Joe Masse is an emerging force of comedy and wickedness. His new show The Degenerates premiers on January 28th at Carolines Comedy Club in the heart of New York City and based on what he told me, it's going to be a spectacle of dark humor not suitable for children or pious grandmas.

Times Square (TS): So, originally you are from New England?

Joe Masse (JM): Originally, I grew up in Vermont, then Massachusetts.

TS: Nice, when did you come to NYC?

JM: I came for college. I was 17 and then I graduated college and then (pause) doing comedy. It sounds like a jail sentence "doing comedy".

TS: That's a good thing though; comedy is nice and making people laugh is a good thing. I read your biography and it said that you are a Libra, it also said you don't know what that means.

JM: I really have no idea what that means, I know that it's a bad answer when people ask but I really don't have any idea.

TS: Well, I decided to alleviate you of that problem so I kind of looked it up. What it actually means is: Libra's are the most desirable of zodiacal types, among the most civilized of the 12 zodiacal characters and are often good looking, have elegance, charm, good taste, are naturally kind, very gentle and are lovers of beauty. Any thoughts?

JM: What a charmer!

TS: But it also says that you have good critical faculty and are able to stand back and look at matters, which call for an impartial judgment. Has that helped you or hurt you as a comedian?

JM: Wow, that's kind of deep and kinda accurate. Kinda scary. No, that's exactly how you do comedy, you kind of just, like a lot of my humor comes from situational things whether they be relationships or things that you see on the street or the subway. People-to-people type stuff. So I kind of sit back and take it all in and form my own opinion and try to make it funny from there. Like it just starts as a sarcastic comment in my head and then develops into a joke and you go from that,,, but that's really creepy.

TS: Well, I thought it was rather impressive actually. Apparently, I mean I have seen your stand up and you are a pretty good-looking guy. Has that helped you in comedy?

JM: Um, hmm, not really. Actually, I think it's done quite the opposite.

TS: How so?

JM: Well, aside from trying to get laid at the end of a show, you know what I mean, um, but like in the actual business world, comedians - well. Say, take Dane Cook for example, a lot of people hate on him because he has had a lot of success, but if he wasn't good looking I think people would be looking at him differently as a comedian, because comedians aren't thought to be good looking people, they are more like regular laid back Joe's, like blue collar people with a sense of humor, they have their own different genres but they are not usually, you know. You get a lot of jealousy, people who judge you and who look at you like that, it makes it difficult in business aspects.

TS: I see. Has that helped you with Asian girls that you seem to like?

JM: Helped me with what?

TS: Asian girls (from your bio)?

JM: Asian girls…(laughs), I do have a weird fetish for Asian girls.

TS: I also read that you like pretending to do yoga - is there other stuff you like to pretend to do?

JM: Um, yeah (laughs) I find that sometimes when I'm out at a bar, I'll put a fake accent on.

TS: Really? What country?

JM: Ireland. Ill just be completely Irish for the entire night, I'll make up an entire story cause (speaks in Irish accent) hopefully I'll never see them again.

TS: Tell me about your comedy show at Carolines, you host and produced "Joe Masse & the Degenerates"

JM: Yes, The Degenerates is a show I came up with a friend. His name is Anew Color *, he is also another comedian. I wanted to do something edgier, I hate that word but it's the proper word to use I guess, something darker,,, I wanted every comic in the show to tell a deeper/darker story, hence that's how we came up with the name The Degenerates. Whether it be shit with your ex-girlfriend or drug use, or just really heavy things, you know, just like things that you would not normally talk about with even somebody that you know, and I wanted to bring that together. That's why it's a late night show, so it's a late night type of humor. That was the idea and it kind of evolved too, it's doing pretty well - idea wise.

TS: You guys are launching on the 29th right?

JM: Technically it's the 28th, Saturday, but it starts at 12:30 am so it's technically Sunday morning.

TS: Awesome! Well, good luck and what can people expect from the show? Is it that individual comics go on stage and tell their stories, or is it more interactive, how does it work?

JM: I kind of like to try things. I kind of try to get the crowd more interactive cause it's late night you know, you don't want people to get too drunk or fall asleep. So we try to interact with them. I try to do a lot, like, I'll bring someone up on stage and have them try to tell a dirty joke, you'll have someone with absolutely no experience with stand up but that's why you have comics in the show who come up for 15 minutes and tell their story.

TS: Um, nice, will there be any Twilight jokes?

JM: Yes. I do have a lot of Twilight jokes actually and they are very disgusting.

TS: I actually wanted to ask you about that, why don't you like Twilight? What characteristics must a vampire possess to get your approval?

JM: I just, I hate anything, it doesn't have to be Twilight, that has like an insane cult following for now reason.

TS: What about Interview with the Vampire?

JM: Yeah, a lot of people tell me I look like a vampire so like it pissed me off ,,, "Oh, you look like the guy from Twilight" so that became like a bit in my stand up, but it really pisses me off because vampires are fake, you know what I mean? And some women are like really obsessed with them and I never really understood why - we're about to get dirty so, earmuffs - but I was trying to figure out why women are obsessed with them and I think that they think vampires are the only guys that will go down on them on their period. But their NOT, you know what I mean. I just think it's fake, I hate it, I really do hate it.

TS: No, I'm with you. I haven't actually seen a single Twilight film but I did like that bit of the comedy that you did.

JM: Thank you very much, I was forced through an ex-girlfriend to see Twilight like back-to-back.

TS: On behalf of the female sex, I'm so sorry man.

JM: (laughs)

TS: Different type of question - what is better, Pearl Jam or grape jam?

JM: Um, grape jam while you are listening to Pearl Jam.

TS: Good combination. Any other jams on top of that?

JM: I don't know. I miss jamming out to music in a car, that's something you don't get to do in New York a lot.

TS: That's true. I wanted to ask, what can we expect in the 2065 edition of Play Girl - The Wrinkle Issue - how are you preparing for it?

JM: (laughs) Wow, you really dug deep. Um, I remember when I was young my mom always told me it's OK to do Play Girl. I know this is really weird. I was like 15/16 and I just had the idea, and I was always like a little smart ass to my parents so I was like "yeah, I'm gonna do Play Girl" and she said "you know, there are many actresses who have done Play Boy and it's worked out well for them so you know , when you get older you should do Play Girl" and I was like "I'll do it when I'm wrinkly"...

TS: Well, there is no time like the present, any thoughts on that?

JM:  I wouldn't mind doing it. I don't have any qualms about getting naked in front of strangers.

TS: What if it was a Twilight theme?

JM: (laughs) Well then I hope they take the real Bella and put her in with me.

TS: I see. Well, nice! What is your favorite joke that you wrote?

JM: I have a lot of New York humor that I talk about and I have this bit about taking the subway?

TS: Oh, is it the one with the 7 to Queens?

JM: Yeah, the 7 train to Queens. For me, I used to live in Queens, I took the 7 everyday. So that type of humor, something everyone can relate to. I really did like that bit. I am always the tallest person in the area, it's the only place in New York I can feel like a giant. You know?

TS: What about China Town?

JM: China town is amazing. I go there and try to pick up girls and they love me cause I'm 5'10 and their boyfriend is 4'2 so.

TS: You're my height.

JM: (laughs) How tall are you?

TS: 5'10.

JM: You're 5'10?

TS: Yep.

JM: Wow.

TS: I'm Russian, we are kind of required to grow a certain height, you know? Otherwise they put us back on the Monkey bars.

JM: (laughs) They're like "Stretch!"

TS: Exactly! It's kind of what we do. Well, it was really nice to talk to you man. Thank you.

JM: Well thank you very much Liz to you too.

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