Queens comic makes ‘Late Show’

Queens native Steve Hofstetter has found his calling in comedy and will make his debut on “The Late Show with Craig Ferguson” on September 18.
Hofstetter spent most of his childhood in Briarwood after his family moved there from Laurelton when he was just a year old. He later lived in Forest Hills, Rego Park and Bellerose.
It was as a child that Hofstetter’s father used to play records of comedians. He then started watching it on television.
After graduating college, Hofstetter was living with his father and said that, although he loves his father, at 22 he didn’t want to be living at home any more. He started to do comedy as a way to cheer himself up.
“It was something I always wanted to try,” said Hofstetter, who now lives in New Jersey. “It turned out I enjoyed it too much to stop.”
A few gigs turned into steady work and touring for Hofstetter. He also came out with his first book, Student Body Shots: A Sarcastic Look at the Best 4-6 Years of Your Life. Colleges began inviting him to speak about the book and asked if he had done stand-up. This helped him do more stand-up, each time getting better at it.
Hofstetter said that when he was younger he played sports but “never really wanted the ball.” While touring with a friend in the fall of 2003 doing comedy, he realized something had changed as he waited to go on and was excited about it.
“I realized in that moment for the first time in my life I wanted the ball,” he said. “It was a life-changing moment.”
Now, Hofstetter spends about half his time doing shows at colleges and half at comedy clubs. He has performed in 44 states and said he will probably be in three or four new ones this year. He has also done many shows in Canada.
On Thursday, September 18, Hofstetter’s segment on “The Late Show with Craig Ferguson” will air on CBS. He said that a booker saw his show and asked if he wanted to come on “The Late Show.” Although it was nerve-wracking at first, Hofstetter said it turned out to be an easy spot because he was performing in front of people who wanted to see him do well.
“It was fantastic,” Hofstetter said. “The second I finished I wanted to do it again.”
However, Hofstetter said the coolest part of the experience was when he accidentally got off of the elevator on the wrong floor and ended up on the set of “The Price Is Right.”
Along with touring, Hofstetter will be filming a segment for “Comics Unleashed” that will air near the end of the month. Also in the works for Hofstetter is a television pilot, a couple movies and other parts he is being considered for.
“I just wanted to do more of the same and [get] bigger and better,” Hofstetter said. “I really enjoy what I do. I’m happy on a daily basis.”
Hofstetter said that growing up in Queens had a tremendous impact on his career as a comedian. As a child in a neighborhood that was not the best area, he said he developed a sense of humor as a defense mechanism.
“No one beats up the funny kid,” said Hofstetter, adding that Queens also introduced him to many different cultures, giving him a “nice view of the world” and allowing him to better understand new people he meets.
For more information on Hofstetter and to keep posted on his shows, visit www.stevehofstetter.com.