By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
John Poveromo. Photo by Johanna Lefever.
In Italy, Poveromo is known as a village of 200 inhabitants in the municipality of Marina di Massa in the province of Massa-Carrara. In the resort, there are numerous pine forests and a rich Mediterranean scrub.
In America, Poveromo is known as one of the country’s most talented standup comedians.
John Poveromo has built up a strong local following based on his “Candlelight Comedy Club” shows at the Candlelight Theater (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware, www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org) .
On January 22, it’s time for the January edition of “Candlelight Comedy Club” at the venue just over the Pennsylvania-Delaware state line – a venue that features ample free parking.
Poveromo is this this month’s headline act with Joanne Filian as the opening act and Katrina Braxton as MC.
In addition to his work as an in-demand standup headline act, Poveromo is also host of the popular podcast “Dystopia Tonight with John Poveromo.”
In Italy, Poveromo is characterized by long beaches. In America, Poveromo is a resident of Long Beach Island.
“The podcast has become big,” said Poveromo, during a phone interview Tuesday night from his New Jersey home in Long Beach Island.
The show was conceived during the pandemic, when comedians such as Poveromo were brainstorming ways to adapt and reinvent themselves.
It started as comics sitting around shooting the breeze (Tom Papa, Judy Gold), and has expanded to include actors (Megan Cavanagh, Ed Begley Jr., Ed Asner!), musicians (Art Alexakis from Everclear, Marlana Sheetz of Milo Greene), and visual artists (comic book artist John Romita Jr. and Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist Steve Breen), and comedy legend Lewis Black.
“I’m also working on a book about the podcast,” said Poveromo. “It looks at interviews from the podcast. We’ve had so many great people on the podcast.
“It also looks at the podcast’s background — how it started during the pandemic. Between the lockdown and the political landscape, the headlines read like satire. It’s a dystopian state.”
Poveromo cited this as part of the book proposal: “Every generation has its soundtrack, its storytellers, and its scars. Ours just happens to live in an era where headlines read like satire and the future feels uncertain at best. Dystopia Tonight gathers the voices of comedians, musicians, scientists, and cultural icons who remind us that humor, music, and art aren’t just distractions. They’re survival tools. This is a book about laughter in the ruins, and the ways we carry each other through the dark.”
The book seems like a natural extension of the podcast.
“I was approached by a literary agent to write a book,” said Poveromo. “From the beginning, I wanted to put a book together about the interviews curated by me.
“We’ve had entertainers, politicians, an astronaut, comedians, actors, activists and geo-political analysts. There have been over 300 episodes so far.”
“Dystopia Tonight with John Poveromo” has drawn praise from across the entertainment industry from comedians, such as Paul Reiser, Robert Klein and Lewis Black, to musicians ranging from Glen Phillips, the lead singer of Toad The Wet Sprocket, Devo’s Gerald Casale, and Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins’, Melissa Auf Der Maur along with legendary actors like Ed Begley Jr., Tim Matheson and Ernie Hudson.
According to Paul Reiser, “John is smart, funny, and easy to talk to. We went about an hour over because I was enjoying myself too much to pull the plug.”
DEVO fans will appreciate this quote from the band’s Gerald Casale — “John is whip-smart and the rapid-fire mix of humor and insight was a welcome dip into the big Spud Fryer”
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Toms River (N.J.), Poveromo gravitated toward humor ever since he was a youngster.
“I didn’t hang out in the music scene,” said Poveromo. “I was much more interested in stand-up. For me, humor was a way to cope with stuff. I saw grownups coping with things with humor.
“I got into Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Reiser and Ellen and found out they all started with stand-up. And I liked stand-ups because they told it like it was.”
Poveromo has written comedy for shows on HBO and VH1, as well as his own book, “Drawings From a Nobody,” which features his comic-strip style drawings of scenes from everyday life.
Poveromo, a veteran and versatile comedian, is likely to change his set on the spot based on the crowd and whatever is on his mind.
His perfect blend of self-deprecation and optimism makes him a dynamic and unpredictable performer who is both engaging and fun to watch as he struggles to make sense of himself and the world around him.
“My comedy is sharp and socially aware but still very human,” said Poveromo, who has also written for a variety of shows, including ESPN’s Sports Nation, Joy Behar’s Say Anything on HLN, The Independents, and CNN Newsroom.
“It’s funny and thoughtful. I talk about family. I talk about everything. Any good comic reads the room. I’m very aware of the audience.
“I know when to improvise. Every one of my shows is unique. It’s very conversational – and the punch line is always different.”
Poveromo recently performed at the National Comedy Center’s annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival where he did stand up and a bunch of live podcast episodes from the set of “I Love Lucy” which can now be watched on YouTube.
He also stays very busy with live performances.
“I do about 200 standup shows a year,” said Poveromo. “The first time I played at Candlelight was 2007 or 2008. I really enjoy doing shows there. Joanne Filian, who is from Nutley, New Jersey, comes with me every time.”
Poveromo has already started his schedule of live shows for 2026 and now is headed to the stage at Candlelight for another mid-winter show.
Video link for John Poveromo — https://youtu.be/lu1EKaVuTI8.
Tickets are $40 and include complimentary light fare buffet, cash bar, and free parking. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Also at the Candlelight Dinner Theater, this will be the first full weekend of the venue’s first production of 2026 –“The Producers.”
“The Producers” is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and a book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan. It is adapted from Brooks’s 1967 film of the same name.
The story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich by fraudulently overselling interests in a Broadway musical designed to fail. Complications arise when the show is a surprise hit.
The humor of “The Producers” draws on exaggerated accents, caricatures of Jews, gay people and Nazis, and many show business in-jokes.
The original Broadway production opened on April 19, 2001, starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, and ran for 2,502 performances, winning a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards.It spawned a successful West End production running for just over two years, national tours in the U.S. and U.K., many productions worldwide and a 2005 film version.
The show is running now through February 22.
Tickets, which include dinner and show, are $77.50 for adults and $35 for children (ages 4-12). “Show Only” tickets, which have limited availability, cost $35.
Another popular and familiar show is running now through February 15 at People’s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, peopleslight.org) – “Steel Magnolias.”
“Steel Magnolias” is a hilarious and heart-wrenching American classic.
The reigning ladies of a small Louisiana parish spend Saturday mornings at Truvy Jones’ beauty parlor. With help from aspiring beautician Annelle, Truvy doles out gossip, wisecracks, and hairspray to “grande dame” Miss Clairee, the lovable curmudgeon Ouiser, queen bee M’Lynn, and M’Lynn’s vivacious daughter Shelby.
Six unforgettable women command the stage in this hilarious and heart-wrenching masterpiece, starring People’s Light icons Janis Dardaris, Claire Inie-Richards, Teri Lamm, Susan McKey, and Marcia Saunders, under the direction of Abigail Adams.
Video link for People’s Light — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zICXuBNoPuY.
“Steel Magnolias” will run now through February 15 on the Steinbright Stage at People’s Light.
Ticket prices start at $59.
Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org) will present Sugar Mountain – A Tribute to Neil Young on January 23.
Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) is hosting Kater Barbato with Skyler Cumbia and Julia Webb on January 24.
Jamey’s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com) will host AC Steel & the Perpetrators on January 22, the Mike Montray Band on January 23 and The Wendy Logan Band and Joey Stout asn the Big notes on January 24.
