By TIFFANY RAZZANO
As Schumer, a 1999 South Side High School graduate, continues to move up in the competition on NBC's reality show "Last Comic Standing," with comedians from around the world taking part and voters across the globe deciding who stays and who goes, Schumer may even turn out to be the funniest person in the world. As of press time, Schumer, who is known for her irreverent, self-deprecating humor, was one of the final five stand-up comics anxiously awaiting the results of Wednesday's show to find out whether they will compete for the title.
It was obvious from an early age that Schumer had a great sense of humor and would be on TV one day, said her mother, Sandy Schumer. "Amy was different from her brother and sister when they were younger in that they liked characters - her brother liked Superman and her sister liked Snow White," Sandy said. "But Amy made up her own bizarre characters."
One of them was a fortune teller, Madame Lavitsky, who would stop any visitors who walked through the foyer of the Schumer home to tell them their fortune. "We were all hysterical," Amy's mother recalled. "She was very, very funny. ... Her bed at home was on a platform and had a curtain in front of it. She put her mattress on the floor and used [the platform] as a stage, while she slept on the floor. We always used to say, 'Amy will be on stage one day, doing stand-up or in a sitcom.'"
At an early age, Schumer began acting in plays at local theaters, taking on the role of Gretl in "The Sound of Music" for Sacred Heart High School, and performing as Molly in "Annie" several times, as well as in other plays at other community theaters. Once she hit high school, however, she decided to concentrate on volleyball, becoming an All-County player. But the desire to perform was still there. "I always knew I was going to go back to theater," she said.
Throughout high school, her sharp sense of humor was always evident. At the end of her senior year, her classmates voted her "Class Clown" and "Teacher's Worst Nightmare."
"She was the class clown in a respectful way, when it was appropriate," said her former volleyball coach, Cheryl Scalice. "Her personality [now] is very similar to high school. I guess maybe it's meant to be. She always had a great sense of humor. She was very funny, very witty. You can even tell from the show that she's very smart. I don't know how she comes up with what she does so fast."
Schumer's former English teacher, Russell Reid, agrees that she easily took on the role of class jester. "She was a bright kid and quite funny," he said. "... I'm surprised at her career path, but I can see it. She was always outgoing and funny. So it's not a stretch."
Looking back on her high school years, Schumer says it's important for teenagers to stay true to who they are. "It's kind of cool that these things I've been punished for my whole life, now they're starting to pay off," she said. "I wasn't an outcast by any means, but I always felt a little different and a little off, and I always knew I was funny, but I had to mask that a lot of the time. What was most important was being a pretty girl. I would push that to the side and try to make people laugh. Maybe it would have been helpful to hear someone say that it's OK to listen to your impulses and to be yourself. If you feel you have something funny to say, say it; don't worry about what people think."
Schumer attended Towson University, graduating in 2003 with a degree in theater. In college she honed her comedic timing and also got back on stage, performing in a number of plays, taking on both comedic and dramatic roles. "I loved both the comedy and the drama," she said. "My favorite performances were ones where I could make the audience cry with laughter, then make them cry with me. I really got cast in both [types of] roles, the roles where you needed good comedic timing but had to be able to pull on people's heartstrings."
After college, like many actors, Schumer moved to New York City, and waited tables and tended bar while she auditioned for roles. She also began a stand-up career. On a whim, while walking past the Gotham Comedy Club, she decided to go inside to find out how she could get on stage. The club happened to have an opening for a show that night, but she had to bring at least four people. So she called her mom. "I said I was going to try stand-up and asked if she could come into the city that night," Schumer said. "She said, 'Do you have any jokes?' and I said, 'I'll figure it out.' I have the VHS of that first time. It was pretty horrible, but I got a good response, and people couldn't believe it was my first time. Ever since that night I've just been pounding the pavement and doing it every night."
She has become a regular performer at Gotham, the Comedy Cellar, the Comic Strip and Caroline's. She has worked with several improv troupes, and been signed by Comedy Central to shoot a Web series in which she will take to the streets to interview people and do random
comedy bits.
Meanwhile, Schumer has kept up her dramatic career as well. She studied intensively for two years at the William Esper Studio, which focuses on the Meisner technique, a natural and realistic method of acting. She received critical acclaim for her role in the off-Broadway play "Keeping Abreast," a black comedy about a woman coping with breast cancer.
"Last Comic Standing" is Schumer's biggest accomplishment to date. She is not only the lone woman left among the finalists, but all the other finalists have been doing stand-up longer than she has. So making it this far on the show has been a huge confidence booster, she says.
"Every time you see my jaw drop and I look surprised [on the show], it's very genuine," she said. "I've been totally surprised the whole time. Now that I see the five that are left and know their stand-up, I'm still surprised, because I really think I have a chance to stay in it. I haven't worked the road for 20 years and I haven't been headlining all over the country, so I thought I probably didn't have anything to offer. After seeing their performances, I know I belong in this, and I'm different than them. I bring something to comedy these guys don't. Now I'm just trying to ... do a good job and keep saying things I think are funny and I'm proud of."
"Last Comic Standing" airs on NBC on Wednesday at 9 p.m. For more information about the show and how to vote, go to www.nbc.com/Last_Comic_Standing.
Comments about this story? TRazzano@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 221.
