Meet Joe Pontillo | Comedian, Writer, Actor, Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joe Pontillo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joe, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
Probably that it’s a full-time job and I’m not always surrounded by famous people. Outsiders might think there isn’t much to doing comedy and when I started I probably felt the same way. Just tell some jokes and the right person person will see you and you boom, you’re on TV. It doesn’t work like that and now more than ever it is a nearly daily grind of emailing or messaging people who largely don’t respond in an effort to get work. And when you’re not doing that you have to spend your day coming up with internet jokes, writing sketches, and trying to produce your own stuff. It’s all about building a successful brand while simultaneously creating your own fanbase. It can happen quickly or take multiple decades.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I write down everything I’ve done and accomplished I’m always surprised by how legitimate it looks and also downright impressed. Yes, I still need one or two more things to put me over the top but considering I’ve done almost everything on my own I guess I need to give myself credit. I have produced dozens of sketches over the years. Some very popular recurring ones like ‘Pontillo & Associates’, ‘Ghost Bros’, and ‘Comedians In Cars With No Particular Purpose’. Especially now the way the internet is I have become a creator who gets an idea and just runs with it. One way or another it will get done and posted within a few days. Is everything perfect? No, but have you seen the internet?

I am probably most proud of what I’ve done over the last few years. While the pandemic was horrible and world altering it ultimately gave me an opportunity to focus on creating rather than performing. Reaching new people on the internet is how you can build your base and brand in a much quicker fashion. When people were stuck home in need of content that’s when I put out some of my best stuff. I also filmed a short film in the second half of 2020 which got into multiple festivals. It’s one of my favorite things I’ve done because of how it came together especially during such a tumultuous time. Also you’d be amazed what you can do with a cell phone. And I couldn’t have done it without the help of my close colleagues and multiple other people who were willing to film stuff on their own and send it to me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
What’s funny is that I rarely do anything in my own city. I live and work here so I kind of get tired of it and go elsewhere for fun and leisure. So when friends from out of town visit and tell me something they want to do, I almost always say yes. Because chances are I have never done it so in essence I become a tourist in my own city. “Oh you want to go that place? I’ve heard of it but I’ve never been. Let’s do it!”. My top three suggestions would be seeing me perform, going to a sporting event, or riding the Staten Island Ferry just to say you did it. Whenever people ask me what’s something cool to do in my neighborhood I have absolutely no answer for them.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I can’t do what I do without the people who have been with me for years who for some reason continue to be up for helping with every project and crazy scheme I come up with. Especially at times when I can’t pay people in anything more than free pizza and gratitude. Some real troopers are Jacqueline Olszewski, Adam Gennari, John Babatsikos (sometimes) Todd Montesi, Neil Rubenstein, Brian McGuinness and probably most of my family as well who have helped out in countless ways throughout the years despite their best efforts. I know I’m leaving lots of people out but if they should read this they should know they’re all pretty awesome. Well, most of them.

Website: JoePontillo.com

Instagram: Intagram.com/Pontillogram

Twitter: Twitter.com/JoePontillo

Facebook: Facebook.com/JoePontilloComedy

Youtube: YouTube.com/JoePontillo

Other: TikTok: @pontillogram Wrecked Films on Facebook Wrecked Films on Patreon My album ‘Delete Your Account’ on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music

Image Credits
Jacqueline Olszewski Wrecked Films