We were lucky to catch up with Jesse Pimpinella recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jesse, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My comedy special, Hot Mess, is my greatest project yet and I have my friends and producers Matt O’Nesti and Harrison Poole to thank for its success. Now, what makes this amazing is that we didn’t wait for an opportunity to knock, we decided to kick the door through and chart our own course in life. One can say that we willed this into existence. We were fortunate enough to assemble the best production team and to have shot the special in front of a sold out audience. We felt on top of the world, until Covid-19 hit, which halted post production for some time. However, we were determined to complete the project. Once edited, Harrison Poole’s label, Nowhere Fast Records (eloop media, llc) distributed Hot Mess on Amazon where it became the #1 New Best Selling Comedy Album on opening weekend. Hot Mess went on to win at numerous film festivals including at Poor Life Choices Comedy Festival. This special would not have been possible without Matt, Harrison, Johnny Lee Dam (my mentor) and my wife Spooky!

Currently, Jesse Pimpinella: Hot Mess is available on Amazon, Spotify, Youtube, and Roku TV for Free!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I have always been fascinated with stand-up comedy ever since I discovered Ron White on Comedy Central when I was 10. His ability to tell a story and have an audience cracking up was art to me.

I began to study comedy like a trade and perform stand-up wherever a venue would allow me. Once I was 18, I began to hit open mic every night until I was discovered by the local comedy club, The Funny Farm. The owner, Dave, gave me my shot to host for a weekend. From there, I grew from a host to a headliner where I had the pleasure to perform all over this country and work with many comedians as seen on Netflix, Amazon, HBO, SNL, and more.

What I loved most about comedy is how it gives people a break from whatever hardships they may be dealing with in life. We are living through some very interesting times. I feel like 2000 to 2022 deserve their own history course. When I am on stage, I avoid discussing politics, and hot button issues, not because I fear discussing those matters, but because they are everywhere, especially all over social media. I like to provide a mental break from life where an audience can just laugh and forget all the worries of the world.

Recently my comedy has experienced great growth online, especially on YouTube where my channel, Comic Jesse Pimpinella, now averages 200k views monthly. Check Jesse Pimpinella on Youtube and subscribe!!

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Many may not see comedy as an art. I get it. You don’t see the Mona Lisa hung up in a dive bar, where a drunk audience can admire it with a two drink minimum. The setting and appearance of comedy is hard to understand. For example, anyone can be funny. Seriously, ANYONE CAN BE FUNNY! There is no debating this. My brother is not a comic, but that dude can crack me up. However, this is not stand-up. Stand-up is being funny on command for at least 45 minutes in front of an audience of strangers. No safety nets, no bailouts. Just you and a sea of strangers.

They say people fear public speaking more than death, and even I can understand why. It took me years of performing to stomp out my fear of public speaking. I remember counting down my time before I could get off stage. But, I stayed on because, simply, I was addicted to the laughs. There is no greater high than cracking open a thunderous roar of laughter from an audience.

However, it takes time to achieve that high. When a venue pays me to perform, they are not simply paying for 45 minute of material. They are paying for something tested and guaranteed. A show that I have spent many hours practicing, performing, refining, rewriting, and revising. Truly anyone can go onstage and talk for 45 minutes, but will it be funny for the entire 45 minutes? Are you willing to pay $10 per ticket for that? A professional stand-up comedian can provide a quality show that will keep an audience engaged and make them happy to have paid the price of admission.

While a comedian may not play an instrument or paint on a canvas, we frolic in the human spirit that’s present in the audience. We joke about subjects that many people can relate to despite them all being from different walks of life. We craft sentences into jokes that bring out an involuntary laugh from a sea of joyful audience members.

Comedy is an art. It may not be something painted or sculpted, but it can create involuntary laughs that can wash away the stress from the day.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is simply to make people laugh and make a living doing so. Laughing was so important for me growing up because I learned that if you can laugh, then you can make it through most of life’s hardships.

I remember a time where I was unable to laugh. I remember a time where I was depressed and felt lost in the world. However, just a single laugh could give me this energy boost. Almost like the power star that made Super Mario invincible. I could blindly run forward and through all obstacles because I can laugh about them . I always felt that if you can laugh at something, you can take the power it has over you away. For example, before I met my wife, I was with someone else for a few years. During that time, this person was cheating on me. Everyone knew, except me. When I found out, I was hurt and mortified. This was a sore topic for me to discuss for a while. Now, I will joke about this on stage. Heck, fans will make jokes about it and crack me up. about this time of my life on stage.

If a laugh can free me from my past demons, then I hope it can do the same for others as well and empower them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jessepimpinella.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/comicjessep
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/comicjessep
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/comicjessepimpinella
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/comicjessepimpinella
• Other: Watch My Comedy Special for Free on www.jessepimpinella.com Like and Subscribe to my YouTube Channel