Piscopo, Joe 1951–

PERSONAL

Full name, Joseph Charles Piscopo; born June 17, 1951, in Passaic, NJ; son of Joseph (a lawyer) and Edith I. (maiden name, LaMagna) Piscopo; married Nancy Jones, December 1, 1973 (divorced 1988); married Kimberly Driscoll, 1997; children: (first marriage) Joseph; (second marriage) Alexandra Claudette, Michael, Olivia. Education: Jones College, Jacksonville, FL, B.S., 1973. Politics: Democrat.

Addresses: Office—Avellino Productions, 520 Broad St., Newark, NJ 07102. Agent—4Star Entertainment, 1675 York Ave., Suite 32C, New York, NY 10128; Amsel, Eisenstadt & Frazier, 5757 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 510, Los Angeles, CA 90036.

Career: Comedian, actor, producer, and writer. Worked at a radio station in Trenton, NJ; stand-up comic at improvisation and comedy clubs in New York City, 1976–80, and New Jersey, beginning 1993. Founder of Avellino Productions, Newark, NJ; and founder of Joe Piscopo Productions and Garden State Entertainment. Appeared at casinos, nightclubs, regional theatres, and dinner theatres, and served as host of shows at the Sands Atlantic City Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, NJ, 2005. Performer and voice performer for television commercials. Positive Impact Foundation, founder and affiliated with the syndicated television program Positive Impact TV; affiliated with Jersey Joe's Gyms (children's centers), Newark, NJ; New Jersey Commission to Deter Criminal Activity, appointee, 1999; public speaker at various venues. Affiliated with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Clubs, and numerous charity functions.

Awards, Honors: Named father of the year, National Father's Day Council, 1983, and New Jersey Council of Children's Rights, 1989; Emmy Award nominations, outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program and (with others) outstanding writing in a variety or music program, both 1984, for Saturday Night Live; CableAce Award, outstanding performance in a comedy special, National Cable Television Association, 1985, for The Joe Piscopo Show; inducted into Action Martial Arts Hall of Fame, 2002; Ellis Island Medal of Honor, National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, 2004; Volunteer of the Year Award, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Mercer County, NJ; community service awards from Boys and Girls Clubs in Florida and New Jersey; recognition from Boys Town of Italy; Leadership in the Performing Arts Award, Coalition of Italian-American Associations; awards from Police Activities League, Houston, TX, and Cooley's Anemia Foundation.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

Member of ensemble, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's "Saturday Night," Saturday Night, Saturday Night Live '80, SNL, and SNL 25), NBC, 1980–84.

Voice of Sheriff Terrorbull, The Wild West C.O.W. Boys of Moo Mesa (animated; also known as C.O.W. Boys of Moo Mesa), ABC, 1992–94.

Himself, Caribbean Fantasy (also known as Joe Piscopo's "Caribbean Fantasy"), beginning 1995.

Voice of Salvador (Salli), 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd, Nickelodeon, c. 1999–2002.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

The 100 Most Memorable TV Moments, TV Land, 2004.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Hamlet, Open Season, HBO, 1995.

Jack, Baby Bedlam, HBO, 2000.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Himself and Frank Sinatra, Catch a Rising Star's 10th Anniversary, 1982.

NBC team contestant, Battle of the Network Stars XII, ABC, 1982.

Host, The Joe Piscopo Show (also known as The Joe Piscopo Special and The Joe Piscopo Video), HBO, 1984.

Comic Relief, HBO, 1986.

The Joe Piscopo New Jersey Special, ABC, 1986.

The Beach Boys—25 Years Together, ABC, 1987.

The Joe Piscopo Halloween Party, HBO, 1987.

"Joe Piscopo Live from UCLA" (also known as "Joe Piscopo Live!"), HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1987.

Our Kids and the Best of Everything, ABC, 1987.

An All-Star Celebration: The '88 Vote, ABC, 1988.

Comic Relief III, HBO, 1989.

Saturday Night Live 15th Anniversary, NBC, 1989.

"Joe Piscopo in Concert," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1990.

Voice of Prince Vince, "The Prince's Rain," HBO Storybook Musicals (animated musical), HBO, 1991.

Math … Who Needs It?!, PBS, 1991.

(In archive footage) Saturday Night Live Goes Commercial, NBC, 1991.

(In archive footage) Frank Sinatra, Mo'Funny: Black Comedy in America, 1993.

GED—Get It!, PBS, 1993.

Audience member, Divas Live: An Honors Concert for VH1 Save the Children (also known as VH1 Divas Live), VH1, 1998.

Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Primetime Special (also known as Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary), NBC, 1999.

Santa Claus, Dear Santa, ABC, 2002.

Saturday Night Live in the '80s: Lost & Found, NBC, 2005.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Presenter, MTV First Annual Video Music Awards, MTV, 1984.

Presenter, Jim Thorpe Pro Sports Awards, ABC, 1992.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"Death Benefits," George Burns Comedy Week, CBS, 1985.

The comic, "The Outrageous Okona," Star Trek: The Next Generation (also known as The Next Generation and Star Trek: TNG), syndicated, 1988.

Manager, "Read My Lips," Batman (animated; also known as The Adventures of Batman & Robin and Batman: The Animated Series), Fox, 1993.

Manager, "Make 'Em Laugh," Batman (animated; also known as The Adventures of Batman & Robin and Batman: The Animated Series), Fox, 1994.

Himself, "The Cheese Stands Alone," Cybill, CBS, 1995.

Himself, Andy Kaufman: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1998.

Golfer, "Lost and Found," Chicken Soup for the Soul, PAX TV, 1999.

Jeff Stahl, "Ambitious," Law & Order (also known as Law & Order Prime), NBC, 1999.

Danny Richter, "When Opportunity Knocks," Arli$$, HBO, 2000.

Art Cahill, "Formerly Famous," Law & Order (also known as Law & Order Prime), NBC, 2001.

"Saturday Night Live," TV Tales, E! Entertainment Television, 2002.

Jarret Whitestone, "Cry Wolf," Law & Order (also known as Law & Order Prime), NBC, 2004.

101 Most Unforgettable SNL Moments (also known as E's"101"), E! Entertainment Television, 2004.

Television Guest Appearances; Episodic:

The Madhouse Brigade, syndicated, late 1970s.

Late Night with David Letterman, NBC, 1982.

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (also known as The Best of Carson), NBC, 1984.

Dolly, ABC, 1988.

The Howard Stern Show (also known as Howard Stern), syndicated, 1990, 1991.

Howard Stern, E! Entertainment Television, 1995, 1996, 1997.

Panelist, The List, VH1, 1999.

Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC, 2004.

"The Final Showdown," The Apprentice (also known as The Apprentice 4 and The Apprentice USA), NBC, 2005.

Appeared in other programs, including Extra (also known as Extra: The Entertainment Magazine), syndicated.

Television Work; Series:

Affiliated with the series Positive Impact TV, syndicated, beginning c. 1998.

Television Producer; Specials:

The Joe Piscopo Show (also known as The Joe Piscopo Special and The Joe Piscopo Video), HBO, 1984.

The Joe Piscopo New Jersey Special, ABC, 1986.

Executive producer, "Joe Piscopo in Concert," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1990.

Film Appearances:

Announcer and civilian, American Tickler (also known as American Tickler or the Winner of Ten Academy Awards, Draws, and Ejection), Spectrum Films, 1976.

(Uncredited) Bit part, King Kong (also known as King Kong: The Legend Reborn), Paramount, 1976.

Danny Vermin, Johnny Dangerously, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984.

Dr. Fishberg, The House of God, United Artists, 1984.

Moe Dickstein, Wise Guys, United Artists, 1986.

Doug Bigelow, Dead Heat, New World Pictures, 1988.

Kelly Stone, Sidekicks, Triumph Releasing, 1993.

Max, Huck and the King of Hearts, Prism Entertainment, 1994.

Mr. Wareman, Captain Nuke and the Bomber Boys (also known as Demolition Day), Concorde-New Horizons, 1995.

Zeke and Spider, Two Bits & Pepper, PM Entertainment Group, 1995.

Rocky, Bartleby Outrider Pictures, 2001.

Joey Pembroke, Short Track, Mach 1 Productions, 2006.

Louis Long, Dead Lenny, Rojak Films, 2006.

Stage Appearances:

Disc jockey Vince Fontaine, Grease! (musical), Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, beginning c. 1997.

Major Tours:

Disc jockey Vince Fontaine, Grease! (musical), U.S. and Canadian cities, 1996.

Radio Appearances; Series:

Joe Piscopo at Large, beginning 1983.

Radio Appearances; Episodic:

Howard Stern (also known as The Howard Stern Radio Show), 1995, 1996, 1997.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

(Uncredited; in archive footage) Danny Vermin, "This Is the Life" music video, The "Weird Al" Yankovic Video Library: His Greatest Hits, 1992.

(In archive footage) Danny Vermin, "This Is the Life" music video, "Weird Al" Yankovic: The Videos, 1996.

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Eddie Murphy, 1998.

(Uncredited; in archive footage) Danny Vermin, "This Is the Life" music video, "Weird AC Yankovic: The Ultimate Video Collection, Volcano Entertainment Group, 2003.

Himself, Anti-Italianism (short), 2005.

Albums:

New Jersey, Columbia/Legacy, 1985.

Singles:

(With Eddie Murphy) "The Honeymooners Rap," c. 1985.

Music Videos:

Billy Joel, "Keeping the Faith," 1984.

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "This Is the Life," 1984.

Video Games:

Voice, Multimedia Celebrity Poker, 1995.

WRITINGS

Teleplays; with Others; Series:

Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's "Saturday Night," Saturday Night, Saturday Night Live '80, SNL, and SNL 25), NBC, 1982–84.

Teleplays; with Others; Specials:

The Joe Piscopo Show (also known as The Joe Piscopo Special and The Joe Piscopo Video), HBO, 1984.

The Joe Piscopo New Jersey Special, ABC, 1986.

"Joe Piscopo Live from UCLA" (also known as "Joe Piscopo Live!"), HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1987.

"Joe Piscopo in Concert," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1990.

Writings for the Stage:

Wrote comedy material for the stage.

Albums:

New Jersey, Columbia/Legacy, 1985.

Singles:

(With Eddie Murphy) "The Honeymooners Rap," c. 1985.

Humor:

(With Pam Norris) The Piscopo Tapes, Pocket Books, 1984.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

New York, July 23, 2001.

New York Times, December 1, 1993; August 7, 2005.

People Weekly, February 28, 1994, p. 12.

Playboy, October, 1983, pp. 130-31.

Electronic:

Joe Piscopo, http://www.joepiscopo.com, March 11, 2006.