Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco on his love affair with Montreal

MONTREAL – From explaining his take on the selfie to describing his life with his immigrant Italian parents, Sebastian Maniscalco‘s speciality is telling people what they’re thinking — but may be too afraid to say out loud.

And he’s not afraid to ask “aren’t you embarrassed?” as he skewers modern-day society through the lens of his old-world Italian-American upbringing.

“I’m a very observational type of comedian that points out every day absurdities,” he said.

“I grew up in an immigrant household with an Italian father who came to the U.S. when he was 15.”

“You don’t have to be an immigrant to understand it, but it’s an old world way of growing up that you don’t see nowadays.”

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Maniscalco is known mostly for appearing in Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show, as well as on Comedy Central Presents, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.

READ MORE: Ronny Chieng, Margaret Cho talk about Asian comics in mainstream comedy

Now, the veteran comedian who hails from Chicago, Illinois, is heading to Montreal as part of this year’s Just For Laughs festival.

“This is, I think, my fifth time and I always love coming to Montreal,” Maniscalco told Global News.

“Not only to do shows, it’s nice to hang out with the guys and gals who make people laugh for a living.”

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The comedic powerhouse said he’s exciting to check out the Ethnic Show, of which he’s been a part of in the past, as well as “taking my wife out for some nice dinners,” of course.

“You reconnect and you make new friends and the festival is really just a great show for the people,” Maniscalco said.

“I’m looking forward to taking in all the comedy.”

Throughout his 18 years on the stand-up stage, Maniscalco said he’s never felt so comfortable as he does in Montreal.

READ MORE: 5 reasons this year’s Just For Laughs festival will be the greatest yet

“When I first came here, I was a younger comedian honing in on my craft, and now…well, I haven’t mastered it but I feel extremely comfortable with what I’m doing on stage,” he said.

“Montreal has been a big part of that. The Montreal audience really knows their comedy.”

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Maniscalco’s show Aren’t You Embarrassed is on at the Gesù from July 20-26.

rachel.lau@globalnews.ca
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