CHIPPING AWAY
Comedian Adam Ferrara takes an artistic approach to stand-up comedy
Adam Ferrara is enjoying a nice day at home in California. “Today is going good,” he says. “I’m looking forward to heading out to New Mexico to do some comedy. I don’t think I’ve ever done stand-up out there. I’ve filmed out there. It’s been awhile.”
The comedian is set to perform four shows at Quezada’s Comedy Club and Cantina at the Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, and Saturday, Dec. 23.
Ferrara’s been performing comedy professionally for decades, though his quick wit has been around since he was a child.
“I started being funny on the school bus when I was a kid because if I was funny, I wouldn’t get beat up,” he says. “When I found out that I could do it, I kept at it. My mother thinks it’s a phase.”
Ferrara is a renaissance man.
Not only is he a comedian and actor, but he also hosted “Top Gear U.S.,” for six seasons.
Some of his “Top Gear” highlights include jumping a ’76 Coupe de Ville Cadillac 46 feet in the air, getting a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta up to 180 miles per hour, hang gliding a Mustang off a cliff and driving one of the original 1966 MK II GT40 which won Le Mans.
He also starred in the AOL series “In the Driver’s Seat with Adam Ferrara,” sponsored by Jaguar and
Range Rover, and was an online host for “The Barrett Jackson Collector Car Auction.”
Growing up on Long Island, New York, Ferrara got his love for muscle cars from his father who could fix anything while Ferrara’s only job would be holding the light.
Some of Ferrara’s other credits include playing Chief “Needles” Nelson on “Rescue Me,” along with roles in “Nurse Jackie,” “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” “Why Women Kill,” “NCIS,” “The Good Fight,” “Criminal Minds,” “Kevin Can Wait,” “The King of Queens,” “Law & Order” and “Ugly Betty.”
Despite all of his talents, it’s comedy that keeps him moving forward.
He’s the host of “The Adam Ferrara Podcast,” where he brings his comedy improv skills, welcoming fascinating personalities such as comedians, actors, writers, car enthusiasts, X-Gamers, musicians and detectives.
Ferrara is also working on putting together a new comedy special.
“The show has elements of the new special,” he says. “I like to turn my material over and over again. I like to keep it fresh. The majority of my comedy comes from what I’m going through in life. I take all the experiences, put it in a blender and make it funny. Then I hope my experience will relate to someone else.”
Because his comedy is taken from experiences, there aren’t many deterred experiences.
“I don’t know if it’s off limits or too early,” he explains. “When my dad died, I was writing about it and brought it to the stage. It wasn’t funny. I learned that you have to let it rest until it’s ready for an audience to receive it.”
Ferrara equates being a comedian to being a sculptor.
“The idea is that I have this block,” he says. “I’m the hammer and the audience is the chisel. As I chip away, it all becomes clear.”