Q & A with Julia DiCesare
Ft. Julia DiCesare
“If you don’t know what agnostic means, just think undecided arts and sciences,” cracked Julia DiCesare to an uproar of laughter at University Union’s student comedy show “The College Chuckle” this past Saturday.
The performers may have been students, but DiCesare is hardly an amateur; the third-year Television, Radio, and Film major oozed confidence as she regaled tales from her “quantity over quality phase” and urged a captivated audience to join her in partaking in “casual blackmail.” After the show, Jerk got a chance to sit down with DiCesare for a conversation on all things comedy.
Jerk: First off, do you have any pre-show rituals?
DiCesare: I like to listen to a lot of female rap. I also listen to a lot of Beyoncé, Ke$ha, and Britney to get me in the mood for performing. I also practice my material like 30 times, because if I have it ingrained in my head I can focus on other things while I’m performing instead of trying to remember what I came up with.
Jerk: How did you realize you wanted to do stand-up?
DiCesare: For a long time I thought “I’m not funny enough to do that,” but I started performing at “The Playground” in 2022 and it was the most fun thing I’ve ever done.
Jerk: Is there any material you didn’t end up putting in tonight’s show, whether it was because the show was being put on by the university or some other reason?
DiCesare: I didn’t want to do anything too explicit, but I don’t really have any personal things that I’m not comfortable sharing. I’m a very open person, so it comes pretty naturally. When I’m being honest, people relate to what I’m saying.
Jerk: Who are some comedians that inspire you?
DiCesare: Taylor Tomlinson. I feel like we’re similarly paced and I just love how much she cares. I also had an internship for a stand-up company where I watched a ton of comedians. That, and watching classic comedians pre-2000s, showed me that everyone in comedy is inspired by someone else.
Jerk: Having seen so much stand-up, what are some common mistakes you see?
DiCesare: Something I learned from Taylor Tomlinson is that you never want to perform with the mic stand in front of you - it shows you’re a newbie and distracts from your body.
Jerk: What advice would you give to someone looking to get started in comedy?
DiCesare: I try to make sure everyone knows I’m having fun. If the audience can tell you’re having fun, they’ll have a much better time.
Jerk: With off-campus venues and shows like “The Playground” and “Krab Night,” the comedy scene at Syracuse is really unique. What do you have to say about being involved with it so directly?
DiCesare: It’s such a lovely group of people who only want to make each other laugh constantly. The beautiful thing about it is none of us can compete with each other because everyone’s jokes are going to be completely different. It’s not competitive because when I’m doing comedy it’s me vs. myself and I’m just trying to be better than last time, which is why we’re all able to support each other.
Jerk: What does your process of creating a set look like?
DiCesare: I write my jokes down on Google Docs or in my notes app and I put them in categories. I have my love jokes in one place, my Catholic jokes in another place, and so on. Then when it’s time to put an act together it’s just kind of a process of Frankensteining it all together. One of the jokes I did tonight I wrote in August, but it just fit in here and I was able to use it. Sometimes I really try to fit a joke in, but it just doesn’t work, but I know I’ll be able to use it another time.
Jerk: What are some of your aspirations for your future as a comedian?
DiCesare: I will just do stand-up whenever I can. I have no desire to be famous. I just want to make a living off telling jokes. And nothing has to be immediate – I have time to kill.
With honesty, lightheartedness, and an earnest passion mixed into every impeccably timed joke, it’s clear that comedy is where DiCesare belongs (just as long as she doesn’t have to be behind the mic stand).