance company, so basically walk around Manhattan and see expensive condos.} But comedy related — comedy gives you instant gratification when something you wrote works. But that rewarding feeling I get on stage and things work, only lasts about 10 seconds. I’m constantly chasing that dragon.

About their favorite places to perform + dream venues:

Alex: EastVille Comedy Club, but I’m also partial to any show/venue where there’s only a handful of people. Those are the shows where you have to earn every second of the audience’s attention and you win each laugh. My dream performance venue is Carnegie Hall. I saw one of my idols, Bill Burr, perform there. It was amazing. My favorite venue is Mulligan’s every fourth Thursday of the month, obviously.

Anthony: The Stand in New York is my favorite place to perform, I just love the atmosphere there. And I don’t really have a dream place, give me a dive bar and 10 people who want to listen and have a good time. Those are the best.

WOW Comedy at Mulligans {check out the guy in the mirror literally LOLing}

Tell us your favorite joke:

Alex: Listen, I’m 31, and I’m at the point in my life where all my friends are either married, or they’re running 5ks. You’re either married and happy and bragging all about it on Facebook, or you’re single and miserable and angrily running 3.1 miles just so that you can tire yourself out enough so you don’t have to cry yourself to sleep for one night. So, next week I’m running a 5k {#itsfunnycauseitstrue}. It’s so apropos considering Hoboken is the second-most promiscuous city in the US and this is where I’m at in my life.

Anthony: I have one about a woman who lost it cause of her grocery cart having a messed up wheel. I’ve told it a ton of times but I still love the punchline, and of course I like that it works.

On what they do when not performing:

Alex: Write, explore places in Hoboken and New York, and win free cruises from the New York Rangers.

Anthony: I love doodling. Drawing all types of random stuff to make my wife or friends laugh.

Advice for aspiring comics:

Alex: If you don’t love bombing with new jokes that you put your heart and soul into in front of an apathetic room that is actively reading memes on social media, then get out now.

Anthony: Write every day, and most of it will suck. So rewrite it. Try again. Aaaaaaaaaaand repeat.

One of the ladies of laughter featured at Mulligan’s.

And now, about Hoboken:

Favorite restaurant and/or bar:

Alex: Bar – Cooper’s Union, Restaurant – Karma Kafe .

Anthony: Mulligan’s, of course.

What they love most:

Alex: I’ll have live here for three years in February 2018. I love that I get to live in a city and still have a small-town atmosphere. Oh, and Tony Boloney’s, maybe a bit too much.

Anthony: I’ve lived here for 6 years. I love the liveliness and being able to walk everywhere.

What needs to come to town:

Alex: Diversity of nightlife options. Enough of Broboken.

Anthony: Lower rent. {‘Nuff said.}

Come by Mulligan’s for a night of good laughs and support your local comedy scene. Tell them Hoboken Girl sent ya! Have you been? Share your experience with us below or on IG @HobokenGirlBlog or #HobokenGirl!

 

RMA

also appears in

0 comment