Chatting with Pete Correale: Stand-up comedian and writer

Pete Correale. Photo Courtesy of Pete Correale

Stand-up comedian and writer Pete Correale sat down and chatted about his latest endeavors in the contemporary entertainment scene.

He chatted with this journalist prior to his show at The Paramount in Huntington on Long Island.

The Paramount

“It’s very exciting,” he exclaimed about performing at The Paramount. “I grew up on Long Island, and I got my start in New York City. Coming back and playing the Long Island comedy clubs was always fun. This is my third time playing The Paramount, and I am starting to feel as comfortable as I did when I played at the comedy clubs.”

The digital age

On being a comedian in the digital age, Correale said, “It’s fascinating. The digital age has changed stand-up. I feel like I am a part of the last breed that went out and played all of these comedy clubs not being known, and I kept on working the craft.”

“Now, the younger comedians don’t have to do that. It’s a different world,” he admitted. “They can stay in their basements and make videos. Once one video really hits, then they just go out and perform.”

“For me, my podcast [The Pete & Sebastian Show] with Sebastian Maniscalco has given me additional popularity. Also, I’ve been doing stand-up for almost 30 years, so I don’t have nerves getting up there,” he added.

‘The Pete & Sebastian Show’ podcast

Regarding the podcast, he shared, “The podcast has been going great. We’ve been doing it for 10 years now. God bless him because he doesn’t need to do it with everything that he has going on, but he still enjoys doing it. We both have kids, so someday when we are long gone, they can show our grandkids what we were like. That’s all thanks to technology, and it’s really cool.”

“Now, we are starting to do guests on our podcast. Next week, we have Andy Garcia, Dane Cook, and Bill Burr. It will be a lot of fun,” he added.

He noted that he and Sebastian are taking the podcast and pitching a TV version of it.

Speaking of Sebastian Maniscalco, when asked if we are ever going to see him on his Max series “Bookie,” he responded, “I don’t know. Probably never.”

‘Kevin Can Wait’ sitcom

Correale shared that a proud moment for him involved getting a call from Kevin James, out of the blue, to come and write on his show. “That opened up a lot of doors for me,” he acknowledged. “The minute I wrote on that show, people saw me as a writer, and that gives me more credibility. Kevin was nothing but great to me. He is just such a great guy.”

Advice for young and aspiring comics

For young and aspiring comics, he said, “You have to have such an incredible passion to do this. If you don’t love doing it, don’t look for success. The commitment is through the roof and the rejection is heavy. The people that have made it, including myself, cannot see a life without doing it. If you don’t feel that way about it, do something else. It’s a calling.”

“Also, talk about your life because nobody can steal that. Don’t curse because it handcuffs you even though I curse all the time,” he said with a sweet laugh.

Superpower of choice

If he were to have any superpower, it would be “to fly.” “I look up at the birds in my backyard and I am wondering if they are having as much fun up there as I think they are,” he said with a laugh.

“Who wouldn’t want to fly? If I could fly, I would fly to Long Island every morning to get a bacon, egg, and cheese roll, and then I would fly back to where I live,” he added.

Success

On his definition of the word success, Correale said, “Success to me means happiness. At the end of the day, it means happiness in whatever you choose to do with your life. Also, a little financial security wouldn’t hurt either.”

Message for his fans and supporters

For his fans and supporters, Correale said, “I am really blown away by the fan support and the things that they do, and the things they say. I am very grateful to them for doing this journey with me. They have been just unbelievable.”

To learn more about stand-up comedian and writer Pete Correale, check out his official website, and follow him on Instagram.