Native New Englander, Louie Berceli, has a knack for making the relatable and humiliating hilarious.
Coupled with his booming voice, that skill has helped him become a local favorite in the Boston comedy scene.
Tell me about how you became a stand-up comic.
I started out doing comedy because a guy I worked with at the time said he’d buy me a whiskey if I did an open mic. I had crippling stage fright at the time, but it turns out there isn’t much I won’t do for free whiskey.
How’s the comedy scene in Boston?
Comedy’s not a competition, it’s an art. If you’re good at it and you do something new with it, you’ll go places. I’ve heard the local comedy veterans declare the Boston scene dead three times since I’ve moved here, which is complete bullshit. We have a thriving scene, it’s just that comedy itself is evolving.
It isn’t just about getting on TV now, it’s about doing something new, and Boston is a great town for doing that.
What made you decide to become a vegetarian?
I went vegetarian because back when I ate meat, I used to tell people that I would never eat anything I also wanted to give a belly rub [to]. One night in college, I found myself drunkenly trying to pet a surprisingly cooperative skunk, and that was when I realized that I want to give everything a belly rub.
Describe your ultimate vegetarian meal.
The No Name at Grasshopper in Allston. It’s deep-fried gluten that tastes like General Tso’s chicken, and there is absolutely nothing healthy about it. I used to live on steak and bacon almost exclusively, so now I’m just searching for ways to make vegetarianism even less healthy.
I’m probably going to be the first vegetarian to die of gout.
