Italian-Australian comedian James Liotta wanted to work with Joe Avati since he first heard his stand up idol on cassette at age 17.
“In terms of Italian comics he’s sort of the best of the best – we consider him ’The Godfather’,” said the 36-year-old from northern Melbourne.
“Fifteen years later, with hard work and dedication, I got the chance to get to know him.”
Avati gave Liotta a 15-minute tryout spot three years ago, and ever since he has been a regular opening act for the veteran comedian.
“I’ve probably done more than 40 shows with Joe,” he said.
Liotta and Avati join forces again in The United Nations Comedy Gala at the Sphinx Hotel next Friday, alongside George Kapiniaris, John Burgos, Gab Rossi and Mimi Shaheen.
“We recount stories about our families and misunderstandings growing up in ethnic families,“ Liotta said.
“We all come from different backgrounds around the world, which is a great thing about the show.”
The show was chock-full of anecdotes that would resonate with anyone who grew up in an “ethnic” family, Liotta said.
“But also they’re things that all people relate to. The Aussies relate to it too because they all live next to an ethnic now!”
Liotta, the son of an Italian actor and playwright, began appearing on TV in series and commercials as a child.
After earning a drama diploma, he worked as a stand-up comedian, presenter and actor, appearing on shows like Underbelly, Hey Hey It’s Saturday and Neighbours.
Liotta made a few odder appearances, like on Today Tonight and in a fake commercial in ABC’s Gruen.
“I’ve been lucky enough to do more prominent things than Today Tonight but that was a funny one,” he said.
“In the Gruen skit my character was a tradesman and we were singing but I don’t remember what the ad was about.
“You do so many jobs in the meantime that you sort of forget what the character even was.”
He even acted alongside Rebel Wilson on skit show Thank God You’re Here.
“She went on to Hollywood and I went on to do United Nations in Geelong – so there you go,” he laughed.
But Liotta loves his work.
“Nothing beats doing comedy to a live crowd,” he said.
He has been part of the nationally-touring United Nations Comedy Gala for three years.
“I talk a lot about my parents and grandparents and how things are so different now to how we had it,” he said.
“My mother used to smack my cousins and they weren’t even her kids. We all copped it but the biggest thing is we grew up OK.”
Parents today tended to be too lenient and bubble wrap their children from the world, Liotta said.
“Which is kind of a ridiculous.”
