Florida Agenda

The South Florida Funny Man Talks Past, Present and Future

By Alex Vaughn

Michael Martini has had a varied and interesting career. Having always called South Florida home, the comedian and actor always has the issues of the community close to his heart. He is gearing up to emcee Hellrotika, Save Dade’s charity Halloween party. The Florida Agenda sat down with Michael to find out a little bit more about the man who is using comedy to get the issues out there!

Please tell Agenda Readers more about Hellrotika.

It’s the biggest Halloween event in South Florida! SAVE Dade presents their 17th Annual Halloween Extravaganza. There will be amazing music by renowned DJ’s, top shelf liquor, costume contest, celebrity appearances, special performances and over 1,000 of Miami’s spookiest partygoers!

The event will be held in a new venue this year, The Sabal Palm Plaza and Terrace at Jungle Island.

Are you excited about it?

Yes and very honored that Save Dade asked me to be emcee this year. I love the charity. It was created in 1993 to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals in Miami-Dade County from discrimination based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation. SAVE Dade, and its education arm SAVE Foundation, help raise awareness about rights and protections for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Tell us a bit about Michael Martini?

Well, I have always called Miami home. Born a long, long time ago at Mount Sinai hospital. I grew up in North Miami Beach and attended NMB senior high until I went away to college at Emerson College in Boston where I studied theatre and was in the Emerson Comedy club with fellow actors Mario Cantone, Dennis Leary and Anthony Clark. I had the first Gay and Lesbian Talk show called “the Michael Martini Hour” on WPBR back a few years ago and this enabled me to use my talents and help educate about our issues here in South Florida.

How did you start out?

My career literally happened by “ACCIDENT.” Ever since I was a little boy in pigtails and high heels, I always wanted to be an actor and comedian. Yet, after attending college, I was thrust into the business world. I had several high profile jobs including marketing director for Hallmark Cards, international marketing director for UNICEF and VP of marketing for Intel Corp. Back in 1999, I stumbled upon an audition in NYC for an Off- Broadway show called “Down under Darling.” I lined up with several hundred actors and to my surprise I was cast to play three roles and this lit my fire even more. But I was a slave to “Corporate America.” All that changed on a rainy December night in 2002. I was hit by a drunk driver and subsequently had to have a hip replacement and many years of physical therapy. This made me unable to perform my function at INTEL, but enabled me to pursue my dream of comedy and acting. So, as I said, my career happened by accident!

You have been away for a while, what brought you back?

I took a 4 month hiatus and have been travelling and touring. It was a well needed rest and I came back to host and MC the greatest party on earth!

What do you enjoy most about performing?

I love the connection with the audience. Each venue is different. I love live comedy clubs and Broadway stages because it is an immediate connection. Doing TV and movies is a different ballgame. I recently started doing TV, with roles on “The Glades” and “Burn Notice.”

What inspires you?

Making a difference really inspires me. When I was marketing director for UNICEF, I was inspired by the bravery of humans in the midst of war, crisis and famine. I am inspired by young gay Americans who brave discrimination and bullying and come out anyway. Thanks to my faith, I am able to take my gift of comedy and humor and use my public status to bring attention to LGBT issues and help make a difference when I can. I hope at the end, I have helped create change and inspired people. Comedy has a way of helping people understand our differences. For instance, I always ask a straight man in the audience how long he has been straight and does he think it’s a phase he’s going through and if his parents know. I ask why he made that choice. They always say it’s a stupid question, and I remind them I am asked that daily.

How is preparation for Hellrotika going?

The committee is working hard this year and this event is going to be off the charts! This year, we will have many choreographed numbers, four amazing DJ’s and of course an incredible costume contest hosted by me. Its’ all for a good cause, and I think it’s one of the best events all year.

Where would you really like to go in the future?

It’s really easy for me to connect the dots of my career going backwards, but more difficult going forward. I would like to continue doing comedy clubs and really have enjoyed TV and love my singing back in the 90s. My dream is to have my own sitcom and also have a charity that helps people who are HIV positive to get access to medication.

Are there any disadvantages to working within the community?

Sometimes casting directors know of my work in the LGBT community and they only see me as playing a “gay role.” But the benefits of working towards equal protection and creating awareness of our issues outweighs that.

When you look back over your career here, what’s the highlight?

I have to say back in the 90s singing with Cyndi Lauper at Carnegie Hall was amazing. I have enjoyed many facets of my career, from opening the first Lips restaurant in NYC, to my radio show. I actually think that was the highlight, because it brought attention to our issues.

Now, what’s the biggest cringe moment?

I HAVE HAD A FEW. I was in a dinner theatre production of “Anne Frank” and it was so bad when the Nazis came in, the audience screamed, “She’s in the attic.” (He is joking!) I have had people come on stage and do all sorts of crazy things. When people heckle, it kinda makes my show in actuality.

What effect has social networking had on your popularity?

Social networking is the most amazing tool for both actors and the special interests we have. We can reach a mass audience and let them know what’s going on, where we are performing, and how they can help out with our causes.

So what’s next for Michael Martini?

God only knows. I’m booked for “Hellrotika” and am auditioning again for the many TV shows that are here in South Florida. I am also in negotiations with Lips for a possible return. Of course, I am waiting for a call from my agent about that sitcom!

Hellrotika, Seed of the Beast, will be held at at Jungle Island at 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, FL 33132.
Advanced VIP and general admission are available at www.Hellrotika.com. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Comedian Tony Tripoli

By TROY MAILLIS

Tony Tripoli: I Sh*t My Pants!
(An Evening of Sophisticated Stand-Up)
Andrews Living Arts
23 NW 5th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Tickets: (954) 647-2409
Friday, Dec. 17 at 8 PM
Saturday, Dec. 18 at 7 & 9 PM
Sunday, Dec. 19 at 7PM

Comedian/actor Tony Tripoli, who has shared on-screen laughs with household firecrackers such as Kathy Griffin, Charlie Sheen and Bo Derek, is everything you want in a comedian and more. And he will make sure you know it! Andrews Living Arts and 4 The Sea Productions present “Tony Tripoli: I Sh*t My Pants!” (An Evening of Sophisticated Stand-Up) Dec. 17-19. In addition to stand up, he currently writes jokes for “Fashion Police” with Joan Rivers. Tony joked with Agenda about his upcoming show and why you will ‘sh*t’ your pants.

AGENDA: You have a show coming up in Fort Lauderdale next week. Can you talk about the show and what we can expect?

TONY: I am very excited. It’s going to be a really fun time. The show is called “Tony Tripoli: I Sh*t My Pants!” It’s practically and operetta. It’s just embarrassing, true tales of disasters happening in my life. I will say things that are so shocking and so ‘inside’ Hollywood. It’s my story of a single 40 year old gay guy living in West Hollywood.

AGENDA: When did you know that comedy was your thing? Was it something that you always knew you wanted to do or did it just happen?

TONY: I think it happened in a way similar to a lot of other comics. I was always a pain in the ass and I just found a way to make money off of it. One of the things that’s wonderful about me is I have opinions about everything regardless of whether I know anything about that topic. Since I was little, I have always been a mouthy person. I was that kid in the grocery store who would see a handicapped person and yell, “Hey look at that retarded person.” Basically I’m still doing that. Now it’s just my job.

AGENDA: Have you always been an openly gay comedian and actor? Were there any obstacles as a result?

TONY: I’ve always been completely openly gay and out of the closet. Let’s be honest, I didn’t have a lot of other choices. From across the room no one is going to think I’m a lumberjack. My television agents know not to submit me for any commercials or sitcoms unless the role is a gay role. With straight roles, I spend the whole time trying not to “walk that way” or “talk that way” and it takes all the fun out of it. There is a lot of bullshit you have to go through to actually get to perform, but once you are finally performing that’s the good part. So to do something that will take the fun out of it—why would you do that to yourself ?

AGENDA: What has it been like working with Kathy Griffin and Joan Rivers? Have they taught you a lot in your own career?

TONY: Kathy Griffin and I worked together and were best friends for about 10 years. There were times we would sit around and watch television and throw jokes around. I would eventually hear some of the jokes when she would perform, and I would remember back to when that funny joke or story was created in the room. It was thrilling. That was enough for me, and I never thought I would do stand-up myself; but my mom kept insisting that I should do it. I eventually did one night of stand-up at a benefit just so I could call my mother and say, “Look, I’m finally going to do stand-up.” My whole family flew in to watch me tell my story, and I thought that would be it. But when I walked off stage that night, I thought that it was the most fun I’d ever had. When you are doing stand-up, an editor, director, writer or producer can’t come in a change anything and take out the parts you like. You as the stand-up comedian becomes all of those roles. That kind of control is thrilling for someone who is pushy like me. It was the greatest thing. I hate to admit it, but my mother was right. I’ve been doing stand-up ever since.

AGENDA: How does it work on a show like “Fashion Police,” and what other projects are you working on moving into 2011 ?

TONY: With “Fashion Police” it’s a conversation between four people: Giuliana Rancic, George Kotsiopoulos, Kelly Osbourne and comedy legend Joan Rivers. It’s like Joan is hosting a little cocktail party. There are a few of us who write jokes for Joan the night before the show. We all sit around and laugh and laugh and laugh; and Joan laughs harder than anyone. Joan and I eventually go through the jokes and rank them based on what that show has time for. While the show is happening, I help guide her on how many jokes she can tell. One of the most amazing things I can tell you about Joan is that she is one the most generous audience members. She absolutely wants to be knocked off of her chair with laughter. She loves when someone else is on a roll and being hilarious. She’s a delight in every possible way.

I have big plans with Joan for 2011 and will be opening for her on the road. You can check out tonytripoli.com for all of the details.

Gay Theater Group Receives Grants from the Government

(Photo: Courtesy of Lea DeLaria – http://www.delariadammit.com/)

By DMITRY RASHNITSOV

Lesbian Comedian/Singer Lea DeLaria from Broadway’s On the Town and The Rocky Horror Show, TV’s Will and Grace and the movie Edge of Seventeen performs a special benefit for Rising Action Theatre at The Manor, 2345 Wilton Drive, Wilton manors on Friday July 30 and Saturday July 31. Both shows start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $39 for the main floor and balcony and $59 for VIP seating. DeLaria will entertain with song and comedy. DeLaria has distinguished herself in every form of entertainment she touches — Jazz musician, Broadway diva, actor, writer and stand-up comic.

The New York Times also called her Jazz Album “The Best Jazz Album of the Year.”

A review of a recent DeLaria show from CabaretScenes.com states, “Ms. DeLaria has a clarity, richness and warmth to her voice that draw her audience in, and an innate ability to swing even the most seemingly un-swingable of songs. There are times when her voice seems to slip quietly into your body and then melt. It’s almost the same feeling as when you take that first sip of a stiff drink (or, as Ms. DeLaria might prefer, the first puff of a joint) and feel the relaxation course through you.”

Recently, Rising Action Theater received a $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Broward for its Senior Readers Project. The project will begin again in September. Also, the City of Oakland Park has awarded Rising Action Theatre a $15,000 grant for its Audience Development Series.

The small theater that showcases about 10 shows per year was recently named Best Theater Company in a recent poll by the Broward New Times. This is the second year in a row that the theater won the award.

For more information about the theater or to purchase tickers to the DeLaria show visit: http://www.risingactiontheatre.com.