FIVE QUESTIONS WITH COMEDIAN PATRICK COPPOLINO
By Ben Rispin @benrispin
Comedian Pat Coppolino hosts Magic The Ganjaing on April 20th with Doug Nagy
Pat Coppolino has been championing Hamilton's Comedy Scene for well over a decade now. From working with legends, to developing several podcasts and television shows, to opening Levity Comedy Club, Patrick is the unsung hero of Hamilton's comedy community.
It's not easy taking on the amount of work that Patrick does. He's notoriously hard to get a hold of but that's not because he's lazy. To achieve the output a person like Pat does, it requires focus, commitment, and a certain insanity. That's why we're thrilled he took the time to answer Five Questions for our Fannablog.
Don't miss Pat, with Comedian Doug Nagy as they Co-Host the upcoming "MAGIC THE GANJAING" 420 Card Tournament On April 20th at Levity Comedy Club in Hamilton.
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FIVE QUESTIONS WITH COMEDIAN PATRICK COPPOLINO
Pat Coppolino performs at Levity Comedy Club in Hamilton
WHEN AND WHERE DID YOUR LOVE OF COMEDY COME FROM?
My earliest accreditation for falling in love with comedy has to be Jim Carrey when I was a little kid. I would watch, and re-watch, all of his movies so many times. I would imitate him at school and even went as 'The Mask' for Halloween on multiple occasions. In terms of standup, my earliest recollection of realizing it was an attainable career option was when I was twelve years old, watching Jeremy Hotz on Just For Laughs. That was definitely a moment that stands out in my memory for planting the seed of performing for me. Oddly enough, this crazy career path has presented the opportunity for me to meet and/or work with so many of my idols, including the two of them.
Pat Coppolio with Jim Carrey
WHAT WAS THE FIRST CONCERT YOU WENT TO?
The first standup comedy show I went to was Jerry Seinfeld at Hamilton Place. My dad, a longtime Seinfeld fan, took me to see him when I was 17 or 18 after expressing a sincere interest in pursuing standup comedy.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST “BIG SHOW”? OR YOUR FIRST SHOW EVER?
The first big show I ever did, that really felt 'next level', was my first weekend working with Tom Green, to whom I owe so much for the majority of my success, back in 2013. A bizarre sequence of events that started with a reply to a Tweet from Tom seeking a comedian to go on the road with led me to a sold out 5 show weekend as his opening act, which would later turn into years of touring together, with Tom becoming somewhat of a mentor to me. Subsequently, my working relationship with Tom brought me to what is probably to this day the biggest show I've ever done, performing on the NYE Comedy Extravaganza at Massey Hall in front of 2,500 people. It was the first and only time Tom Green was the MC and introduced me to the stage.
Pat Coppolino and Tom Green
WHAT WAS YOUR WORST SHOW OR FUNNIEST SHOW MEMORY?
The worst show I can remember doing was my very first show as a signed Yuk Yuk's comedian. It was at the former Niagara Falls Yuk Yuk's in Casino Niagara. I remember peeking out from behind the curtain and noticing a sea of grey hair. The club manager told me and the other comics that it was unusual for the majority of the crowd to be that old, but two bus loads of a Christian seniors church group came in from New Jersey. I was panicking, and rightfully so. At the time, I was middling for Yuk Yuk's, which means I did about 20 minutes before the headliner. But the problem is my entire act was pretty dirty. I was right to assume the crowd of Christian seniors wouldn't like it, because I ended up walking at least 3 large tables of people before my set was over. Worst part? My mother was there, and she walked out too from second-hand embarrassment. As traumatic as it was, luckily the second night was a much better mixed age group and it went really well, saving what little self-esteem I still had.
Pat Coppolino performs at Massey Hall in Toronto
WHAT’S NEXT?
Well, I've taken a big step back from touring since 2019, when I was bestowed the opportunity to open a brand new, independent comedy club in Hamilton that I aptly named Levity Comedy Club & Lounge. I spend most of my evenings and weekends there as club manager, talent booker, show promoter, etc. As much as I miss touring, it's nice to have a stage in my own backyard that I can hop on whenever I'd like to, though I don't abuse that privilege. It fulfills me to provide a stage for so many of the talented comedians working in Canada right now and giving our local scene a place to call home and work on their craft. That being said, there are some exciting projects in the works involving the club that people will have to keep an eye out for in the near future.
Patrick Coppolino and Comedy Legend Jeremy Hotz
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