Mark Pitta

Mark Pitta is a national headliner coming from the effervescent San Francisco comedy scene of the 1980s. He has appeared on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson and Jay Leno, hosted “Totally Hidden Video” for the FOX network and “Friday Night Videos” for NBC, made guest appearances on “Mad About You,” “Third Rock from the Sun,” Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend,” “The A-List,” “Dr. Katz,” and “Make Me Laugh.” Afavorite on the comedy club, college and corporate circuit, Mark has opened for Chris Issak, Celine Dion, Vanessa Williams, Paul Anka, Kenny Rogers, Olivia Newton-John, Smokey Robinson, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and Rick Springfield. He has performed as master of ceremonies five times for the prestigious Elan Awards, and has enlivened Anthony Robbin’s financial seminars. Every Tuesday in Mill Valley, California he runs a comedy showcase at the 142 Throckmorton Theatre, giving new comics a chance to develop as seasoned veterans drop in.

MB: Do you remember the first time you were nervous on stage?

MP: It was at the Punchline [in San Francisco], the place was packed and I was on third. It was only my second time on stage. I remember, during this one joke, I was pointing, my arm was outstretched, and I noticed that my hand was shaking slightly. Had I not seen my hand shake I think my memory would have been that I wasn’t nervous at all. Apparently I was.

MB: Do you think there was anything you were telling yourself that was causing your hand to shake?

MP: Maybe it was the excitement and anticipation. The time before there were only twelve people in the audience. You almost have to be blasé about it, the fact that there’s a full house, because the audience can sense if you’re nervous. If that happens, it can become uncomfortable for you. I think the audience already gives you points for going up there, because they know they couldn’t do it. They’re not thinking, “I wonder if this guy is nervous.” They’re just thinking, “This guy goes on stage and tells jokes.” You have a little bit of a gap there between being legitimately nervous and showing that you’re nervous. Whether you’re in front of a thousand people, like at Comedy Day, twelve people at a club, or millions of people on “The Tonight Show,” you almost have to treat it like it’s no big deal.

MB: As you continued performing, how did the pressure change?

MP: Each night is a different experience, so it’s hard to say. When I was auditioning for parts in sitcoms, that’s what made me nervous. It was getting the job that made me nervous.

MB: What do you think you were telling yourself that contributed to making you nervous about that?

MP: I had a manager who was horrible. She would put pressure on me by saying, “It would be really great if you got this.” Well thanks. Duh! And the other thing that adds pressure: You’re in a room or a hallway with people that you admire, or people you know are funnier than you—or they’re at least your equal—and you can’t help but think that they’re going to get the part you’re all auditioning for, because they’re funny. The reputation of the person you're auditioning for comes into it, too.

There was this one audition where I knew that the person I was auditioning for was a tough casting director. There she was, sitting behind a desk as I read my lines. After my last line she said, “Keep in touch.” And I thought, “How rude. ‘Keep in touch’? She’s dismissing me with that?” I walked out the door—just nodded and walked out the door. I went to my next audition, which was an improv audition, so I didn’t have to prepare, and I took out my script from the previous audition. I thought, “Where did I make a mistake?” I looked, and my final cue was: “Keep in touch”—that was HER line! She was just cuing me. I wonder what she thought of me leaving the audition so abruptly.