The Bocchetti Files: An Exclusive Interview with John Melendez

The Bocchetti Files: An Exclusive Interview with John Melendez

The Bocchetti Files, features comedian Mike Bocchetti talking one-on-one with his friends and fellow comedians about whatever crosses his mind. He’s spoken with comedian and musician Dave Hill, Family Guy writer and producer Alec Sulkin, producer and writer for television hit series Family Guy, and Colin Quinn. This week, Mike talks with John Melendez. Melendez got his start as an intern on The Howard Stern show, and became one of the show’s most famous characters, as “Stuttering John.” After 15 years he left the Stern Show to become the announcer for the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. John is currently touring and he and Mike will be doing a show together on May 13th at Levity Live in West Nyack, NY.

Mike Bocchetti: John, you are a musician, a comic actor, writer and great at it all. Which is your favorite one of all?

John Melendez: it’s hard to choose because I love them all, I guess writing jokes about music & then performing them on stage acting as different characters.

Mike Bocchetti: You were a great close friend of the late great Sam Kinnison. Can you share a great memory you have with him?

John Melendez: I have so many, but I guess waking up at Sam’s Malibu mansion & looking over the landing & seeing Sam & Buddy Hackett with their pistols out sharing gun stories. Or the night he strangled Arsenio Hall at the China Club in LA for making a joke about his dead brother. Or doing some of his huge stash of coke with him in the bathroom & then him giving me a pill & telling me to take this if I start feeling wacky. who knew he was a chemist? 🙂

Mike Bocchetti: You have been a celebrity and public figure for a long time what has been the best part of it?

John Melendez: Making people laugh, helping people to feel confident that they can achieve anything they want in life. Heck, I’m a stutterer & became the announcer of the Tonight Show. Anything is possible. I also love to help fellow stutterers, oh & yes, the chicks don’t suck.

Mike Bocchetti: You started in the business with one of the most free thinkers and comic minds of our times the great Howard Stern. How much has political correctness changed you as a person?

John Melendez: Sometimes being politically correct is not a bad thing. We don’t need the n-word in our lives. We do need to be more sensitive to gay & transgender, & anyone else who is, “Different” than ourselves, but with that being said, jokes should never be taken that seriously.

Mike Bocchetti: Okay last question, you and Sal Governable were the ones who discovered me on Last Comic Standing Season 1. Can you share any stories about me?

John Melendez: I guess me bringing you on the road, we had to open the sunroof to fit your head, & then you sleeping in my room with a sleep apnea/darth vader-like machine all night. I tried pulling the plug but you rested your head on the cord & I would’ve needed a crane to lift it.


Follow John Melendez on Twitter @StutteringJohnM and visit JohnMelendez.tv for touring and other information.

 Follow John on Twitter | Follow Mike on Twitter

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Comedian Mike Bocchetti started performing comedy in 1992. In 2012 he became the announcer for the Nick and Artie Show on DirectTV, and stayed on as the announcer for The Artie Lange Show until April 2014. He’s also made appearances on the Howard Stern Show, the Jim Breuer Show and The Opie and Anthony Show on SiriusXM. He appeared on 2 seasons of NBC’sLast Comic Standing and acted with Robert DeNiro in the feature film “The Family”. Follow Mike on twitter @MikeBocchetti and visit his website mikebocchetti.com.
Mike Bocchetti
Mike Bocchetti
Comedian Mike Bocchetti started performing comedy in 1992. In 2012 he became the announcer for the Nick and Artie Show on DirectTV, and stayed on as the announcer for The Artie Lange Show until April 2014. He’s also made appearances on the Howard Stern Show, the Jim Breuer Show and The Opie and Anthony Show on SiriusXM. He appeared on 2 seasons of NBC’sLast Comic Standing and acted with Robert DeNiro in the feature film “The Family”. Follow Mike on twitter @MikeBocchetti and visit his website mikebocchetti.com.