Joe Piscopo

{{Infobox person

| name = Joe Piscopo

| image = JoePiscopoByPhilKonstantin.JPG

| caption = Piscopo in 2009

| birth_name = Joseph Charles John Piscopo

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|6|17}}

| birth_place = Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic (before 2014)
Independent (2014–present){{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/14/piscopo-confessions-of-a-disillusioned-democrat/ |title=Joe Piscopo's confessions of a disillusioned Democrat |first=Joe |last=Piscopo |newspaper=The Washington Times |date=August 14, 2014}}

| spouse = {{plainlist|

{{marriage|Nancy Jones|1973|1988}}
{{marriage|Kimberly Driscoll|1997|2006}}

}}

| children = 5

| education = Jones College (BA)

| occupation = {{Hlist|Actor|comedian|radio host}}

| years_active = 1975–present

}}

Joseph Charles John Piscopo ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|ɪ|s|k|ə|p|oʊ}} {{respell|PIS|kə|poh}}; born June 17, 1951) is an American actor, comedian and conservative radio talk show host. He was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984, where he played a variety of recurring characters. His film roles include Danny Vermin in Johnny Dangerously (1984), Moe Dickstein in Wise Guys (1986), Doug Bigelow in Dead Heat (1988) and Kelly Stone in Sidekicks (1992).

Early life

Piscopo was born in Passaic, New Jersey, and grew up in North Caldwell.{{Cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courierpostonline/access/1847997561.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+22%2C+1999&author=&pub=Courier+Post&desc=The+HBO+series%2C`The+Sopranos%2C%27+features+Steve+Van+Zandt+(from+left)%2C+Tony+Sirico+and+James+Gandolfini.&pqatl=google |title=The HBO series, 'The Sopranos,' features Steve Van Zandt (from left), Tony Sirico and James Gandolfini |newspaper=Courier-Post |date=March 22, 1999 |access-date=December 23, 2014 |quote=Actor-comedian Joe Piscopo grew up in the neighborhood where the show is set, North Caldwell, Essex County.}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} He attended West Essex High School and was a member of the drama club "The Masquers."{{cite book |last1=Lurie |first1=M.N. |last2=Siegel |first2=M. |last3=Mappen |first3=M. |title=Encyclopedia of New Jersey |publisher=Rutgers University Press |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-8135-3325-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_r9Ni6_u0JEC&pg=PA640 |access-date=June 22, 2019 |page=640}}{{cite news |last=Strauss |first=Robert |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/07/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/07njPERSON.html |title=So Jersey, He Deserves His Own Rest Area |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 7, 2005 |access-date=March 14, 2011 |quote=Mr. Piscopo's father, also named Joe, was a lawyer and the family mostly lived in Essex County, the younger Joe graduating from West Essex High School in North Caldwell. With his Saturday Night Live fame, he moved to one of the richest corners of New Jersey, Alpine, persuading Mr. Murphy to join him there in that wealthy enclave by the Palisades.}} He developed a reputation for never playing a part the way it was written. After graduating in 1969, Piscopo attended Jones College in Jacksonville, Florida, where he received a degree in broadcast management.{{cite book |first1=Maxine N. |last1=Lurie |first2=Marc |last2=Mappen |title=The Encyclopedia of New Jersey |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_r9Ni6_u0JEC&pg=PA640 |access-date=December 13, 2012 |date=April 1, 2004 |publisher=Rutgers University Press |isbn=978-0-8135-3325-4 |page=640}}

''Saturday Night Live''

In the summer of 1980, Piscopo was hired as a contract player for Saturday Night Live. The show had gone through a major upheaval when all the writers, major producers, and cast members left that spring. The new cast bombed with critics and fans with the exception of Piscopo and Eddie Murphy. As a result, they were the only two cast members to be kept when Dick Ebersol took over the show the following spring. With the success of SNL, Piscopo moved to the wealthy borough of Alpine, New Jersey.

Piscopo is best known for his impressions of celebrities, including Frank Sinatra. Piscopo rewrote the lyrics for a Sinatra sketch with the help of Sinatra lyricist Sammy Cahn and recalled that, "by the grace of God, the old man loved it."{{cite episode |title=Saturday Night Live Backstage |series=Saturday Night Live |network=NBC |airdate=February 20, 2011}} Piscopo later reprised his role as Sinatra in a series of stop-motion animated ads for Lipton Brisk Iced Tea.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln85vuyTnM4|title=Making of Brisk Commercial Sinatra|website=YouTube|publisher=Jon Murphy|date=February 11, 2023|access-date=May 3, 2023}} He had an occasional spot on the Weekend Update segment as a bombastic sports commentator who would pose a series of questions and usually follow them up with a loud, "Who cares?". Piscopo and Robin Duke also played The Whiners.

Post-''Saturday Night Live'' career

Piscopo left Saturday Night Live at the end of the 1983–1984 season. In 1984, he starred with Michael Keaton in the movie Johnny Dangerously, which was met with mixed reviews. He also starred in an HBO special and wrote a book for Pocket Books titled The Piscopo Tapes. An album, New Jersey, for Columbia Records, followed in 1985{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/Joe-Piscopo-New-Jersey/release/2973674 |title=Joe Piscopo – New Jersey |date=August 15, 1985 |publisher=discogs}} and an ABC special titled The Joe Piscopo New Jersey Special in May 1986.{{Cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-05-13-8602030441-story.html |title=Piscopo Occasionally Ready for Prime Time |first=Clifford |last=Terry |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=May 13, 1986}} In 1987, Piscopo was mentioned in the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers single "Jammin' Me".

In the mid-to-late 1980s, Piscopo developed an interest in bodybuilding. He first became involved with it when he was doing impressions of Bruce Springsteen on SNL.{{cite news |last1=Willistein |first1=Paul |title=It's Jersey for this Joe: Piscopo Tones His Bulging Biceps and Career |url=https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1988-05-06-2631750-story.html |access-date=June 1, 2020 |work=The Morning Call |date=May 6, 1988}} He appeared on the cover of Muscle & Fitness magazine in April 1988 and again in June 1990. In the 1990 issue, he said, "Some people in Hollywood think I'm nuts with this bodybuilding stuff. They'll say, 'You're getting too big. You'll hurt your career.' But they don't understand that high that comes from a workout, the challenge, and the personal victory."{{cite web |title=Muscle & Fitness Retro – June 1990 |url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/features/active-lifestyle/muscle-fitness-retro-june-1990/ |website=Muscle & Fitness |date=June 22, 2012 |access-date=June 1, 2020}}

Since January 2014, Piscopo has hosted Piscopo in the Morning, a radio show from 6:00 am to 10:00am weekdays on 970AM The Answer in New York City.{{cite web |url=https://www.omnycontent.com/d/playlist/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/1653b65b-9542-4b26-8698-a8080037de28/4cbe99fa-a5dc-4fdf-94d4-a8080037de2d/podcast.rss |title=The Joe Piscopo Show |website=omnycontent.com}} From the inception of his radio program until June 2020, Piscopo's program was produced by Frank Morano, who also served as an on-air contributor.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ4suLYidKA | title=Joe Piscopo & Frank Morano on Capturing an Audience on AM970 | website=YouTube | date=August 28, 2015 }} Starting on December 13, 2020, Piscopo also began to host the Ramsey Mazda Sunday Nights with Sinatra on 770 AM WABC in New York and WABC's sister station 107.1 FM WLIR in Hampton Bays.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuCWfXsTNss&feature=emb_logo Ramsey Mazda Sunday Nights with Sinatra Hosted by Joe Piscopo Promo Video] (Retrieved from the 77 WABC Official YouTube channel on December 15, 2020)

Piscopo considered running as an independent for governor of New Jersey in 2017 based in part on the political success of Donald Trump, for whom he campaigned in 2016. He was encouraged by a number of political figures, including former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/20/nyregion/joe-piscopo-new-jersey-governor.html |title=Joe Piscopo Considers Running for Governor of New Jersey. No Joke. |last=Corasaniti |first=Nick |date=February 20, 2017 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=February 21, 2017 |issn=0362-4331}} However, in May 2017, he ultimately decided not to run.{{cite news |url=http://miami.cbslocal.com/2017/05/03/snl-trump-joe-piscopo-wont-run-new-jersey-governor/ |title=Joe Piscopo won't run for New Jersey governor |work=CBS Miami |agency=Associated Press |date=May 3, 2017 |access-date=May 3, 2017}} Piscopo has been active in a band and performed stand up and music at a political rally hosted by businessman Mike Lindell in May 2021.{{Cite web|first=Grace|last=Dean|date=May 7, 2021|url=https://news.yahoo.com/mike-lindell-holding-rally-south-105354618.html|title=Mike Lindell is holding a 2,200-person rally at the Corn Palace in South Dakota to promote his voter-fraud website Frank|website=Yahoo! News}}

Personal life

In 1973, Piscopo married Nancy Jones. They had one child and divorced in 1988. In 1997, he married Kimberly Driscoll, who was his son's nanny when Piscopo was married to Jones. They had three children and divorced in 2006.{{cite news |last1=Terruso |first1=Julia |title=Judge orders Joe Piscopo to pay $10K in child support |url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/11/judge_orders_joe_piscopo_to_pa.html |work=The Star-Ledger |date=November 30, 2012}}

Piscopo is a resident of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, and has also lived in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey.{{Cite news |last=Homer |first=Jordan |url=http://www.newjerseyhills.com/hunterdon_review/news/tewksbury-s-piscopo-featured-at-cento-amici-s-th-spring/article_8058f7f3-5e58-58ba-bf6a-bf5691b84d7f.html |title=Tewksbury's Piscopo featured at Cento Amici's 28th spring scholarship dinner |newspaper=Hunterdon Review |date=April 9, 2016 |access-date=October 26, 2018 |quote=Joe Piscopo, Tewksbury resident, former Saturday Night Live star, morning radio host, and New Jersey Hall of Famer was the evening's star. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412041410/http://www.newjerseyhills.com/hunterdon_review/news/tewksbury-s-piscopo-featured-at-cento-amici-s-th-spring/article_8058f7f3-5e58-58ba-bf6a-bf5691b84d7f.html |archive-date=April 12, 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/003870.php |title=On the Comeback Trail: John Kerry and...Joe Piscopo? |website=The Left Coaster |date=March 9, 2005 |access-date=June 11, 2009 |archive-date=August 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828132457/http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/003870.php |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last=Jennings |first=Rob |url=https://www.nj.com/sussex-county/2017/04/joe_piscopo_insists_hes_still_thinking_of_running.html |title=Joe Piscopo insists he's still thinking of running for N.J. governor |agency=NJ Advance Media |work=NJ.com |date=April 7, 2017 |access-date=September 2, 2017 |quote=Piscopo, who lives in Lebanon Township, suggested he would tap into a similar base of support if he runs.}}

Piscopo is an avid New Jersey Devils fan and was the emcee for the team's 2003 Stanley Cup championship celebration.

Piscopo was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 1990.{{cite web |last1=Shifrin |first1=Alexander |title=Celebrities with Thyroid problems |url=http://www.shifrinmd.com/celebrities-with-thyroid-problems-2.html |access-date=July 13, 2022}}

Awards

In 2013, Piscopo was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |date=April 14, 2014 |title=Joe Piscopo |url=https://njhalloffame.org/hall-of-famers/2013-inductees/joe-piscopo/ |access-date=April 15, 2022 |website=New Jersey Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
1976 \| King Kong \| Bit Part \| Uncredited
1977 \| American Tickler \| Announcer \| aka Draws
rowspan="3" \| 1984 \| The House of God \| Dr. Fishberg \|
Johnny Dangerously \| Danny Vermin \|
The Joe Piscopo Special \| Himself \| Television special
rowspan="4" \| 1986 \| Julian Lennon: Stick Around \| Rival \| Video short
New Jersey Vice \| \| Short
The Joe Piscopo New Jersey Special \| Himself \| Television special
Wise Guys \| Moe Dickstein
rowspan="2" \| 1988 \| Dead Heat \| Doug Bigelow
Star Trek: The Next Generation \| The Comedian \| Episode: "The Outrageous Okona"
1992 \| Sidekicks \| Kelly Stone \|
1993 \| Batman: The Animated Series \| Mugsy, Manager \| Voice, episode: "Read My Lips" (credited as Joe Piscapo)
1994 \| Huck and the King of Hearts \| Max \|
rowspan="4" \| 1995 \| Open Season \| Hamlet \|
Two Bits & Pepper \| Zike, Spider \|
Captain Nuke and the Bomber Boys \| Mr. Wareman \|
Multimedia Celebrity Poker \| Himself \| Video game{{Cite web \|first=Jacob \|last=Oller \|url=https://filmschoolrejects.com/video-game-performances-from-real-actors-59f2f34e46c2/ \|title=10 Crazy Full-Motion Video Game Performances By Well-Respected Actors \|date=March 23, 2017 \|website=Film School Rejects}}
1999 \| Law & Order \| Jeff Stahl \| Episode: "Ambitious"
2000 \| Baby Bedlam \| Jack \|
rowspan="2" \| 2001 \| Bartleby \| Rocky \|
Law & Order \| Jeff Cahill \| Episode: "Formerly Famous"
2004 \| Law & Order \| Jarret Whitestone \| Episode: "Cry Wolf"
rowspan="2" \| 2006 \| Last Request \| Angelo \|
Dead Lenny \| Louis Long \|
2012 \| Joe Piscopo: A Night at Club Piscopo \| Himself \| Television special
2013 \| How Sweet It Is \| Jack Cosmo \|
2018 \| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit \| Albert Romano \| Episode: "Mama"

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1976

| King Kong

| Bit Part

| Uncredited

1977

| American Tickler

| Announcer

| aka Draws

rowspan="3" | 1984

| The House of God

| Dr. Fishberg

Johnny Dangerously

| Danny Vermin

The Joe Piscopo Special

| Himself

| Television special

rowspan="4" | 1986

| Julian Lennon: Stick Around

| Rival

| Video short

New Jersey Vice

| Short

The Joe Piscopo New Jersey Special

| Himself

| Television special

Wise Guys

| Moe Dickstein

rowspan="2" | 1988

| Dead Heat

| Doug Bigelow

Star Trek: The Next Generation

| The Comedian

| Episode: "The Outrageous Okona"

1992

| Sidekicks

| Kelly Stone

1993

| Batman: The Animated Series

| Mugsy, Manager

| Voice, episode: "Read My Lips" (credited as Joe Piscapo)

1994

| Huck and the King of Hearts

| Max

rowspan="4" | 1995

| Open Season

| Hamlet

Two Bits & Pepper

| Zike, Spider

Captain Nuke and the Bomber Boys

| Mr. Wareman

Multimedia Celebrity Poker

| Himself

| Video game{{Cite web |first=Jacob |last=Oller |url=https://filmschoolrejects.com/video-game-performances-from-real-actors-59f2f34e46c2/ |title=10 Crazy Full-Motion Video Game Performances By Well-Respected Actors |date=March 23, 2017 |website=Film School Rejects}}

1999

| Law & Order

| Jeff Stahl

| Episode: "Ambitious"

2000

| Baby Bedlam

| Jack

rowspan="2" | 2001

| Bartleby

| Rocky

Law & Order

| Jeff Cahill

| Episode: "Formerly Famous"

2004

| Law & Order

| Jarret Whitestone

| Episode: "Cry Wolf"

rowspan="2" | 2006

| Last Request

| Angelo

Dead Lenny

| Louis Long

2012

| Joe Piscopo: A Night at Club Piscopo

| Himself

| Television special

2013

| How Sweet It Is

| Jack Cosmo

2018

| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

| Albert Romano

| Episode: "Mama"

References

External links

{{official website|https://joepiscopo.org/}}
{{official website|https://am970theanswer.com/radioshow/577|The Joe Piscopo Morning Show official website (WNYM 970am New York City)}}
{{IMDb name|685472}}

Category:1951 births

Category:20th-century American comedians

Category:21st-century American comedians

Category:Actors from Bergen County, New Jersey

Category:Actors from Essex County, New Jersey

Category:Actors from Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Category:Actors from Passaic, New Jersey

Category:American impressionists (entertainers)

Category:American male comedians

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male musical theatre actors

Category:American male television actors