Comedian and actor Rick Shapiro never shied away from tough subjects, and crafted a career around tackling the controversial elements of humanity, whether on-stage, in television and film or in his books and albums.
It hasn’t been an easy path, however, and while Shapiro confronts the hardships he has faced – from a life-altering car accident in 2007 to a Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis in 2013 – with his typical sardonic wit and edge, the comedian is back on the road and hitting Ralph’s Rock Diner, 148 Grove St., Sunday, Nov. 6, with Erin Markey, Matthew Flynn and Ron Bush.
Shapiro was born in New Jersey, and grew up in New York. He called Worcester Magazine from his current home in Los Angeles. Shapiro was walking home from a pick up basketball game, his first in over 20 years.
“It could have been worse,” he said of the game while walking past the intersection of Santa Monica and Vine. “I’ve got Parkinson’s and they claim it gives you a little more time. The doctor said you’ve gotta do a sport every fucking day. I’m not a jock, I never wanted to be, anyway. I realized I couldn’t jump anymore. I don’t like routine so I said, ‘I’m playing ball.’ I can jump again, it’s cool. It felt good.”
One of the aspects of Shapiro’s comedy that is so exciting (and oft pointed out) is the virtual stream of consciousness on display, though the root of this style is more closely related to the literary device, an interior monologue left open to public consumption. Shapiro is a fun interview, one that rarely stagnates on one topic.
“America is a metaphor in itself, for what it would be like if it was the same country America was,” Shapiro said. “That’s something I realized. Everything is a metaphor.”
He paused, presumably pointing to a stranger on the street.
“The guy over there? The tall guy with the power tie and the cell phone? He is a metaphor,” Shapiro said.
As quickly as the topic shifts, Shapiro took a breather following the pick-up game and called Worcester Magazine back an hour later while having dinner.
“I’m not great at talking to normal people. That, or well, I’m really good at it. I like to see the positives,” he said. “I like to see something in them that they may not realize. I don’t want to be pretentious. It’s fun, they may go, ‘Oh that’s true, how did you know that about me?’ People might get shaken by that.”
Shapiro hasn’t had an easy go of things in the last several years, though he is the last person to harp on those topics. Still, a car accident that erased his memory, heart issues and an eventual Parkinson’s diagnosis have changed things for the comedian.
“I’m going through a confused time,” he said. “In reality, I’ve got to keep it simple and realize that once I’m onstage, it’s fun. I hate the expression, ‘You always do well.’ People say you always do well, but I haven’t been going on. I had injuries and all this crap.
“It cracks me up. I’m finding out I can’t talk normally, and I’m trying so hard to. The same people I bump into and I try to have a normal conversation with, they can’t have that either.”
This will be Shapiro’s first performance in Worcester, and when told about Ralph’s Diner, its history, layout and appeal, he brightened up.
“That sounds great,” he said.
“I euphorically miss New York, I can’t stand L.A.,” Shapiro continued. “I want to pick a town like you just described. People are nice, I bet.”
Shapiro is an easily recognizable character, his trademark handlebar mustache and blue collar steel attitude aren’t comparable to others in his field; when he speaks, you listen. He has had roles in television and film, including “Maron,” “Project X,” “The League,” “Horace and Pete,” “Lucky Louie,” “Timeless,” “Pootie Tang,” and even had a role in 2008’s Grand Theft Auto IV video game.
It was important to Shapiro to get back out on the road and connect to what he does best; performing stand up.
“When I decided to stay home, I was beating the crap out of myself,” he said. “My friends will say, ‘You’re smart, you know how to handle yourself, Rick. But then I have my other contingency of friends who go, ‘He won’t listen to you, he doesn’t listen to anyone, don’t go.’ I was so mad I wasn’t performing.”
Rick Shapiro is heading to Ralph’s Rock Diner, 148 Grove St., Sunday, Nov. 6 with Erin Markey, Matthew Flynn and Ron Bush. Tickets are available in advance for $10 online via Brownpapertickets.com or for $15 at the door. You can find more information on Shapiro on his website, Rickshapiro. tv. Connect to the comedian on Twitter and Instagram @Rickshapirotv.
http://worcestermag.com/2016/11/03/nothing-can-stop-rick-shapiro/47230
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