Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonny Loquasto.
Hi Jonny, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve led the life of a physical therapist, a standup comedian, and sports entertainment commentator. My work schedule has been about as unique and insanely busy as they come, and it’s all led to some tremendous experiences. The current project I’m excited about is the release of my first hour-long standup comedy special titled “Jonny Loquasto: Physical. Therapy.” It’s currently streaming on Roku, Tubi, and Xumo and it’s the first comedy special ever seen through the eyes of an active physical therapist. I shot the special in November of 2018, but 6 months after filming, I was presented with a dream opportunity to work for WWE as a member of their announce team, which led to tremendous opportunities as a play by play commentator, ring announcer, live event host, and interviewer. But like many people, the pandemic put that dream on hold. This setback gave me an opportunity to to pivot and I realized that I wanted to help people during the pandemic, so I went back on the frontline as a physical therapist in an acute care hospital all while staying relentlessly focused on releasing my comedy special to the world, and that brings us to right now!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Without question, it’s been a roller coaster filled with more rejections than victories. That’s the path for anyone chasing a dream, or multiple dreams. More setbacks than wins. But it’s the small victories along the way that keep you going, keep you motivated, and keep you staying creative. A lot of us lost something during the pandemic, but I’m grateful to have come out of it with a project that I’m so incredibly proud of, all while being able to work with patients on the frontline, many of which who were struggling to recover from Covid-19.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Regarding my comedy special, it was completely DIY. A close friend of mine is an incredible director, and she runs a production company with her wife. They both convinced me to shoot a special and to truly make it unlike any comedy special out there. From there, we built an incredibly talented and creative team. It’s not easy developing a project like this on your own, but there is a freedom to it when you have complete creative control. From start to finish, I truly believe that my special is different and will keep you invested (and laughing) for 62 minutes and I couldn’t be more grateful to have it out there. To make it even more surreal, I was on a shift at the hospital running around in scrubs on the very day that the special was released. For the past 15 years, I had been chasing my comedy dream and my sports entertainment dream all while hustling through hospital shifts, so it just seemed very fitting. It was a reminder that when you stay focused, invest in yourself, and put your heart into what you love, only good results will come from it.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Absolutely. I think we all learned to take nothing for granted. I had a dream job taken away as a result of the pandemic, but it also forced me to be take a step back, charge up my motivation, and be resourceful. It also gave me an opportunity be there for others who were fighting illness. As a hospital physical therapist, every day was different, and some days I would be working with multiple patients who had tested positive for Covid-19. To see these people struggling to breathe and having no idea if their respiratory system would ever return to normal not only makes you feel empathy for them but it also reminds you to be as kind as you can to every person around you. In an era where everything has become politicized and so divided, it’s important to remember that we’re all human beings and we should just focus on being kind to each other, regardless of our differences.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.QuastoSpecial.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jquasto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Quasto/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JQuasto
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/jonnyloquasto
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