Commentary: Rooting for Distefano

Originally, this was meant to be an in-depth look at what makes stand-up comedian Chris Distefano tick, ahead of his Washington State University Spring Family Weekend show at Beasley Coliseum in Pullman.

However, the scheduling process proved difficult, something the New Yorker is no doubt familiar with from his former line of work as a physical therapist.

So, I wasn’t able to get ahold of Distefano, but as someone who has watched hundreds of hours of comedy podcasts, there was no one at Inland 360 more qualified to give the 411 on Chrissy D.

Who is Distefano, then?

He is one of the funniest and most likable stand-ups in the business, boasting a career that includes being the first comedian to sell out both Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden on consecutive nights.

Distefano is a lighthearted storyteller who’s unafraid to laugh at himself, sharing moments of misfortune with a smile.

The Brooklyn, N.Y., native was included in Hulu’s expansion into the world of stand-up comedy, receiving a one-hour special from the streaming service in February — his third in a 16-year career.

Distefano’s 60 minutes, titled “It’s Just Unfortunate,” was silly, never took itself too seriously and featured plenty of self-deprecating humor from a 40-year-old man who’s lost control of his family.

The way Distefano can dunk on himself — despite being just a notch away from being too attractive to succeed in the art form — is one of the more impressive parts of his act.

His “I don’t even know how I got here” demeanor also is what makes him so likable offstage and on a podcast.

As a consumer of many comedy podcasts that have oversaturated the medium, I can name only a few guests who can get me to click on the episode instantly — and Distefano is one of those people.

The goofy New Yorker stays true to himself, keeping his charming, endearing style no matter what show he’s on — a rarity in comedy podcasting.

In a world where the No. 1 comedy podcast is Joe Rogan discussing cold plunges, politics and testosterone, it’s refreshing to just laugh during a comedy show.

Distefano made an appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience” alongside his “History Hyenas” co-host Yannis Pappas, and, in his own words, thought the pair “bombed.” But their showing was a microcosm of what comedy podcasts should be — and how out of touch the likes of Rogan are.

Distefano and Pappas delivered joke after joke, but they were constantly sailing over the head of the host, who preferred to talk about more serious topics ... on a comedy podcast.

The duo didn’t bomb on this episode — at least not in the eyes of most listeners — but Rogan didn’t seem to be impressed, which is more important, as he holds the keys to the golden gates of success in that field.

However, as someone who respects joke-tellers and those who stay true to their craft, I couldn’t help but crack up every time Distefano delivered a zinger to a straight-faced Rogan, who just took everything he said literally.

Distefano is one of those rare talents just about anyone will enjoy. He’s a lovable goofball who makes it easy to see your own life through his tales of misfortune.

As a comedy fan, I was excited to see that Chrissy D was coming to a city near me. It was a no-brainer — I’m going to attend.

Pixley hate-watches various comedy podcasts in his free time. He can be contacted at tpixley@lmtribune.com and followed on X @TreebTalks.

IF YOU GO

Chris Distefano

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Where: Beasley Coliseum, Washington State University, 925 NE N. Fairway Road, Pullman.

Tickets: $47-$52 at bit.ly/DistefanoWSU.

More: The New York-based Distefano brings his stand-up comedy to WSU Spring Family Weekend. His latest special “It’s Just Unfortunate,” debuted on Hulu earlier this year.