A much-hailed comedian with a penchant for surprises will appear at the Auburn Public Theater on Saturday.
Paul Mecurio, political satirist, has appeared before at the theater and was known for his ability to improvise with the audience, said Carey Eidel, co-owner of the theater.
Besides his public appearance at two shows Saturday night, Mecurio will perform privately for St. Joseph School Friday night.
Another comedian, James Oakes, will be the opening act for Mecurio.
Mecurio is a comedian, actor and an Emmy- and Peabody-Award-winning writer.
A native of Providence, R.I., Mecurio began his comedy career by moonlighting as a comedian in the mid-90s. By day he was a mergers and acquistions lawyer on Wall Street and later an investment banker at Credit Suisse First Boston.
Then he sent a joke to Jay Leno, who used it on “The Tonight Show” and paid him $50. He began sneaking out at night to perform at open mic nights.
“I didn't want anyone on Wall Street to know I was a comedian because they wouldn't have taken me seriously, and I didn't want anyone in comedy to know I was a Wall Street guy,” Mecurio said on his Web site.
Leno hired him to write jokes for “The Tonight Show,” and Mecurio moved into doing stand-up comedy full time. He later joined the original writing team for “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central in 1996. There he won an Emmy for “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Indecision 2000.”
Mecurio had his own “Comedy Central Presents” half-hour special and was involved with numerous other Comedy Central shows. He makes regular appearances on CNN and MSNBC as a political satirist and was featured as a political satirist in the 2004 presidential election coverage.
He is regularly heard by millions of listeners nationwide in “Paul Mecurio's Image Makeover” on a nationally syndicated radio show, “The Bob & Tom Show.”
He has written, produced and directed five short films, such as “Gloves,” an off-center dark comedy screened at several film festivals, including The U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, The Toronto Film Festival, The Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and The San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain.
He worked on the film “American Buffalo” with Dustin Hoffman and Dennis Franz and can also be seen in the film drama “High Art, Low Life,” written and directed by Peter Nourjian. He also recently played the lead role in the independent film “Faux Pix.”
“I don't think in this day, if you're a political satirist or a commentator that I or any group of us will be able to really affect a major change with it,” Mecurio said on his Web site. “I think we're just inundated and it's hard to stand out. I think it can help sway people in a certain direction, but I don't think that you can point to it directly and say, ‘This is definitely going to affect change.'”
Mecurio recently shot the television pilot “Sports Central,” which he starred, co-created and executive produced. He appeared at Hot Comix in New York City at the end of April, just prior to his upcoming appearance Friday and Saturday at the Auburn Public Theater.
The APT has secured a temporary beer and wine license for Saturday for those interested in buying beverages at the theater. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
If you go
What: Fundraiser for St. Joseph School with Paul Mecurio
When: Dinner at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 2; show follows at 7 p.m.
Where: Auburn Public Theater
Cost: $35
Info: Call 253-8327
What: Comedian Paul Mercurio
When: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 3
Where: Auburn Public Theater, 108 Genesee St., Auburn
Cost: $15 at the door
Info: Call 253-6669 or visit www.paul- mecurio.com
Besides his public appearance at two shows Saturday night, Mecurio will perform privately for St. Joseph School Friday night.
Another comedian, James Oakes, will be the opening act for Mecurio.
Mecurio is a comedian, actor and an Emmy- and Peabody-Award-winning writer.
A native of Providence, R.I., Mecurio began his comedy career by moonlighting as a comedian in the mid-90s. By day he was a mergers and acquistions lawyer on Wall Street and later an investment banker at Credit Suisse First Boston.
Then he sent a joke to Jay Leno, who used it on “The Tonight Show” and paid him $50. He began sneaking out at night to perform at open mic nights.
“I didn't want anyone on Wall Street to know I was a comedian because they wouldn't have taken me seriously, and I didn't want anyone in comedy to know I was a Wall Street guy,” Mecurio said on his Web site.
Leno hired him to write jokes for “The Tonight Show,” and Mecurio moved into doing stand-up comedy full time. He later joined the original writing team for “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central in 1996. There he won an Emmy for “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Indecision 2000.”
Mecurio had his own “Comedy Central Presents” half-hour special and was involved with numerous other Comedy Central shows. He makes regular appearances on CNN and MSNBC as a political satirist and was featured as a political satirist in the 2004 presidential election coverage.
He is regularly heard by millions of listeners nationwide in “Paul Mecurio's Image Makeover” on a nationally syndicated radio show, “The Bob & Tom Show.”
He has written, produced and directed five short films, such as “Gloves,” an off-center dark comedy screened at several film festivals, including The U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, The Toronto Film Festival, The Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and The San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain.
He worked on the film “American Buffalo” with Dustin Hoffman and Dennis Franz and can also be seen in the film drama “High Art, Low Life,” written and directed by Peter Nourjian. He also recently played the lead role in the independent film “Faux Pix.”
“I don't think in this day, if you're a political satirist or a commentator that I or any group of us will be able to really affect a major change with it,” Mecurio said on his Web site. “I think we're just inundated and it's hard to stand out. I think it can help sway people in a certain direction, but I don't think that you can point to it directly and say, ‘This is definitely going to affect change.'”
Mecurio recently shot the television pilot “Sports Central,” which he starred, co-created and executive produced. He appeared at Hot Comix in New York City at the end of April, just prior to his upcoming appearance Friday and Saturday at the Auburn Public Theater.
The APT has secured a temporary beer and wine license for Saturday for those interested in buying beverages at the theater. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
If you go
What: Fundraiser for St. Joseph School with Paul Mecurio
When: Dinner at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 2; show follows at 7 p.m.
Where: Auburn Public Theater
Cost: $35
Info: Call 253-8327
What: Comedian Paul Mercurio
When: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 3
Where: Auburn Public Theater, 108 Genesee St., Auburn
Cost: $15 at the door
Info: Call 253-6669 or visit www.paul- mecurio.com
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