Upon meeting Ed Vassallo, you will learn three things about him.
1. He is (quite) funny. This is stating the obvious because, you cannot really be a stand-up comedian without being a tad humorous.
2. He is most certainly creative. You can throw anything at him and I can guarantee that he WILL make a joke out of it.
3. (This is probably his most likeable quality) He is resilient– this guy does not give up. “It’s one of the reasons why I haven’t given up on my ex yet,” Ed teased.
Besides being 18, bartending at two of Valletta’s most prominent bars- The Pub and The Beer Cave and studying accounts at ACCA, Ed also does stand-up comedy. Although his goals do include the concept of being Malta’s first stand-up comedian to make it on Netflix, he tries to remain as realistic as possible. So, accountings’ on his main agenda and comedy’s his side hustle (for now).
Ed and Comedy- THE OTP (one true pair)
Comedy is a medium that allows Ed to overcome his insecurities. He always struggled with his body image, but comedy unleashed the confidence he didn’t know he had within him. Now he just owns ‘being Ed Vassallo.’
When he is performing, he isn’t that awkward guy at the back of the bar, wondering how he’s going to chat up the cute girl on the other end of the room. “The spotlight and the mic in my hand gives me a kind of energy I can’t replicate anywhere else. I’m super cocky and confident… and I love it”
It has always lurked around in the shadows of Ed’s life. When he was a young boy, he would try to hold back giggles as Frankie Boyle made dirty jokes. Hoping that his father wouldn’t find out that Ed knew what ‘cunt’ meant! But Ed’s comical love story really began at the ripe, young age of 17 and he has been hooked ever since.
What started out as a chance encounter involving a bar, a microphone and some free drinks as compensation for Ed’s time has blossomed into a deal with the Clueless Comedy Collective. This sweet deal involves gigs and shows all over the island catered to a wide variety of people; even a couple of British expats which he met in a bar in Buġibba.
A lot of the gigs Ed has done are free of charge- and this is one of the main challenges that he faces as a performer, but he is more than happy to push through this barrier because it’s a huge passion of his. “The fact that I can make people’s day better because of a joke is wonderful”, Ed told The Third Eye.
What is Stand- Up Comedy?
“It’s when you tell a joke and you’re not in a seated position.” Ed uttered cheekily.
Essentially, it’s a form of storytelling done through the medium of jokes. Ed likes to start his night out with a couple of one liners- just to slip a little dirty dad jokes. Ed’s manager at the Clueless Comedy Collective (CCC) says that his music is the only reason why they keep him. Ed integrates his guitar, little ukulele, harmonica and even the drums (BaDumTss) into his performances. I must say it’s quite a treat. (His song, ‘Prison Rape’ is my personal favourite).
Check it out here:
But at the heart of the matter, as Ed told us, “stand-up is all about seeing people smile and laugh. The happiness it gives me is addictive and I never want to get off that stage.”
But sometimes gigs fall flat. Things like poor turn out, unresponsive audience, negative remarks and jokes that don’t land are all realities which stand-up comedians like Ed must deal with. Especially in a place like Malta where the stand-up community is so underground, it is inevitable. “When you’re in the zone and you’re having a really good gig, you will be funny. But when you’re having a bad gig and everyone is just looking at you, it’s difficult to improvise and I’m shitting myself on the inside,” Ed shared with The Third Eye.
So, how do you pick yourself up when nothing seems to be going right?
“When I know that it’s a shit show and I’m tanking it, I just have to power through”, Ed answered and followed up with a little wholesome advice…
“Don’t listen to what anyone says. If you think you’re good, just keep believing in yourself. If these people don’t like what you’re doing, another group of people will for sure. The world is huge, around maybe 7.7 billion people (at least that’s how many it was the last time I checked). There will always be someone who finds you funny or finds your music good or your poetry nice. Even if it’s just one person who sees your work and says, ‘yes I can relate, and this made me feel better’, then that’s a job well done as a creator. You’re expressing your emotion and experiences through your work and your allowing others to feel good about it in the process so it’s a very positive sort of thing.”
So, what’s the morale of Ed’s love story with comedy?
“Always try to be positive. There is too much negativity in the world, so don’t let it get you down,” Ed concluded.
Don’t stop yourself from doing what you love, just because a couple of people might not ‘get it’. Keep being authentic to yourself and doing what you love- even if it defies the stereotypical text- book!