At Comedy Plex Revue, we’re all about getting to know the comedians that take our stage.
Take Joey Villagomez, for example. We sat down with him just before the holidays to rap about his experiences growing up on Chicago’s south side and how that impacted his comedy.
What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen lately?
I do a lot of driving. After Covid, I think they were just handing out licenses. It’s gotten worse
out here. Before Covid, you had to go to DMV, physically do the written test and take the
driving test. I feel like if you can answer 10 questions, they just hand it to you.
You’re a Chicago South Sider. What was it like growing up there?
It was interesting, because I grew up in Back of the Yards. We didn’t have cellphones and
Internet. You learned a lot. They have a saying, if you didn’t get beat up once, you didn’t grow
up in the neighborhood. That’s what led me into comedy. Half of my friends were really funny.
How did you get into comedy in the first place?
I was always a fan of urban comedy. I didn’t get into comedy until 25 years old. It goes back to the neighborhood on the south side. I’m a fan of Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor. But when Martin Lawrence hosted Def Comedy Jam, he was funniest one.
What advice would you give to young comics looking for their big break?
Get on stage as much as you can. Don’t turn down hosting gigs. A lot of new comedians are
afraid to host, but I feel like hosting comedy shows is a great tool.
What are your thoughts on the state of the comedy industry as a whole?
I think it’s a thing where it’s unbalanced right now. A lot of comedians are trying to get crowd
work, but I feel like they are putting it out there for engagement to get social media followers. There’s too much content being pumped and a lot of it is not good.
Want to see Joey in action? Hit up Comedy Plex on New Year’s Eve, where he’ll be headlining before the ball drops in Times Square. You can also check out his Instagram page for more hilarity.
Take 5: JOEY VILLAGOMEZ