Nick Serrano | Humor Heals
Meet Nick — comedian, impressionist, and social media manager based in NYC. He shares his experience of following his instinct, how impersonating others led him back to himself, and how a balance of creativity, reflection, and a dash of Tony Soprano, keeps him moving forward.
Photo by Nick Serrano, artwork by The Purple Thread
Share a little bit about yourself & your current work.
By day, I'm a Social Media Manager for a fintech startup, Rhino. By night, I'm a comedian and impressionist. I'm fortunate to have built a "day job" career that fulfills me creatively while mitigating the risk of being in the entertainment industry. It's allowed me to build so many valuable skills and knowledge as a marketing professional I wouldn't have discovered had I not gone this direction.
What problem do you strive to solve?
The company I work for eliminates the expensive upfront cash security deposit renters face when trying to find a new home.
Personally, I try to help people forget whatever sadness or stress they may be going through with humor.
As Danielle said it best, humor heals.
What is a defining moment that drew a clear before & after line in the sand for you? How did it “light the way” for you going forward?
It was a breakup I experienced just months after graduating college. I was going through a lot personally and professionally which weighed on the relationship, she was a lot older than me, and it was my first true heartbreak.
Tag that onto trying to pivot career paths, because I wanted to go to law school at the time, I was forced to do some soul searching. And I kept getting brought back to the feeling I had when behind a microphone as a junior in high school announcing starting lineups for our varsity basketball team. So then I took to social media as my stage and parlayed that into doing impressions.
The rest is history.
Describe the path to your Sopranos impressions and your experience impersonating James Gandolfini in character as Tony Soprano.
As a kid, I was always fascinated by movies and television. Mainly because I was never satisfied with my own reality.
I discovered The Sopranos when I was a teenager at a time when my parents were going through one of their first separations. As Tony famously said, Italians don't believe in divorce, they believe in the nuclear family.
It wasn't until I became an adult that I accepted it's just how they got along, but as a kid - it wasn't an easy thing to endure. So much of Tony as a person, personally and professionally, emulated what I experienced with my dad and immediate family - the good, the bad, and the ugly.
It was textbook art imitating reality, which is what made watching James Gandolfini's genius portrayal of Tony resonate with me so deeply. Falling in love with that show at that time in my life brought me comfort, and learning how to do impressions of Tony helped sustain it. Without even knowing it, The Sopranos taught me acting at a time when I needed it the most. It allowed me to momentarily be someone else because I wasn't comfortable with who I was, my anxiety, or how my life was going up until that point.
Although a dark inroad, it was how I discovered a lot of my impressions up until I graduated college. Now, my impressions and comedy are less about abandoning my sense of self because of my anxiety and more about bringing smiles to as many people as possible.
How important is your overall health and well-being? When do you feel your best?
My health and well-being is crucial to me. My motto is — healthy body, healthy mind. Which ladders up to when I work out consistently, I consistently feel sharp and overall on it. I like to work out in the morning. I used to meditate regularly, which I'm slowly getting back into.
What currently inspires and empowers you?
My comedy peers have recently been my biggest beacon of inspiration. Nicky Smigs, Andrea Lopez. These are people who I've connected with at the start of the pandemic. Just recently we've finally met in real life and they are even better people and souls in person. They make me laugh, they work their asses off, and they inspire me to be better every day.
How do you make time for what matters to you, deciding what to focus on, what can wait, and what can be let go of entirely?
7 Habits of Highly Effective People is one of my favorite books because of the 4 quadrants of time management. I prioritize my day and life - as best as I can - by what's urgent and important, and what’s not urgent but important. Not urgent and important is what I do my best to do most of, but of course, that's not always the case. That's generally my philosophy. The most chaotic days can become a lot clearer when you apply those 2 filters to what you want to accomplish and what's on your plate.
What is new and good in your world that you’re eager to share?
Season 2 of my movie podcast, The Home Theater, will be set to release by the end of October. You can find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. It's the casual movie podcast for the casual movie watcher.
We touch on TV as well. It's with my two close friends, JJ and Finn. It's one of my passion projects I'm really excited to be a part of and hopefully watch grow for many years to come.
wardrobe/@zanerobe, photography/@type_hunter
I've committed to a collaboration with one of my favorite clothing brands, Zanerobe. They just launched their fall collection and I almost didn't think it was real when they reached out and asked me to be a part of it.
I’m also proud to partner with — Hardcore Italians, a great family-oriented brand that was one of my first sponsors ever. Highlighting all super relatable and funny aspects of Italian culture. And Robert Graham, a bold, colorful, and artistic fashion brand empowering their customers to be themselves with shirts that exude uniqueness and freedom of expression.
If you could pick one song to play every time you walked into a room, what would it be?
Who is someone you admire and how do you strive to act in a way that they would?
Matthew McConaughey is someone I admire very much. My thoughts on being a multi-hyphenate were vindicated after reading his book 'Greenlights' - and as a creative, I've always strived to be multi-disciplined. It's what keeps you young and your perspective fresh. He showed me how important it is to find your style, self-awareness, and practicing self-love will lead you to a more fulfilling life.
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What is a failure that you are most grateful for and why?
Not landing the role of being a public announcer for the Brooklyn Nets. It was my first official run into show business, I made it through hundreds if not thousands of other contestants who auditioned and made it to the final 4. And they ended up giving the position to an already established NBA announcer who's contract was up. I got my nose bloody, figuratively, and I wouldn't be where I am today had it not been for that moment in my career. It helped me endure many other failures.
What is a piece of advice would you give your younger self?
Be impeccable with your word, don't take anything personally, don't assume, and do your best.
Have you ever witnessed what you believe to be a miracle? What happened?
Call it a miracle, timing, or divine intervention - but I FaceTimed a colleague from a past company one morning who has become one of my life-long best friends. He answered totally disoriented and not acting himself. Turns out he was having a low blood sugar attack. He was a diabetic and I hadn’t known it was something he kept very private. Had I not reached him at that moment, he could've died. We always were on the same wavelength personally and professionally, and the universe made it known that day our bond was something special.
What do you consider to be healing?
Creating, reading, running, crying, singing, drawing, meditating, organizing - anything that can take whatever pain you're feeling and have it be released through some manifestation of release, some form of dispelling energy that gives energy back to you, I consider healing. Anything you can chalk up as a small win you can feel proud of is worth considering as a form of healing.
What seems to be a current lesson that the universe is trying to teach you?
That's a great question. I would say it's been to fear less and be kind. Fear less with doing what you love, with failing, with being vulnerable, with taking a leap, with being yourself. Be kind to others and more importantly be kind to yourself.
What or who will always make you laugh?
My parents and my brother probably get the heartiest laughs out of me. Fortunate to have immediate family who are naturally funny and have comedic timing some would kill for and they don't even know it. In terms of professional comedians, Sebastian Maniscalco and Pete Correale consistently make me laugh without missing a beat.
What is something you’re really interested in/curious about right now?
Surfing. I've never done it, but have always been fascinated by sport and by surfers. They're some of, if not thee, in my opinion, most mentally tough, adaptable, balanced athletes in the world who have no control over their environment, yet have to do their best to remain in control. They can't control the waves, all they can do is ride them. And I really enjoy that philosophy.
What’s a book that changed your life and why?
The 4 Agreements. It's spiritual but also very practical. It's improved so many aspects of my life. It's also Tom Brady's favorite book - no matter your affiliation, no one can deny they'd benefit from being a little more like Brady.
Leave us with a ray of light. A simple reminder that grounds you or helps you through.
You can't find your footing until you lose it. Keep on keeping on.
All photos provided by Nick Serrano
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