Gutfeld! Regular & New York City Native Welcomes Playing Hilton Head's Comedy Magic Cabaret & Dry Bar Gigs

Jeff Walker,  Entertainment Writer

In a bygone television era the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson was a launching pad for comedians. During his 30 run on late night, especially during the 1970's and 80's Carson helped promote the careers of stand ups such as George Carlin, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Joan Rivers, Rosanne Barr, Paul Reiser, and countless others.

While Leno and Letterman kept Carson's tradition alive, even those two talented hosts didn't have the same appeal as Johnny, with their successors dropping the ball completely. Sadly, the late night time slot (11:30pm) has become tired and lame, which is why Fox News' Gutfeld! show airing at 10am has risen in the ranks, becoming the most watched late night show over the past several years, mainly due to his steady rotation of stand up comedians as his panel guests.

One such Gutfeld! regular is Joe DeVito. Although he's been plying his comedic trade for more than two decades, the 57 year old native New Yorker admits appearing on Gutfeld has risen his profile. "Absolutely. It's definitely upped my game. Greg has the number one show in late night. Over 3 million tune in every night. I think even he's surprised his show is such a hit."

DeVito adds, "Being on Greg's show has helped me promote my shows, and it's helped me find an audience. Originally Joe Machi and myself were hired to be writers for Gutfeld, and we were both still focused on our stand up. But then our roles quickly turned into something different. Greg understood what we were trying to do, and I truly believe he appreciates what we bring to the show."

For DeVito his comic sense began to take shape during the 1980's. "I always enjoyed being funny and being a cut-up. In high school I'd make videos and write funny sketches. Maybe I was trying to be the center of attention, but really I just like to make people laugh."

Expressing himself carried over into college. DeVito is a proud graduate of Fairfield University (Connecticut), where he was a writer and editor for the school's student run newspaper Fairfield Mirror. After graduation he spent roughly 10 years in the corporate world, writing and advertising, trying to bring humor to his day-to-day office interactions.

Recognizing he had a knack for stand-up a co-worker urged him to pursue a comedy class. "A friend signed me up and went with me, to make sure I'd go. Initially I had some stage fright, mainly because it's way different than just writing jokes."

He goes on to say. "Two years in I said to myself, what the hell, I'll take a crack at this. I can do this professionally. At the same time the country was going through a economic crisis and I was facing corporate layoffs, which was another kick in the ass for me to try stand-up."

He started cutting his teeth at comedy clubs in and around New York City, appearing on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham in 2006, and at the Montreal 'Just for Laughs' comedy festival in their New Faces program. The following year DeVito was a semi-finalist on the 5th season on NBC's 'Last Comic Standing'.

At that point did DeVito have a backup plan if stand-up didn't pan out. "No, not really. I figured if I had to pay the bills I could do journalism or marketing, but I felt confident enough to keep at it." Realizing he had a specific 'funny bone', DeVito kept the pedal to the metal. "Honestly, you don't choose comedy, it chooses you."

Jokingly, he recalls his early days performing stand-up. "Even before open mike nights I threw up. Sadly, some of the bathrooms in comedy clubs in New York are so disgusting it had little or no effect on me."

His 2015 debut comedy album 'First Date with Joe DeVito', was well-received and helped him gain regular rotations on Spotify and SiriusXM satellite radio, further cementing his popularity. He hit pay-dirt again in 2019 with his Dry Bar Comedy special, 'First of All'..., with him offering up advice on dating over 40, aging, and health checkups. "Dry Bar has been amazing, and they have tapped into a particular market." 

While the clean cut Dry Bar format aligns with DeVito's persona, he's not afraid to randomly drop an expletive if it fits the bit. "I love a good dirty joke, but to just go up and curse without any reason doesn't appeal to me. Some comics go to far." He explains further. "If you throw in the occasional F-bomb because it fits, that's great. Does the joke work on its own merits. That's the true test for being funny."

What he better suggests has been his calling card since day one. "I like to mix it up. I do comedy clubs and corporate gigs. Every comedian should know his audience. Bottom line for me is, I just want the joke to work." His brand must be working because he's booked another Dry Bar special this coming October.

Although stand-up never crossed DeVito's mind when he was younger, he admits to being influenced by some greats that came before him. "Obviously people have different opinions now on Bill Cosby, but his album 'Why Is There Air' (1965) is super funny. When I really started to appreciate comedy I was drawn to comics like Richard Lewis, Woody Allen, and Joan Rivers." Jokingly he adds, "Basically neurotic Jews."

Regular admirers of DeVito's comedy who don't necessarily frequent clubs can catch him on Gutfled!. "I'm on about twice a month. And even when I'm not in, I'll send in jokes for show." What DeVito uses on Gutfeld! doesn't make its way into his own stand-up.

With Gutfeld ruling the late night ratings, DeVito is convinced on the show's appeal. "It's ironic, but they do comedy better on Fox News than they do on the traditional late night shows. No one wants to listen to a politician talk for 45 minutes."

When does DeVito find time to write fresh material. "I'm very disciplined when it comes to writing. If not I'll have nothing new to offer." And where does he find his comedy. "I pay attention to what's happening around me, but more so I try to make my comedy about what's going on in my world."

Just as he's a regular on Gutfeld!, DeVito is a frequent performer at the Comedy Magic Cabaret on Hilton Head Island, with their 'funny not filthy' concept. Fellow Gutfeld! guests such as Jamie Lissow and Michael Loftus have frequented their stage.

DeVito will be there again Thursday Sept 3rd for three nights. "I love Kerry (Pollock) and his wife Kelly (owners), and what they are doing. They know and appreciate their audience. Totally dedicated to fun. I get to go down there and be silly. Always a nice weekend."

If you live in the lowcountry of South Carolina especially in greater Beaufort or near Savannah Ga. and welcome clean comedy, than catching a show at Comedy Magic Cabaret is a great night out. The club has earned a 5 stars and #1 for nightlife on Tripadvisor rating. Kerry along with his wife regularly performs at the club, with Kerry acting as host when headliners come in. For more on their club visit https://www.comedymagiccabaret.com/home.html

For more on Joe DeVito's Hilton Head show visit https://hilton-head-comedy-magic-cabaret.seatengine.com/events/135685 and to keep up on Joe's schedule and Gutfeld! appearances visit https://www.joedevito.com/gigs
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