Local Funnyman to Record First Comedy Album at Lucy’s
If you need a break from life or just need a good laugh, head over to Lucy’s Lounge in Pleasantville on Saturday evening where local comedian Tom Grossi will take the stage to record his debut comedy album.
Since Grossi got behind a microphone for the first time four years ago, he has spent his time performing his standup comedy routine throughout Westchester and New York City. But as a man just trying to make his wife laugh, Grossi, 27, built up over an hour of material that he’s excited to perform.
Grossi, a Yorktown native, used comedy to get through tough times growing up. It wasn’t until his sophomore year at SUNY New Paltz that he capitalized on his talent. After a friend joined the college’s improv comedy group, Grossi followed and quickly realized he had found his calling.
“I had never felt so comfortable. It came super natural to me and I was good at it,” Grossi said. “It’s one of those things where to get up and not know what you’re going to say and do, there’s just something so freeing about that.”
Despite a love for improv and professional training from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Manhattan, Grossi earned a master’s degree in education and sought a teaching career. One teaching job left Grossi, currently at social studies teacher at The Ursuline School in New Rochelle, so miserable he began writing material for a stand-up routine.
The day Robin Williams died in 2014, Grossi contained his nerves and performed his first open mic in White Plains.
“I went up there for six minutes and I get some laughs and I started to feel good,” Grossi said. “It’s one of those things that’s always been therapeutic. Making people laugh has always made me feel good. That’s the one thing I always gravitate to and that’s what I use to cope with stuff.”
Although Grossi found early success performing at legendary comedy clubs throughout the city, including Carolines on Broadway, Levity Live and Stand Up NY, he said performing for free in those venues became problematic. He was sometimes required to bring a specific number of guests who needed to pay a cover and indulge in the club’s minimum drink requirement.
“I learned very quickly not to do those types of shows,” Grossi said.
He began performing in Westchester in 2016, joining Comedy North of Manhattan (NOMA), a local comedy outfit that schedules shows throughout the county. He also started his own comedy podcasts, which include “Packcast,” a weekly NFL reaction show, and “Game of Toms,” where he reviews and reacts to episodes of HBO’s “Game of Thrones.”
While comedy is very rewarding, Grossi said he couldn’t keep showing up to open mics hoping somebody was going to catapult his career. Instead, he focused on building a fanbase with his podcasts. After a few episodes went viral, merchandise with the #grossiposse logo has been purchased by some of his nearly 2,400 subscribers.
“Comedy is one of those things you can’t go in expecting praise or you are just going to be miserable,” Grossi said. “With ‘Packcast,’ I’m doing it because I enjoy doing it and anything more is a bonus. The comedy, I’m doing it because I enjoy doing it. So, I can’t fail because what’s the worst that can happen?”
As Grossi made the decision to record his first comedy album, “Allergic to Fun,” he noted that Saturday’s show will give local fans a chance to see him perform without the hassle of trekking into Manhattan and dealing with the demands of a high-end club.
“I don’t want my family and friends who are going to show up to this to go into the city, pay a large amount to get in, pay a two-drink minimum to get in and wind up paying $55 to see me tell jokes,” Grossi said. “I just think it’s incredibly expensive to go out into the city and see a night of comedy and I don’t think it’s fair of me to expect my friends and family to pay that to see me tell jokes for an hour.”
But while comedy today is a part-time gig for Grossi, he hopes to one day build a lucrative career making people laugh.
“I’m in the business of making my own opportunities,” Grossi said. “I like my day job, but I hope there’s a point where I can sustain myself doing comedy. There’s no reason to stop.”
Grossi is schedule to perform at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, Mar. 24. Lucy’s Lounge is located at 446 Bedford Rd. in Pleasantville. Tickets cost $20. For tickets or more information, visit www.lucyslaughlounge.com.
