An interview with gaspare randazzo

Gaspare Randazzo is a comedian, teacher, and co-host of the Social Studies podcast.

Stephanie: What led to your becoming a NYC public school teacher? Like, when did you start? Because I started twelve years ago. 

Gaspare: I started thirteen years ago. 

Stephanie: Always at the same school?

Gaspare: Well, I had my certification in ASL and I started teaching during that hiring freeze. I found a principal at a school that was willing to bring me in as a foreign language teacher where I’d do ASL. I also had my history certification, but nobody was hiring for history at that time. 

Stephanie: So, I went to see your stand up on Long Island last year with some friends. Actually, a little more than a year ago. I definitely have an appreciation for stand up. It’s not something I could ever do. I’m usually very entertained and impressed by someone’s set, but I wouldn’t say that I’m like always like, laughing. But, when I saw your set, holy shit, I did not stop laughing for a minute. It was so well done. You’re amazing. 

Gaspare: Aww, thanks! I like that place. A lot of comedy clubs have a hard cut off. Like, one hour and you’re done. The owner of Governor’s is a great guy. He lets me just keep going. 

Stephanie: Yeah, that was my first time there. I’d never been before. I’d definitely go back. You know what I liked about it, like watching you perform? It felt so natural. Like, I felt like we were in your home and you’re just the best host ever who keeps us all laughing and entertained and somehow always knows what to say. Comedy just seems to be an innate talent of yours. So, with that being said. Walk me through the realization that you had a talent for comedy and deciding to pursue it professionally.

Gaspare: I mean, I don’t know. My whole life I always told stories. I’d always be joking around. And you know, you pick up on things, you can tell when people are listening in to what you’re saying. In school I got rated all of those things: class clown, class funniest…When I got older, my humor became less cutesy and I realized more adults were finding me funny. But I wasn’t planning on doing anything with that. I felt like, I don’t know, I was just going to teach and be funny.

So, not far from my house they were filming a movie and I got to be an extra in it because someone reached out and asked me. The guy who brought me in said, “you know you’re really funny. Did you ever consider stand up?” I always thought about doing it, but I never thought it would come to anything. So, he invited me to do an open mic, just to see what I had. There were like eight people in the audience. It went well. The owner of the club was like, “how long have you been doing this?” When he learned it was my first time he was impressed. So, you know I started booking more shows at clubs, but nothing crazy. When I started posting my bits on social media is when I grew an online following. Suddenly the audience went from like eight people to over 200 people. Now suddenly it’s like, you know, I’m no longer doing eight minute sets at clubs, I’m headlining. It’s still surreal because I’m still a teacher. I’ll be sitting with colleagues at lunch and realize I have to go do a show that night. I don’t know. I’m still a regular person. I was just helping my daughter put dresses on her dolls and stuff today. 

Stephanie: Wow. That’s amazing. I mean you really are that fucking good. I need you to know that. So, considering this is obviously a talent of yours…how much preparation goes into your stand-up? You come off as genuine, off the cuff and conversational. It’s really impressive.

Gaspare: Zero preparation. 

Stephanie: Oh my God. 

Gaspare: When I first got a headlining gig opening for Joe Dombrowski, I opened for him at Caroline’s. I don’t know if you remember it…anyway…whatever. I opened for him at Caroline’s. And, the owner was like, “wow, you’re really funny. We want to book you for a headlining gig.” So, I had really like ten minutes of material. And he said, “can you do an hour?” And knowing I only had ten minutes I was like, “yeah of course.” So, we set up an hour-long show for a month and a half after that. It sold out within an hour of posting the ad for it. And again, I didn’t even have an hour’s worth of material. I sat and wrote for an hour. Remember that movie Limitless? 

Stephanie: Yes!

Gaspare: it felt like that, minus the drugs. So, I wrote for an hour. I practiced a few times in the house. And I said, alright let’s see how it goes. You know, you really write your jokes on stage. I have an idea of what I’ll say. But, I literally get on stage and start saying it. I let the momentum of thinking and feeling come out. If I like it, I’ll write it down later. If not, I move on. It’s really trial and error. 

Stephanie: You seem like someone who’s seen a lot—confident and comfortable, even when facing trolls. 

Gaspare: You know, my AP said to me, “It’s funny. People think you suck. In reality you're a highly effective teacher.” People don’t realize, I have to be good at teaching if I want to do this. [comedy] I can’t make these jokes about my profession and then suck at it. If I don’t work hard, I’m basically outing myself. People don’t realize I’ll make these jokes but, my parent call log is longer than everyone else’s. It has to be. You know, I know I’m being watched.

Stephanie: I think people also don’t realize that when you teach for a while, you start to figure out how other people teach. Just by watching your videos and stand-up I already know that you’re a top tier teacher. I know you’re never giving 60% at work, but like, your 60% would be better than a lot of people’s 100%, you know? I just know that you’re someone who the kids really get inspired by. It’s so obvious that in spite of your jokes about the profession, you enjoy it. You’re really good at it. 

Gaspare: Aww, thanks. 

Stephanie: I think a lot of people see a movie like Freedom Writers and just think that kids are so naturally inspired by any teacher in the room. Like there’s this inherent reverence. Can you explain to the average non-teacher, what goes into earning a student’s respect?  

Gaspare: My teaching is like my stand up. I’m trying to get us to have fun and I’m also being informative. You know, I just talk to kids like people. That’s just who I am. It’s not in my nature to be authoritative. The kids respond well to me. I just treat everyone like we’re here to have a good time. You know, I’m tier six. I’ve got at least another thirty years. I can’t be serious for the rest of my life

Stephanie: Yeah, I’m tier six too. We’re fucked.

Gaspare: I think knowing when and how to push a kid’s buttons and knowing where to draw the line is important. I have 30 kids in my class. People don’t realize it’s not just one size fits all. You always have to be aware of who has trauma, who can read well, who can’t, things like that. People think you “just teach.” But you’re never just teaching. There are so many variables that you can never be prepared for. We don’t learn how to deal with that in teaching school. You know, there’s no predicting what Dennis is gonna do and say when he decides he wants to curse out the room. People don’t realize how much of teaching is just reacting to what’s being presented. A lot of teaching is just reacting. 

Stephanie: Well, yeah and hoping that you’re reacting in the right way. You know, you’re such an icon for us teachers. I hope you know that. I can’t tell you how important it is, for me as a teacher, to see balance represented in our profession.

Gaspare: Yeah. Social media normalized a lot of things people are afraid to feel and say. My favorite compliment I ever got was when somebody DMed me and said, “you make me feel so seen.” When I was first starting out and I experienced something, I thought I was the only one having that experience. I didn’t want to be the teacher who messed up. I like that voice of the people idea, I guess. I like that people don’t feel alone. 

Stephanie: For someone who’s not a teacher, especially a NYC public school teacher, what do you think would strike them as absurd, hilarious, or unreal? Like, we come to accept so much crazy stuff. What do you think the average person would notice in a day that would give them pause? For me, it’s the fact that the windows open like a quarter of an inch at most.

Gaspare: First, I want people to know that my shows are for everyone. You know, everyone has been to a school and can understand the dynamic in one. But, I think people wouldn’t believe the levels of disrespect we face. People assume that the kids are in awe of us because we’re their teachers. But, when they hear my stories, non-teachers are always shocked to hear about the disrespect. They don’t realize that we get cursed out. 

Stephanie: You’ve been touring quite a bit. How are the audiences in NYC compared with other audiences across the country? Do you have to tailor your jokes, or do you feel like the absurdities are pretty much the same nationwide?

Gaspare: You would be shocked at how universal all of these experiences are. Like, I’ll make a joke about PBIS (a behavior support initiative.) And teachers in the audience are laughing. They might not call their system at their school PBIS, but they have a similar system. This idea that the kid who curses out his teacher, gets escorted away, and comes back with a candy bar is a nationwide experience. I’ve even had people in other countries relate to that one. 

Stephanie: That’s so unsettling. But, I guess it's comforting too. 

Gaspare: Also, New York City is so diverse. When I tell certain stories, people aren’t used to diversity. You know, there are teachers in the audience who don’t get the ENL (English as a New Language) jokes because in their district there’s no ENL students. They’ll be like, “what’s Lunar New Year.” Meanwhile, my four year old is saying how much she loves Lunar New Year because she learns about it in school. There’s an understanding and acceptance of so many cultures in New York. 

Stephanie: What’s it like touring with other teacher comedians? When you trade experiences and stories, what’s most surprising or relatable?

Gaspare: Joe Dombrowski is my best friend. He’s definitely been a mentor to me. We have a podcast together. I don’t know if you know him, but he’s got like millions of followers now and stuff. He’s helpful because he has the same story as me. He was a teacher turned comedian, but he’s a few years ahead of where I am. Frank Favia is also great. He’s been in the comedy game. He knows a lot of ins and outs. He knows a lot of things I don’t know because I’m relatively new. Everybody adds different value, a different element to what I need to know and need to learn.

Stephanie: That’s important to have. Alright, now some fun questions. These are all considering that you’re a history teacher. If you could pick one historical figure to co-teach with, who would you choose, and why would they make a great co-teacher?

Gaspare: If I could pick my own co-teacher…ugh, I don’t know. I hate co-teaching. 

Stephanie: Me too. 

Gaspare: I don’t know. Maybe I’d pick Helen Keller. She won’t interrupt me. I’m a control freak, so I like that she’d just let me do everything and wouldn’t bother me. You know, I know sign language too, so that works well. I don’t know. Is this gonna get me cancelled?

Stephanie: No, clearly you see value in the woman. You appreciate Deaf culture more than most. 

Gaspare: I do. 

Stephanie: I know you’re a big Abe Lincoln fan. If every day Abe Lincoln could have carried three items under his top hat, what do you think he would have chosen?

Gaspare: Ha! Okay well, first probably some pictures of men. The more that comes out about him…you know more is coming out about him that suggests he was probably gay. So, male nudes. Second, maybe a cell phone so that he could call the depression hotline. He was extremely depressed. Third…I don’t know, maybe a gun to defend himself before he got shot. I don’t know, I’m looking out for him.

Stephanie: Ok, let’s picture Abe Lincoln as a student for a moment.  If Abe Lincoln could have stored any drug of choice in a compartment in his top hat, what do you think he would have chosen? How would he respond when he got caught?

Gaspare: Well, Abe wouldn’t have done any drugs. He was too straight-laced, so I’m gonna say none. And the school would have been like, yeah…that’s our boy.

Stephanie:  If you could create and direct a show about teachers in a high school. What three people would have to be in the cast? 

Gaspare: Me, because I actually know what it’s like to be in the classroom. Morgan Freeman, he has that very principal vibe. Maybe The Rock as the dean and sports coach. He’s cool, and he’s trying to change lives, but he’s also goofy. Leonardo DiCaprio could be the teacher who gets in trouble for sleeping with a student. I don’t know. He probably wouldn’t want to be in my show. 

Stephanie: Yeah, probably not. Only if you were a 20 year old woman. Alright. If you could go back and give your first-year-teacher self one piece of advice—and your first-time-on-stage self another—what would they be?

Gaspare: As a first time comedian, I’d tell myself to get on Tik Tok before the boom. I got on late and missed the boom. I’d also say find your niche earlier. The first few years of stand up I was doing different stuff. But the teaching niche it what hit. I wish I had done it earlier. As a teacher, I’d tell myself to just keep going. You’ll make mistakes. I used to think every mistake was like, you know, the end of the world. But looking back, they don’t mean that much. 

Stephanie: Gaspare, thank you so fucking much. I’m so impressed with you and everything you do. I’m truly so grateful that you took the time out to talk. Please keep in touch. 

Gaspare: Thanks! I mean this is my personal number, so. 

Stephanie: Yeah, this is mine too. Please don’t drunk text me.

Gaspare: Okay, don’t drunk text me either.

To find out more about Gaspare and to buy tickets for his upcoming shows, click here.