Meeting the Neapolitan comedian – By N. Yakova
Marco Critelli is a real character. This person has his hands in all sorts of pies – comedian, magician, radio host, actor, writer, social media star…he’s got talent oozing out of his ears! But through all his different careers, Marco’s got one mission: make people laugh. And with his lively Neapolitan spirit, he does just that.
How It All Started
Marco’s been a jokester since his school days. He says, “Even in high school, everyone knew I wasn’t gonna be a lawyer or anything boring like that.” Marco’s just got a natural gift for comedy. But being the class clown has its downsides. Marco admits, “The problem with being the funny guy is getting people to take you seriously sometimes.”
But Marco got his big break at an audition by totally bombing! He was doing a magic act where stuff was supposed to light on fire at certain points. But it all went wrong. None of the objects caught fire. Instead of panicking, he rolled with it and started improvising. His hilarious handling of the mishap won over the judges. Marco’s career took off after that.
Now Marco’s constantly working to perfect his comedy skills. He says, “I take humor really seriously. I’m always trying to get better – doing research, learning new things. My curious nature helps!” But his inspiration is plain old everyday life. As Marco puts it, “There’s nothing funnier than stuff that happens in real life, ’cause people can relate.“
The Influence of Neapolitan Culture
Growing up in Naples, Italy shaped Marco’s outlook on life and comedy. Marco explains, “In Naples, humor is everywhere. Neapolitans talk like Totò, Massimo Troisi, Eduardo de Filippo – famous comedians. They’ve got irony built into their DNA.”
Marco feels this cultural heritage was huge for launching his career. He says, “If I hadn’t been born in Naples, I probably wouldn’t have become a comedian.“
The music of Naples also inspires him. He could name any song by Pino Daniele as the ultimate Neapolitan tune. Marco also digs how Neapolitan rappers are blowing up across Italy now. To him, Naples will always be his cultural compass.
Conquering Stage, Screen, and Airwaves
Marco got his start in the late 90s doing his unique brand of comedy magic and illusion shows. He hit up TV shows all over Italy and became one of Naples’ best known magician personalities.
Then he really expanded his TV work, both in front of and behind the scenes. He wrote and hosted his very own street magic show called Niente nelle Maniche (Nothing up My Sleeves) filmed right on the streets of Napoli. How cool is that? He also created and hosted Italy’s first ever “on the road” magic show called Magicando.
In 2010 Marco hit new heights starring on the popular comedy show Made in Sud on Comedy Central. He played the Director character for several seasons and did killer impressions of famous chef Alessandro Borghese. Borghese liked that parody so much that he shared the clips online himself!
On top of TV, Marco has been slaying it in radio too, hosting shows on lots of Italy’s biggest stations. He says, “I just love radio and making people laugh through my voice.” Is there anything this guy can’t do?
Writing and Conquering Social Media
Lately, Marco’s been focusing on writing for other artists and growing his social media empire. He’s written material for comedians like Peppe Iodice and for hit TV shows too. But he’s also exploded on Instagram and TikTok, racking up over 1 million followers!
His wacky videos about everyday objects have gone totally viral, with over 60 million views. As Marco puts it, “I’m obsessed with gadgets and technology. Combining that with social media was gold!“
What Drives Him
For Marco, humor is life. He says, “I’m just naturally cheerful – I love music, being around people, having fun! That whole idea of comedians being depressed behind the scenes has never rung true for me.”
He believes laughter is key for happiness. As he puts it, “Life can be amazing but also really hard. Finding humor helps you try to be happy.” He lives this through his comedy. “I just love what I do and work hard at it. My curiosity keeps me excited to learn and grow.“
Sure, uncertainty comes with comedy. But Marco can’t see himself doing anything else. “I’m positive I could never do another job!” he asserts. He was just born to bring laughter into the world.
Final Thoughts
As a magician, Marco adds his signature splash of humor and fun to every trick and illusion. When asked what real magical powers he’d want, Marco has some good ideas. “I’d make all the powerful folks on earth chill out! Then I’d love to snap my fingers and teleport wherever I want. And of course I’d grow my hair back – I miss those luscious locks!“
Through all his talents – stage, TV, radio, social media – Marco Critelli embodies the lively spirit of Naples.
He follows his natural gift for comedy and humor wherever it takes him. Whether he’s performing magic, cracking jokes, going viral online, or writing for others, Marco’s mission stays the same: spread joy through laughter! The world could use more funny souls like Marco.
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