Starting tomorrow night, downtown funny man Matt McCarthy will be hosting his own show, McCarthyism, at East Village hot spot, Rififi. Before you rush to see this comedic genius in person, take a few minutes to get inside his warped little redhead. You'll be glad you did.

Do you think redheads are naturally funnier?
I've never thought about that, they might be. I can tell you though, at a lot of shows people start laughing at me before I even say anything. It must be the red hair.

What does telling a joke that bombs on stage feel like?
It's like telling someone you're in love with them and them staring back at you blankly like you're an asshole.

Can you remember the first time you told a joke?
I definitely memorized Bugs Bunny cartoons when I was little and would recite them to my friends. The first time I ever went on stage was at my father's retirement party. The whole thing was essentially a roast of my old man and I pulled the M.C. aside and asked if I could say a few things at the end, so I started scribbling dow everything about my dad I could think of on a napkin. I went up, total surprise for everyone, and just slayed them. After that I decided to go to open mics.

What was it that made you decide to choose comedy as a career?
It's all I've ever wanted to do. I thought my brother and my dad were the funniest people in the world and that's all I ever wanted to be, was really funny.

Comedians are notorious drinkers. Any go-to hangover cures?
Certainly. When I was a lifeguard the cure was to jump into the freezing pool, knocked it right out. Last year I found the best hangover cure was to quit drinking entirely.

What are the best places to go to see live comedy in New York?
Definitely Drink at Work, because they have funny people doing cool shit. And The Kissing Booth with Brandy and Sara is a fantastic monthly show that is ALWAYS followed by an outrageous dance party.

Funnier gag toy from childhood: the whoopie cushion or fake vomit?
Whoopie cushion. Fake vomit never pays off.

Check out Matt every Tuesday this month at 10 p.m. at Rififi!

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Similar Topics:Comedy, Funny, Live Shows

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