So, I’m just a kid, sitting in the studios at NBC in New York, trying to come up with a follow-up sketch to the infamous Jersey Guy character on Saturday Night Live.
The year is 1980. For better or worse, my Paulie Herman character has caught on across the country.
In my office, I’m riffing with some writers, doing the “I’m from Jersey, you from Jersey?” thing.
One of the writers says to me, “Hey, I’m from Jersey, too.”
Instinctively—as we all do here—I ask, “What exit?”
We put it on the air and I’ve never been able to live it down.
And in a curious way, I am proud of putting Jersey on the map like that. It might not be as significant as inventing the light bulb or conceiving of a League of Nations, but it was the best I could do at the time.
Thinking back after all these years, I’m proud of the Jersey-centric shtick that I’ve done—like the comedy album, New Jersey, with the lyrics to the music of “Born to Run”:
“Oh oh New Jersey, I wanna take you out on a moonlit night and make out in the back seat of my next door neighbor’s car.
Oh oh New Jersey, you’re a woman, no you’re a little girl, no, a nun with a ruler in each hand, you’re a tough old broad, New Jersey. Oh oh oh…New Jersey…”
And I did the New Jersey Special on ABC-TV, with an all-New Jersey cast—Eddie Murphy and Danny DeVito, with tributes to the two Mr. S’s, Springsteen and Sinatra.
It was all fun and games—an affectionate tip of the hat to the place where I live. That’s different from the derogatory shows and reality business going on today.
It’s all in fun when I perform on stages across North America and do my parody tune of “New York, New York”—called “New Jersey, New Jersey.”
“…I want to wake up, where the diners do not close.
Take the Turnpike past Exit 13
Holding my nose…”
Bruce Springsteen is the single greatest diplomat of our state. He writes about it—the good and the bad—but he lives here. Raised his family here. He performs on stages around the world, and everywhere people know the Boss’s love for his home state and its people.
I mean, how proud is that?
Even the great Frank Sinatra would say from the stage in front of millions, “I come from a little place called Hoboken, New Jersey.”
Bon Jovi lives in Jersey. Joe Pesci. Queen Latifah. The other Boss—the cake one, Buddy Valastro—all live in Jersey.
This is what my teachers at West Essex High would tell me is leading through example. (See, I did learn from the New Jersey public school system. Although I believe I still hold the record for suspensions. Trivial stuff by today’s standards, but still, a record is a record.)
And despite all the negative and silly shows on television that demean where we live, we will survive. Proudly.
Right now, New Jersey has lots of problems, like what to do with NJN, our public television station. Here’s what I think: What New Jersey needs is a national TV network. I mean, if there is a Home and Garden Network, C-SPAN covering paint drying on the Capitol, and a different cable network for every food possible, why can’t we have the New Jersey Channel covering everything New Jersey?
It would offset all the negative and stereotypical media coverage and shows about Jersey. Programming would consist of a Jack Nicholson movie, a Frank Sinatra clip, or a Shaq interview. Throw in a comedy bit from Uncle Floyd. It’s all New Jersey programming and all as positive as we deserve!
But what really inspires me about this state are the at-risk children in devastated cities. Through my work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of New Jersey, I’ve seen children throughout the state who, in the face of drug and gang violence, are our shining stars.
Or the Unity Community in Camden. Smack dab in the middle of a part of a city that is all but forgotten—except by gangs and drug lords—this organization teaches young people martial arts, music (in conjunction with the Camden school system), African heritage, and character.
Whew. These are the kids I wish the producers of Jersey Shore and the Real Housewives would take a hard look at. Then they would realize the tenor and character and commitment of our great state. That’s the real Jersey.
We have the single biggest melting pot of all ethnicities, a proud celebration of immigrants who have learned the laws and language and love of a place called Jersey.
So, sure I can sing, again to finale of the tune of “New York, New York”:
“All those Italians and Jews!
‘Mama Mia, Oy Vay!’
I wanna pay the highest possible property tax.
And we don’t care how much our governor may weigh!’…
If we can make it here
We can make it anywhere…
It’s up to you,
NJ, NJ!”
Believe it baby.
What Exit? It really doesn’t matter. I’m just proud to call Jersey my home.
Entertainer Joe Piscopo came to fame as a member of the Saturday Night Live cast from 1980-1984. Among his many charitable works, the Passaic native serves as spokesman for the Boys & Girls Clubs of New Jersey. He lives in Hunterdon County.