Meet Nick Palermo | Stand-up Comedian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nick Palermo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nick, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve always liked doing creative stuff. As a kid, I played drums, drew, made fan sites on Geocities and Homestead for bands I liked, and things like that. I never had any interest in any sort of career. I had no idea what I was going to do after highschool until a rep from an art school came to talk to my class. I didn’t realize I could make a living doing design. So, I did that. I always wanted to try stand-up, and even tried writing a set when I was like 21, but I thought I wasn’t funny enough so never tried. (Some people still think that i’m sure! Comedy’s subjective!)

A month before I turned 30 I tried stand-up for the first time and it completely changed my life. I absolutely love it, and I’m very very glad I forced my self to get up, after lots and lots of bullshitting and pushing it off.

I like creating things, sharing my point of view, and making people laugh. And I fucking hate math.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
So I’m a stand-up comedian. I was born in New Jersey, but moved to the Houston area when I was about 10. I don’t know how or why I still have a bit of a northern accent but I do. I have no idea how to describe my style of comedy. One comic described it as “Trailer park ghetto”, so that’s something.

I’m not overly dirty, though I curse a lot. That’s just how I talk, ok! (Thanks for understanding.) I talk about all sorts of shit, and my jokes range from longer bits, to stories, to short jokes, etc.

My instagram handle is @NickHatesPeople, which is a fairly good summary. Individuals can be cool, but humanity as a whole is just terrible. I get into stuff like that. Also silly things people say and/or do.

I’ve had some great opportunities over the years and have been able to work with some great comics and do some cool things. I’m going to be on Skankfest in November at the Secret Group, which is a 3 day comedy festival/party with some of the best comedians in the entire world on it, and that’s going to be awesome.

I’m also working on a podcast with a hilarious buddy of mine that will be coming out toward the end of the year, which we’ve put a lot of work into.

What I would like to world to know, is, I’m funny. Come watch me be funny. Or listen to me be funny. And then tell a friend, “Hey, that Nick Palermo guy is funny. You should go watch him be funny and listen to him be funny”. Or however you would word that sort of thing naturally to a close friend.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ok, first off, we will be getting drunk every day. It’s vacation!

We’d have to go to my favorite dive bar, Lola’s Depot. It’s just beautiful. And crazy cheap. Then, we’d get in some weird/cool/interesting conversation with a stranger that was wearing a kilt or an eyepatch, or something odd.

I eat like a child, so all the food is going to be like that. In no particular order, we’ll hit up Twisted Grilled Cheese on Washington, Romano’s Pizza on West Grey, Riva’s Italian in Montrose, Burger Joint, Vinny’s Pizza in East Downtown, & Jackson Street BBQ. Other things like that.

Also, we gotta hit up The Secret Group. For one, I’ll probably have a show there. Two, it’s just a cool place to hang put. Because there’s often times 3 different things going on, so like a DJ in the front room, a band in the middle room, and a comedy show in the back. So it’s 3 different groups of people and scenes and mingling together. It’s cool and I always have fun. Avant Garden is fun in a similar way on Thursday.

We can hit up all the free museums. Let’s pregame though so we’re nice and drunk, and being obnoxious in normally quiet places. You’re on vacation! They don’t know you!

We could rent scooters downtown, but fuck that. Also, don’t ever do those dumb peddle bar bikes, which everyone sits around a bar and peddles around town like assholes. And if you find yourself on one, you don’t have to peddle, that have engines. I’ve seen them driving around by themselves.

If you like to skateboard we can go hang out with my brother and hit his mini-ramp. If not, then fine, who asked ya.

We can go tag one of my buddies warehouses if you tag. Or just some general art shit. I have an art store down the street from my house and we’ve got places to do things. Let’s create.

But also just generally we’d hit up bars and night spots and talk to people. I really like meeting crazy strangers, and you will too. Or you won’t. But I do, and you came to visit me.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve had a ton of support. My family and friends have always been super supportive of my comedy. Basically every family member within driving distance came to my first show, which was awesome. I never take that for granted because a lot of people I know don’t have that, or have the opposite. Also, there are tons of people in the scene that were super helpful to me at the beginning, and continue you to be now. I’d name them all, but I feel like I’ll forget one or two, and then they’ll be all upset, because comics are fragile, fragile people. Shockingly fragile.

Website: https://nickhatespeople.com/

Instagram: NickHatesPeople

Twitter: NickHatesPeople

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nickhatespeople/

Image Credits
@DulceMac, @AllyciaEbony