Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Local comic Nick Smeriglio completed the improv program at The Second City Training Center in March, right before the lockdown. When stay-at-home orders were issued, he and his younger brother and sister returned to their parents’ home in Arlington Heights, where they started experimenting with the app Tik Tok.
“My sister was all about the Tik Tok dances, which the app is known for, but I noticed that there were a lot of comedians and impressionists doing their own thing as well,” Smeriglio says. “My family eventually convinced me to start posting impressions and skits similar to what we did at Second City in the improv program.”
Little did Smeriglio know that he would eventually gain thousands of followers on Tik Tok and now Instagram. His spot-on impression of Sebastian Maniscalco came to the attention of the renowned comedian, who ended up liking, commenting on and sharing the posts, then following them as well.
When Maniscalco guest-hosted “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on July 16, he bravely yielded a portion of his opening monologue to five comedians across the country who skewered him with their impressions. He saved the best for last, giving Smeriglio an A+ for his performance.
“I’m honestly not sure that’s not me,” Maniscalco said to Kimmel’s audience with a broad smile. “Not only does this guy have timing and fantastic material, he’s got nuance. He nailed the half eyelid. To pick that out, you really have to be a master impersonator.”
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