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Average Joe: The Memoirs of a Blue-Collar Entertainer
The inside story of award-winning, popular entertainer and actor who discovered that the key to success in the entertainment industry is a strong work ethic and a willingness to reinvent, never quit, and keep learning to survive.
Joe Piscopo has made both live and living room audiences laugh for five decades, winning the acclaim and affection of millions of fans. Often recognized as one of the actors who replaced the original cast on Saturday Night Live, he helped rescue the show from cancellation.
In Average Joe, Piscopo shares behind-the-scenes stories from an impressive, multi-faceted career. As a new entertainer, he performed stand-up and hosted at the famous Improv in New York City, where he got to know comics who were just starting out, including Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, and Gilbert Gottfried. On SNL, he often paired with newcomer Eddie Murphy, writing and performing now classic skits. He saw himself as the utility guy, the one who could jump in, get something done, and get a laugh. His often uncanny impersonations ranged from President Ronald Reagan to Joan Rivers to his hero Frank Sinatra—all of whom he met in person. Beyond SNL, his career spans from car and beer commercials to roles in major movies.
A self-proclaimed Dork Dad, Joe found that celebrity can sidetrack a person from the pursuit of what’s really important in life. After focusing on fitness for his own health, he was featured on the cover of body-building magazines, which had a notable impact on his career. Today, Joe is still a hardworking entertainer, hosting his own radio show, The Joe Piscopo Show, and performing comedy, song, and dance live across the US and Canada. Joe sums it all up “I’m part of the blue-collar of show business, baby.”
Joe Piscopo has made both live and living room audiences laugh for five decades, winning the acclaim and affection of millions of fans. Often recognized as one of the actors who replaced the original cast on Saturday Night Live, he helped rescue the show from cancellation.
In Average Joe, Piscopo shares behind-the-scenes stories from an impressive, multi-faceted career. As a new entertainer, he performed stand-up and hosted at the famous Improv in New York City, where he got to know comics who were just starting out, including Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, and Gilbert Gottfried. On SNL, he often paired with newcomer Eddie Murphy, writing and performing now classic skits. He saw himself as the utility guy, the one who could jump in, get something done, and get a laugh. His often uncanny impersonations ranged from President Ronald Reagan to Joan Rivers to his hero Frank Sinatra—all of whom he met in person. Beyond SNL, his career spans from car and beer commercials to roles in major movies.
A self-proclaimed Dork Dad, Joe found that celebrity can sidetrack a person from the pursuit of what’s really important in life. After focusing on fitness for his own health, he was featured on the cover of body-building magazines, which had a notable impact on his career. Today, Joe is still a hardworking entertainer, hosting his own radio show, The Joe Piscopo Show, and performing comedy, song, and dance live across the US and Canada. Joe sums it all up “I’m part of the blue-collar of show business, baby.”
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Published May 27, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 19, 2025
Good book about comedian and entertainer Joe Piscopo. While reading this book, I watched some of his comedy sketches on SNL, and he is quite funny!
August 22, 2025
Say it ain't so, Joe. You admittedly withhold numerous great stories out of "respect" for people, say little about most of the movies you were involved in, even skip over your associations with some famous people, and turn in a really dull memoir that's too polite for publication.
Piscopo seems like a nice guy--tries to come off as a typical American middle class Italian worker. But he hit it big in the 1980s and for a short period was hot due to SNL. He couldn't sustain that because he admittedly made bad choices, thought himself better than others, became "difficult" and by the end of the decade was mostly a has-been.
He seems gun-shy now, wanting to keep his image positive so he refuses to tell great stories. "Am I going to dish out the fresh dirt and throw folks under the bus for things that happened forty years ago? Sorry, but that's not my style." Then maybe you shouldn't have signed a contract to write a tell-all book!
He spends too much time on his love of Frank Sinatra, which seems inconsistent with Joe's claims of being a great family man. I can think of almost no celebrity who is a worse role model than Sinatra. Unless it's profanity-spewing womanizer Eddie Murphy, who also gets too much praise in these pages.
Some will object to Piscopo's final chapter devoted to strongly supporting Donald Trump. It's actually kind of refreshing since it's the opposite of most celebrity books. But look at the pattern of who Piscopo upholds as sacred--Sinatra, Murphy, and Trump. Obnoxious, overly confident, verbally abusive and juggling relationships with different women. Almost like Joe.
The only good part of the book is about his Saturday Night Live years; the rest of it goes nowhere. I admire his faith, politics, anti-drug stance, and family values, but this is a guy who has five kids by three women and is anything but average.
Piscopo seems like a nice guy--tries to come off as a typical American middle class Italian worker. But he hit it big in the 1980s and for a short period was hot due to SNL. He couldn't sustain that because he admittedly made bad choices, thought himself better than others, became "difficult" and by the end of the decade was mostly a has-been.
He seems gun-shy now, wanting to keep his image positive so he refuses to tell great stories. "Am I going to dish out the fresh dirt and throw folks under the bus for things that happened forty years ago? Sorry, but that's not my style." Then maybe you shouldn't have signed a contract to write a tell-all book!
He spends too much time on his love of Frank Sinatra, which seems inconsistent with Joe's claims of being a great family man. I can think of almost no celebrity who is a worse role model than Sinatra. Unless it's profanity-spewing womanizer Eddie Murphy, who also gets too much praise in these pages.
Some will object to Piscopo's final chapter devoted to strongly supporting Donald Trump. It's actually kind of refreshing since it's the opposite of most celebrity books. But look at the pattern of who Piscopo upholds as sacred--Sinatra, Murphy, and Trump. Obnoxious, overly confident, verbally abusive and juggling relationships with different women. Almost like Joe.
The only good part of the book is about his Saturday Night Live years; the rest of it goes nowhere. I admire his faith, politics, anti-drug stance, and family values, but this is a guy who has five kids by three women and is anything but average.
June 21, 2025
Honestly I feel bad giving this book only 2 stars. Had I read it, instead of listening to it, or not listened to the postscript, which is 6:13 of Joe kissing up to Donald Trump, it probably would have been a 4 or 5 star review. I loved the book and loved listening to Joe read it. He added some additional things as can be done when reading your own book after it's been published. Joe does an outstanding job. It's funny. It's heartwarming. I saw a side of him that I didn't know. His relationship with his family. And if you are from NJ, as I am, some of it hits home even more. His stories about going Down The Shore right true. For 6 hours and 21 minutes I was fully entertained. And then...BOOM! It sunk like a battleship, for me. Had I known ahead of time, I might have just turned it off. So, maybe, just maybe, if someone reads this and has the same opinion about Trump; just stop after Chapter 24 and you will love it. If, you feel differently than I do about him, enjoy the last 6+ minutes. But for me, it went from throughly enjoyable to OMFG what am I listening to, very quickly. So, chapter 1-24, kudos to the author!!! But that ending left an awful image of him that I wish I didn't know.
June 21, 2025
I was a teenager during the Eddie Murphy/Joe Piscopo heyday on SNL. God, they were funny! And we all saw Murphy move on to bigger and brighter projects. But Piscopo sort of disappeared. Then, he reappeared looking like a body-builder. Then he disappeared for good from my consciousness.
So, it was a mixture of nostalgia and genuine curiosity that had me read this book. In the end, I guess some of my curiosity was satisfied, but it was all fairly meh. I don't especially appreciate Piscopo s man-of-the-people persona. What I value most in "celebrity" memoirs is candor. I didn't find it here.
And I definitely could have done without his pro-Trump opining in the final chapter. And yet, it was sort of telling. He acknowledges that his vocal support of Trump will hurt his career. Well, he's been making pretty awful career choices all the way back to his SNL days. Apparently, that's who he is. I'm happy to let him sink back into obscurity.
So, it was a mixture of nostalgia and genuine curiosity that had me read this book. In the end, I guess some of my curiosity was satisfied, but it was all fairly meh. I don't especially appreciate Piscopo s man-of-the-people persona. What I value most in "celebrity" memoirs is candor. I didn't find it here.
And I definitely could have done without his pro-Trump opining in the final chapter. And yet, it was sort of telling. He acknowledges that his vocal support of Trump will hurt his career. Well, he's been making pretty awful career choices all the way back to his SNL days. Apparently, that's who he is. I'm happy to let him sink back into obscurity.
March 30, 2025
If you want to know what it’s like being a versatile entertainer, this is the book for you! Jersey Joe has done it all, from TV, movies, broadway, concerts, radio and hosting an annual parade. With all that work, he relates in the book the importance of time with the family as well. Yes, you will also read a little about the world famous celebrities he has met. If you have listened or watched Joe for a few years he soon feels like family and when reading his autobiography it feels like you are reading the words of a friend. It is a very fast read! The only complaint may be that it could have been at least 10 pages longer! An index also would have been nice. Many color photos too!
July 1, 2025
This only gets 3 stars because it was a quick, breezy read. The problem is that he still comes across as less than likeable. I just don't believe his denials about drugs and steroids. I've seen his 1987 HBO Halloween special. Was he simply high on hubris? Perhaps. I also find his timeline questionable. He just started dating Kimberly in 1987 but dedicated that same Halloween special to her? Right. I was also mildly disturbed by how he said he should have stayed married to his first wife....but loves the four kids he subsequently had without her so much. Which way do you want it? In other words, this book went the way I expected. And yes, I skipped the chapter about 47.
March 18, 2025
I enjoyed "Average Joe: Memoirs of a Blue-Collar Entertainer" by Joe Piscopo. I've read a lot of celebrity memoirs. They can be dangerous waters to enter. A lot of times I end up liking the author less than I did before I started reading the book (Exhibit A: Henry Winkler). Other times, I become I bigger fan than I was before I started the book. That's the case with Joe Piscopo. Piscopo's book is a fun read by a guy who has managed to survive the ups and downs of a long career. "Average Joe" is worth reading.
March 20, 2025
Interesting bio.
March 31, 2025
I really liked this book, a true class act
September 16, 2025
Random book pick due to availability. I quite enjoyed his life's story and the storytelling until it turned into a political advertisement. Really, really weird way to end.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews