Nick Guercio knew he wanted to try his hand at comedy. An LSU grad and Kenner native who lived most of his life in Baton Rouge, he always loved comedy, but the Capital City’s options were limited.
“Growing up in Louisiana, I never really imagined doing it,” he says. “There weren’t a whole lot of opportunities to get up and do it [in Baton Rouge]. At the same time, I never really sought them out.”
After graduating, he moved to New York City, and in 2009, he saw an Upright Citizens Brigade performance.
“That’s when I knew I wanted to do it,” he says.
In December 2010, he started taking classes with the troupe, which was started by Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh in 1996. The UCB theatre has risen in popularity, becoming one of the places for comedy in the nation. It has hosted big names such as Will Ferrell, Tina Fey and Conan O’Brien in UCB shows.
Now, UCB has two schools in New York and one in Los Angeles, becoming a breeding ground for comedic talent. UCB alumni have gone on to perform and write for Saturday Night Live, The Office, 30 Rock and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
A little more than a month ago, Guercio made his debut at UCB’s East Campus in New York with the Boombox team. He says the experience was awesome, and he’s proud to be part of the group. While working a 9-to-5 job as marketing director for the Traffic Audit Bureau, he spends his evenings focusing on comedy. He doesn’t mind the lack of sleep sometimes because it’s all still fresh and exciting.
“I’m always doing shows,” he says. “There’s everything from sketch comedy to improv. We have a great community with people who like to shoot and write. There are always opportunities. You just have to say yes and keep doing stuff.”
His favorite comedians and shows: Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim of Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job!, Sarah Silverman, Saturday Night Live, Monty Python. “John Cleese and Michael Palin are two of the funniest people who have ever lived,” he says. “I’m smiling thinking about them right now.”
Where he got his sense of humor: A combination of friends and family he grew up with. “My dad and brother are two of the funniest people I know,” he says. “My dad introduced me to things like Monty Python.”
What he’s learned from UCB: “Comedy comes from listening and reacting,” he says. “You don’t want to worry about just going out there and making jokes and being funny. With improv, the biggest mistake I see is when people ham it up. What leads to great improv is great acting and commitment. The funny follows from there.”
