New York comedian Chris Distefano, known for his popular podcasts and stand-up specials, recently added another credit to his resume: guest host of Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Despite a career that includes selling out both Radio City Music Hall and the Theater at Madison Square Garden on consecutive nights, Distefano admitted to experiencing a sudden wave of anxiety before stepping onto the late-night stage.
“Right when the curtains opened and they were like, ‘Please welcome your guest host Chris Distefano,’ I thought I was going to pass out,” he recalled. “All the anxiety I was pushing down just rushed right to my head.”
He found an unexpected source of comfort in the audience: his mother. “Normally I don’t like having my family in the front row, because comedy is a very vulnerable thing, but I almost felt like a child again,” Distefano said. “When I saw her I was like, oh my mom’s right there, you’re safe. It was a very bizarre feeling.”
Following his Kimmel appearance, Distefano is preparing for a show at Montreal’s Just For Laughs festival on July 26, an event he calls his “favourite comedy festival in the world.” Based on his extensive touring in Canada, the comedian has observed distinct characteristics in regional audiences.
“The audiences in Toronto, they feel like New York, more blue collar,” he noted. “Montreal, you definitely have to work a little harder. They’re a little bit more like, ‘Impress me,’ which I like.” He described Vancouver crowds as having a more relaxed, “L.A. vibe,” while adding that he enjoys the “rowdiness” of cities like Winnipeg and Edmonton.
A cornerstone of Distefano’s comedy is his family, particularly his father. He explained that poking fun at his dad is his own way of expressing affection, a dynamic he learned from him. “My whole life, he showed me what love means through comedy,” Distefano shared. “That’s, I think, why I make fun of him so much. Because I feel like it’s really me saying to my dad, ‘Hey, I love you.'”
His fiancée, Jasmin Canuelas, is also a frequent topic in his sets. Distefano joked that their recent engagement has made her more tolerant of the material. “I think she’s kind of now like, go be as funny as you need to be, we’ve got to pay off this mortgage.”
Reflecting on his career, Distefano identified his Hulu special, It’s Just Unfortunate, as a major “turning point.” He noted that Hulu’s selective comedy catalog allowed him to “really stand out and not kind of get lost in the shuffle” alongside greats like Jim Gaffigan and Bill Burr.
The comedian also spoke about his evolving perspective on fame in the digital age. He once felt “offended” when people recognized him as a “comedian from TikTok,” but has since embraced it.
“That all went away where I was like, hey whatever medium people can see me in, just be grateful and feel blessed that they’re watching you,” he said. “We’re taking in thousands of videos and images every day. And I’m like, if mine can stick out to a person, I feel really blessed by that.”
