The first time Mike Buzzelli ever performed in front of an audience was when he was in High School at Chartiers Valley. As a class assignment Mike, Chartiers Valley Class of 1981, performed a Shakespearean play with his friend Heidi. The duo managed to make the whole class laugh – sparking Mike’s interest in performing.
“It was so much fun,” explained Mike. “I got genuine laughs from the class which made me thrive. I’ve been seeking laughs ever since.”
Today Mike is a comedian and writer. He wrote “
Below Average Genius” – a nonfiction collection of brisk, humorous tales collected from his weekly humor column at the Washington Observer-Reporter. Each narrative essay explores the ridiculousness in an otherwise normal situation in roughly 500 words or less.
For example, “It’s a Blurry, Blurry World” chronicles Mike’s inability to snap a decent photograph at Disneyland, while “Come on, Come on to My House” explores the dynamic of watching a movie or television show at another person's home.
“We all have a lot going on. Everybody has so much stress,” said Mike. “If I can make people laugh, then I’m doing my job.”
“And if I can make money doing that, all the better,” he added.
Years ago, Mike took a chance and followed his dream – all the way to Los Angeles – where he pursued his writing and comedy career for ten years. Although Mike was nervous and intimated when he first arrived in LA, he soon became confident and excelled in his new environment.
“I would tell all students today to keep doing what they love and never be afraid to go somewhere or try something new,” said Mike. “I’ve found that the only person who can hold you back is you!”
Today Mike is back in Pittsburgh – Scott Township, to be exact – and he’s still pursuing his dreams.
Mike said his time at Chartiers Valley helped prepare him for his life after high school – from his first live performance when he decided to become a comedian, to his time writing for the CharValiant, which guided him toward his writing career.
“I had an amazing journalism teacher at Chartiers Valley,” said Mike. “He was instrumental in helping me decide to pursue a journalism career and move forward with writing.”
In addition to his book, Mike writes for the Washington Observer-Reporter and the Chartiers Valley Patch. He also does stand-up comedy and has been the Master of Ceremonies at many events.
