thePULSEBy Alison Zawadski
Ever wonder how you could catch a rising star? All you have to do to catch rising comedic star Josh Ramirez is head out to any open mic night around Worcester.
Ramirez is a 22-year-old communications major at Quinsigamond Community College who is making a name for himself on the New England comedy circuit. Besides open mic nights, Ramirez can also be seen at Catch A Rising Star comedy club in Lincoln, R.I where he is a semifinalist in a competition (the next round will be held this month, tickets are $15).
“Some comics don’t like to perform in contests because they don’t like losing when they feel like they should have won,” Ramirez said. “Contests are not about winning, it’s about evaluating yourself as a comic and seeing where you stand as a performer. Winning is just the bonus.”
And after only a little more than a year on the scene, Ramirez stands among the best in the area. A bit of a late bloomer, Ramirez didn’t consider becoming a comedian until he was 16 and didn’t try it out until he was 21.
“When I was about 16 years old I saw ‘Chappelle’s Show’ for the first time, but I didn’t have the guts to do it,” Ramirez said. “It was just fun making people laugh. I wasn’t even the class clown, I was just always cracking jokes with my friends.”
After only one year of practice, Ramirez has figured out what it takes to please a crowd.
“I prepare ahead of time,” Ramirez said. “I have a bunch of different sets ready. I like being in the middle of a show to see what people are laughing at so I can give them what they want.”
If you go to see one of Ramirez’s shows, you can expect five to seven minutes packed with jokes about his time working at Best Buy, girls and everyday life. But, don’t expect a family-friendly show, as his material is a little more PG-13.
“I actually did a clean show at Quinsig,” he said. “But I’m more comfortable doing dirty, with the clean stuff I feel like I’m holding back.”
For a chance hear about the time he tried to sell a GPS to a lost 5-year-old at Best Buy or any number of hilarious stories, stop by Mahoney’s in Worcester on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m.
