Chatting with Sarge: Comedian, actor, speaker, and author

Comedian Sarge. Photo Courtesy of Sarge.

Comedian, actor, speaker, and author Sarge sat down and chatted with this journalist prior to his comedy show at North Shore Towers in New York.

North Shore Towers

On performing at North Shore Towers, he said, “Given that I grew up here, I watched them build these buildings when I was a kid. This came in the ‘70s, and I was born in 1961. Growing up in Great Neck, and this being Lake Success (which is technically Floral Park), the North Shore Towers is like a home game for me. It’s basically people from home.”

“I know the people and I know the area. I am able to add obscure references to my narrative, and I am able to have a good time with it because I’m from here,” he said.

“Then, there is some gravitas to the fact that I am from here,” he noted. “All that being considered, it feels great to be here. Tonight is about the true flow of imagination, creativity, and energy.”

Inspirations for his comedic routine

On his inspirations for his comedic routine, he said, “My comedic routine is inspired by life, and the things that happen in my life. My true real point of view and reality. I don’t make things up. I exaggerate but I don’t make things up to be funny.”

“My comedy is born from the things that happen in my everyday life, and the things I observe, and exactly how I observe them,” he said.

“I try to keep out of the political part of it because people get very upset with politics. People are very partisan and very propagandist because the only information they have available to them is the things that they are fed,” he explained.

“So, when you have a different viewpoint, it hits their ear differently. I have to tailor much of what I do and much of what I say with the fact that I’m a humorist and I don’t come at it from either side, and I am not trying to score political points here,” he elaborated.

“This is my logic and how I see it, and it doesn’t have any political affiliation. It’s about humor and about what’s funny,” he added.

The digital age

On being a comedian in the digital age, he said, “I just started a company called Sarge Digital. With all the people creating content, there is a team of people in Florida who follow me around on certain days, but I have nothing to do with the formulation of what is going to be happening that day because I want it to be authentic.”

“I don’t want to be a part of producing something because if I am producing then it’s contrived and not authentic,” he noted.

“If I am going to be presenting ‘me’ to the world, I want them to see the real me, and not some contrived or made-up version of me,” he added.

Advice for young and aspiring comics

For young and aspiring comics, Sarge said, “Start at the very bottom because it is from the desperation and the excitement of emerging from there. You must have humble beginnings and open mic nights, and you need to have years of being lousy so that you can learn to be good.”

“Very few people are good just to start with,” he admitted. “You want any place where there is a microphone or any place where there are people sitting down. Start there so you have ample amounts of space and time so you can become good.”

“The business will decide whether you continue doing this,” he said. “The fact that you get work means that people want you there and that people want to pay you.”

“Start as quiet and small as you can and just keep going because there is a connective Wi-Fi in the universe and you will ultimately end up get pushed up the ladder, and up the ramp to where you are supposed to be,” he elaborated.

“As long as you put yourself at the mercy of the laws of nature, you will have the same shot as everybody else,” he added.

Stage of his life

On the title of the current chapter of his life, Sarge said, “Happy.” “I am happy, and even happier than I even care to admit,” he said.

“I spent most of my life obese,” he admitted. “I recently had bariatric surgery because for the last 30 years, the only problem in my life was my weight. I’ve been sober since 1990, and I’ve been clean, and I also meditate and I pray.”

“I am a spiritual person, where it’s about connecting with the universe and it’s about connecting with God. It’s about spirituality, prayer, meditation, peace, and serenity,” he added.

Success

Regarding his definition of the word success, Sarge said, “Success means doing my job on the planet; that’s success.”

“Success means helping others, making people happy on a group level, contentment, and giving to my family (my son and my wife); there is nothing more joyful for me,” he acknowledged.

“Success is making people happy on a regular basis. I like putting smiles on people’s faces whether it’s with humor or with thoughtful gifts,” he added.

His book “Black Boychik” is available on Amazon by clicking here.

To learn more about comedian Sarge, follow him on Instagram.

Read More: Review of Sarge’s book.