The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Oh, what a night
Stand-up Paul Virzi recalls encounter in Cleveland as he’s set to play Hilarities
Over the last decade, comedian Paul Virzi has had many memorable sets in Cleveland. However, it was an incident after a show and outside of the comedy club that comes to mind when thinking about the Rock Hall City.
“One time I was walking back to the hotel and these girls are yelling, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’” said Virzi, calling from Phoenix. “I thought they were at the show. “They’re like, ‘Come here.’ After the third time them being nice, one of them goes, ‘Do you want PCP?’
“I’m like ‘What?’ She just offered some 1980s drug. It was crazy. I was happy to get to my hotel that night. I thought that was a little weird.”
There’s nothing weird or unexpected regarding Virzi’s success. In 2015, the comic watched his debut comedy album, “Night at the Stand,” go to No. 1 on iTunes and reach No. 4 on Billboard’s Top 100.
He’s also appeared on TruTV’s “Comedy Knockout,” AXS TV’s “Gotham Comedy Live” and The NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.” In the meantime, Virzi, who produces weekly podcast “The Virzi Effect,” has also grown a following opening for the likes of Bill Burr.
In fact, it was the popular funnyman’s idea that Virzi should release his first television special. After returning to Cleveland with appearances Aug. 4 through 6 at Hilarities 4th Street Theatre, Virzi will head home to the New York City area to shoot it.
“I’m very excited,” Virzi said. “I’ve been waiting for this moment since I was a little boy. I remember watching ‘Eddie Murphy Raw’ when I was 10 years old.
“Also (great was) the fact that some big names and big people approached me to be a part of it: Bill Burr and Pete Davidson. These guys said, ‘I think you’re funny; I want to put my name on it.’ It’s pretty surreal, exciting.”
When it comes to Virzi’s standup, there’s a realness he taps into with material that transcends his peers. Sure, his current set covers familiar topics such as family and life, but it’s the latter that digresses into an open discussion about depression, albeit delivered with a comedic twist.
“I definitely had to deal with some depression a year ago,” Virzi said. “I was in a dark place, and it was rough. I’m trying to make light about that and talk about that. The hour does get a little dark in some spots, but it’s real.”
So much in fact, Virzi said fans often approach him after his set showing their appreciation for his honesty. He’s looking forward to those moments during his Northeast Ohio shows in the hope of creating new memories of the Rock Hall City and erasing his oddball PCP-related story from the past.
“If you’re at the show and you want to say ‘What’s up?’ and you know, take a picture, maybe, maybe have a drink, that’s fine,” Virzi said. “But no, I won’t be doing any PCP at a train stop in the middle of Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland, where they’ve been doing construction for 30 years.”