Gianmarco Soresi is a New York-based standup comedian whose comedy crackles with motion and theatrics. Italian, Jewish and very much a theatre kid, he brings all of it on stage — using wild gesticulations and self-scrutiny to mine jokes from mental health, sexuality, family trauma and politics. Ahead of his Bengaluru show, we get chatty with him to bring you everything you need to know about his tour.
A lot of comedians talk about punching up, but your comedy often punches inward. You talk about yourself and your relationships while tackling socially and taboo subjects. How do you figure out what’s funny versus what crosses the line?
I talk about my own impulses and flaws. That honesty lets things feel edgy but safe, because I’m not telling anyone what to think.
Given that India’s cultural and political context is different from the US, are there ideas you approach more carefully here?
I feel a little overconfident, because from what I’ve seen, comedians who get into trouble in a particular country are usually native to that country or live there. There’s a certain degree of, “oh, this American said something, who cares?” So, I try to push people’s buttons and test limits, but I always check-in right before and ask what the lines are. Honestly, I don’ t know enough yet to be offensive.
You’ve said jokes have a shelf life, which pushed you to release your latest special quickly before the material dated. Does that urgency affect the tour?
It gets hard because something happens in the news and you want to address it, but you don’t have time to craft a big joke. By the time you do, it’s already gone. You’re constantly navigating what to save for a special versus what you need clips for right now. I wanted a middle place for topical material that I’d actually worked on. We don’t have latenight shows anymore, so we all have to be our own TV networks.
What can Bengaluru audiences expect from your set?
I’ve got a bone to pick with the tech guys and gals. I’m talking about AI, robots and people playing God. There’s a chunk about where the world’s heading, my dad using ChatGPT and how I wish he would stop. You can expect plenty of that.
After this tour, what’s next?
I’ll rest a little, but I’m back on the road soon. These trips, especially touring internationally, give me new thoughts. I’m already thinking about what the next special is going to be.
February 14, 4.30 pm and 8 pm. At Good Shepherd Auditorium, Museum Road.
Written by: Anoushka Kundu
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