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Arts & Entertainment

Cracking the Comedy Code

Comedian Mike Morse combines observations, Jersey humor

Depending on how one may look at it, being stuck around crazy, kookie people could be a little annoying.

But for comedian Mike Morse, it’s all gold.

“I’m a kook magnet,” Morse said. “If I’m on a plane, and I’m listening to some lunatic next to me rant for two hours, you can bet I will be talking about it on stage that night.”

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Morse, who performs this weekend at Scotty’s, bases much of his set on these observations, as well as those based around his 14 years of marriage, two kids and many travels.

Immersed in stand-up for more than two decades, Morse spends much of his time writing, for both himself and other comedians.

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He has written jokes for a few Comedy Central roasts and has spent the last few years serving as the opening act for Lisa Lampenelli, whom he described as “no holds barred.”

Morse said working with Lampanelli has been great because although he is a little more reserved, they both have similar styles.

“Her crowds are great,” he said. “They’re there for her, so there’s really very little chance of offending anyone.”

Morse said he enjoys performing fuller sets, like he will be doing at Scotty’s, because he gets to participate with the audience a little more.

“There’s always an interesting story, somebody a little too drunk or a little too wacky,” he said. “You can get a lot of mileage out of that.”

He also gets to break out his guitar and perform a few songs for the audience.

Morse got his comedy start in college in the late 1980s, influenced to try stand-up after delivering a humorous monologue in his acting class.

“My professor said, ‘That’s pretty funny, you should try that at an open mic or a talent show’” he said. “I did, and I won $50. When you’re in college, $50 buys you a few cases of Old Milwaukee, so I was ecstatic.”

From there, he started writing and taking a shot at any clubs that would have him, eventually securing some hosting gigs around northern New Jersey, where he was born, raised and still lives.

“I do a lot of Jersey jokes in my act, especially when I’m in New Jersey,” Morse said. “Even when I’m on the road, I try to get people to understand what it’s like to be from the land of Snooki.”

In his time away from stand-up and writing, Morse makes occasional radio appearances and had a show, “The Miserable Men,” on Howard Stern’s Sirius/XM channel. The show, which ran for five years, is currently on hiatus, but Morse said he hopes the show will be back at some point.

He’s also dabbled a bit in acting in a few movies and music videos and joked that he might have pursued it further if he “was better looking and any good at it.”

“If you don’t look like Brad Pitt, comedy’s a much better option,” he said.

Morse will perform at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Comedy Cove at Scotty’s Steak House. His set will be preceded by comedians Linda Belt and E.C. Winkler. Tickets are $12. Visit the club’s website for more information.

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