Conversations with Chris Diorio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Diorio

Hi Chris, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve worn several hats in my life, as they like to say. Air Force Veteran, Firefighter, Chef, Ordained Minister, Dog Dad, Standup Comedian, and best of all, Kelly’s Husband. Shortly after moving to Charlotte, North Carolina I got involved as a volunteer with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The CF Foundation is an incredible organization that works towards finding a cure for the deadly disease, Cystic Fibrosis. After participating in one of their incredible yearly fundraisers, “Guys and Dolls”, I was asked if I would be interested in participating in an event known as “LOL4CFF”. At the time the concept for LOL4CFF was that four people who had never performed standup comedy in their entire lives, would get up in front of a crowd in an open mic competition, all to raise money for the CF Foundation. I won the competition, and the headlining comedian suggested that I keep performing, which I was very excited to do. I hit the open mic circuit in Charlotte and ended up competing in the annual “Comedy Battle” held at the Comedy Zone, where some of the best local comics compete for a variety of trophies. I ended up taking home both the “Judges Choice” and “Audience Choice” awards. I was overwhelmed with how much I enjoyed performing Standup and in early 2020 I auditioned for a residency at the Broadway Comedy Club in New York City, and to my absolute shock, was offered a deal! Unfortunately, this opportunity would be cut short by COVID restrictions, but nonetheless it was at that point I knew I found my calling and I wouldn’t be turning back. Fast forward about 4 and a half years later and I’ve been blessed with several amazing opportunities. I have performed Standup comedy across the United States, I’ve won multiple “Best of the City” awards in my home city of Charlotte, and I’ve been featured on some of the best shows in the country, including Rebels of Comedy and Kill Tony. I recently recorded my first comedy album which is currently as of this writing in the negotiation stage with several distributors and in 2025 I am hoping and planning to participate in my first multi-state tour. I am also very proud that I am continuing to work with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and working with the team there and the incredible founder of LOL4CFF, we have grown that event into a signature event which raises in excess of $100,000 yearly for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not! Standup comedy is a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish. Your career trajectory is never a linear uptick in success. It typically looks like the heart monitor graph of a guy who overdosed on caffeine. Rapid up and downs that are impossible to predict. Obviously as stated earlier, a MAJOR punch in the gut was having my time at the Broadway Comedy Club, and performing at all, cut short by COVID restrictions. Beyond that, Comedy can be a wild ride. One day you’re in a club or arena in front of hundreds, possibly thousands of people who left their house to laugh and every joke you tell is met with raucous laughter and applause breaks. Two days later you’re telling those same jokes in a dive bar thats also showing the football game and those same jokes that had people howling are now struggling to be heard over the sound of pool balls clinking together and bartenders making frozen drinks in those gas powered blenders they must use. I thank God every day that I have my wife Kelly and an army of friends and family supporting my journey.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Although I dabble in writing, podcasting, public speaking, and MC work, ultimately what I do is Standup Comedy. I like to think that my style is witty and creative, although I have been (fairly enough) accused of being a little on the dark side. I think that comes from having served in the military, we’re all a little off. I have won a few awards and competitions throughout my career, but honestly what I am most proud of is the body of work that I’ve put together through being blessed with a little bit of talent for this, but mostly the hard work I’ve put in where I know on any given night I can go out in front of a crowd of strangers and make them laugh. To me that is just such an incredible feeling and a gift that I cherish. There’s two things that set me apart from most of my peers. Obviously as mentioned earlier I have lived a pretty interesting life, and from that I have some very amusing stories I can share on stage. On the other hand, almost in direct opposition to that, I absolutely love the art and challenge of crafting jokes out of thin air and bringing them to stage. While many of my friends and fellow comics are able to draw inspiration from what they see in the world around them and give a hilarious viewpoint on things we all see, do, hear, and talk about, I love being able to tell an old school kind of joke. Something that is clearly not true or not necessarily something I believe in, but putting words in a certain order with a certain twist to them that will make you laugh and think at the same time.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Without a doubt it has to be the love of the game. As disheartening and soul crushing as comedy can sometimes be when you are in one of those low periods I feel like if you don’t absolutely live for those moments when you’re on stage and that audience is laughing at your words then you’ll never stand a chance at getting through those rough periods.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thechrisdiorio.com
• Instagram: @thechrisdiorio
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/chrisdioriocomedy
• Twitter: @thechrisdiorio
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChrisDiorioComedy