Michael ‘Wheels’ Parise returns to the Five Towns

Comedian performs in Woodmere this weekend

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Lawrence native Michael “Wheels” Parise of Lawrence is returning to the Five Towns a much healthier, funnier man than he was before he left to go to California to pursue his dreams of being a comedian.

Parise, 49, is now nearly 160 pounds lighter than he was in 2010 and due to his 27 years as a comedian touring and performing at clubs and casinos much more experienced in his field than ever before.

Before a Showtime special that will air on the cable network in April that includes fellow comedian Andrew Dice Clay, Parise makes a much awaited trip back home as part of the Italian Badboyz show this Friday and Saturday at the Backstage Nite Club in Woodmere.

He describes his latest comedy routine as, “Pretty brash and in your face. not for the kids, for sure.” “I think growing up in a Italian-American/Republican/large influential family, will give a person plenty of emotion to write a few jokes,” he said.

His uncle, Andrew Parise, who died on Feb. 8 at 90, was the mayor of Cedarhurst for the past 20 years, was on the village board for more than 40 years and was the chief of staff for seven Town of Hempstead supervisors. Many other relatives have served in assorted elected and appointed political positions through the years.

“Every year, the Republicans would have a barbecue which my family would throw,” he said. Even as a young boy, Parise possessed the comedic flair and had a passion for making people laugh. “When I was about 7-, 8-years-old I would take the stage and do impersonations of Richard Nixon,” he said.

As Parise, who now splits time between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, established his comedic career, he worked with many of today’s popular comedians, including Clay. They first met at Pips Comedy Club in Brooklyn in 1989, and instantly became friends.

Clay had Parise as the opening act for many of his shows. “He got me a Showtime special coming out April 24 they called the Blue Show. I am one of he headliners. Dice and I also have a podcast out called ‘Rollin with Dice and Wheels’ on iTunes. He is my brother from another mother,” Parise said.

As for returning back to his childhood community, Parise said, “Long Island was an amazing place to grow up, especially the Five Towns. It was the true American dream,” he said. It was where he earned the “Wheels” nickname as he drove a fellow chef at Joseph’s restaurant in Cedarhurst home to Brooklyn on many nights. “He called me ‘Mikey the Wheel,’ and then is just evolved to ‘Wheels,’” Parise said.

He reminisced about long ago places in the Five Towns such as “going to Misty’s for last call, and having drinks at Justin’s.” And places that remain, including the Sherwood Diner, a favorite hang out, and remembered “crabbing at the docks in Woodmere.”

Through his nearly three-decade career his close-knit family remains his biggest supporters. “One of my greatest memories with Michael was getting his phone calls asking me to drive him into Brooklyn to PIPS Comedy Club in 1987. He would say ‘Don, it’s open mic night and I want to see if I could get some time on stage’” said his cousin, Dona Vrahnas. She and the rest of the family plans on seeing Parise perform. “One of Michael’s biggest dreams was for his mother, my Aunt Catherine to see his success, his wife and his daughter. I know my Aunt Catherine is shining down upon him and smiling from above,” she added.