Paul Mecurio may be best known as an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning comedian, actor, and writer for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, but there’s another side to him that Chesapeake Bay readers will appreciate. When he’s not cracking jokes or interviewing top figures on major networks, you might find him boating with his family or offshore fishing, always with humor aboard. He’ll bring that experience to a new show coming up in Annapolis.
“Now that I live in a quiet beach town, I’m passing along that love of the water to my son, Alex. We’ve
had a boat since he was six, and it’s been a comedy of errors and adventures ever since,” said Mecurio. “Our first boat was a classic wooden Dory with a pull-start engine that was always a struggle. I’d work out before a boat day just to make sure I had enough strength to get that engine running! Eventually, though, we “upgraded” to a 14-foot Boston Whaler, which, when I’m feeling fancy, I might call a 41-foot boat. It’s perfect for fishing trips, a little waterskiing, and just cruising around.”
One memorable boating adventure came when Paul, feeling confident, decided to “take a shortcut” to his local beach. Moments later, he found his boat marooned on a sandbar, leaving him and his family stranded for two hours. “We waited for a friend to help us out, with my wife giving me dirty looks—which, luckily, I couldn’t see because the sun was directly in my eyes.” Another time, the gas ran low. “I had to tow the boat back to the dock myself, kicking up my legs with all the bravado I could muster while pretending it was just a workout. My family wasn’t impressed.”
An avid, though self-admittedly “less-than-seaworthy,” fisherman, Paul has spent years venturing out with friends on deep-sea fishing trips that have given him plenty of stories—especially the memorable day 40 miles south of Block Island, during a rainstorm he describes as “straight out of The Perfect Storm.”
Recalling that day, Paul laughs, “The rain was coming sideways, the deck was slick as ice, and I was clinging to a ladder in the fetal position.” While his friends cast their lines and cracked open beers, Paul struggled to stay upright, his bright yellow rain hat—courtesy of his “supportive” friends—offering little protection from the deluge. “At least one ear stayed dry,” he jokes.
Despite his bouts of seasickness, Paul insists he wouldn’t trade these trips for anything. “There’s something about being out on the water with friends,” he says, “even if I’m only half-conscious for most of it.”
These offbeat, sometimes grueling experiences give Paul fresh material for his critically acclaimed show, Permission to Speak, where he invites audience members to share or “unbox” their own stories, finding humor and connection in the things we all endure—whether on a fishing boat or in a theater.
Mecurio is bringing his unscripted, interactive comedy experience, to Maryland Hall on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 8:00 pm. Audiences will have the chance to join Paul on stage, unbox their own stories, and discover the humor and connections that unite us all.
About Permission to Speak
Paul’s unique show, Permission to Speak, has garnered rave reviews and a nomination for the Best One Man Show Broadway Alliance Award. The show is directed by the legendary Frank Oz, with innovative set design by Emmy-winning designer Jim Fenhagen and animation by J.J. Sedelmaier, the creative mind behind series like Beavis & Butt-Head and SNL’s TV Funhouse. In this interactive experience, as Paul brings audience members on stage, he breaks down barriers and connects us through comedy.
Tickets are available for the November 23rd show at 8 pm at Maryland Hall at ramsheadonstage.com/events/detail/579243
