• by Sarah Teach •
“All I’ve ever wanted to do is make people laugh.” Stand-up comedian Brian Glowacki, a 6’1” cue ball, is an elm of a man. He takes the stage like your dad does the barbecue: ready to crack a brew and hang, but also itching to get down to business. The Nantucket native doesn’t resort to audience insults or exhausting the expletive card. He’s a gentle guy, but he’s got some killer jokes.
“In 2011, I was enrolled in a stand-up comedy writing class as a gift,” he says. “I knew from the first time I went onstage that comedy would be a part of my life forever.” As the leading man of the Nantucket-based band Perfect Day, publicly using his voice wasn’t too far a leap for Glowacki.
“I would say at this stage of my ‘career’ that my comedic style is still evolving. I poke a lot of fun at myself because it’s cheaper than therapy. When I get offstage, I want the audience to have learned something about me: about my life and wher
e I came from. I like feeling that even though I may be on stage with a microphone, that we’re all just hanging together. I like to keep my act as conversational as possible.” Thought he’s a kind and generous comic, it still doesn’t mean you can bring the kids. Glowacki continues, “I wouldn’t call myself clean. I’d have to say that I’m naughty but not dirty. I always want to do a set that might make my mother cringe but not make her want to leave or beat me with a belt.” Offstage, Glowacki is soft-spoken and earnest. Those closest to him describe him as honest, loyal. You might say he’s a stand-up stand-up.
Glowacki has lived on Nantucket his entire life, save for a handful of months here and there. “Without a doubt, humor is important to people who live on Nantucket. We’ve had some tragedies and hard times as a community. Laughter is what brings us all back together. I choose to stay on Nantucket,” he says, “because it would be too expensive to load all my things onto the boat.” He grins. “No, really, I love it here. It’s such a unique and supportive place. I always talk about leaving, but I’m sure I never could. My roots are here.”
See Glowacki perform every Monday night from 6-7 p.m. at the Starlight Theater in downtown Nantucket. This September 27 at 8 p.m., Glowacki will be filming his first-ever comedy special at the Dreamland. Watch it all happen in the Main Theater by getting tickets for $20 at dreamlandtickets.org. Attendees will be able to pre-order the DVD, which is slated for release this fall.