GNY EP.197 | feat. Brandon Ciotti
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Good News York! This week Noah sits down with Utica-based stand-up comedian and improviser Brandon Ciotti for a deep, funny dive into the Central New York comedy scene. Brandon breaks down how he turns everyday stories into tight stand-up bits, why "trimming the fat" is the secret to a great joke, and how the power of the pause changed his whole approach to performing. The two also swap war stories about bombing on stage, debate stand-up vs. improv, and geek out over building live shows with a real identity — including Brandon’s Palace Theatre showcase lineup and a truly unhinged pitch for an "Improvised Everybody Loves Raymond, But With Paintball Guns" live show.
If you love stand-up comedy, improv, or just want to know what it takes to build a local comedy scene from scratch, this episode is for you.
Chapters:
0:00 – Cold open: chopping up a story into a joke
0:33 – Welcome to Good News York, meet Brandon Ciotti
0:42 – Brandon’s comedy origin story in Utica
2:15 – Brandon’s upcoming Palace Theatre showcase lineup
5:17 – How to get tickets to the July 17th show
5:38 – Why Brandon hasn’t performed in NYC yet
7:02 – The power of the pause in stand-up delivery
10:52 – The big unlock: turning raunchy jokes into clever bits
12:52 – Brandon’s joke-writing process with friends
15:56 – Building the Central New York comedy scene
20:20 – Why intimate "black box" venues are the best
21:47 – Marketing niche, hyper-specific live shows
26:32 – Pitching "Improvised Everybody Loves Raymond… with paintball guns"
32:05 – How to get started in stand-up in CNY
36:40 – Sponsor shoutouts and outro
Links & More:
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Good News York is a production of Click Stream Studios — www.ClickStreamStudios.com
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