We lost our good friend and co-conspirator, Carmine Capobianco this past January. He’d been sick for a while, but his spirits were always high, buoyed by his family—real life and online.

We’d known Carmine for years, introduced to him by HCP co-founder Bill Homan’s love of Psychos in Love, Carmine’s magnum opus made with Debi Thibault and Gorman Bechard. Years later, when I started working as a journalist, my paths crossed with Thomas Seymour, in whose films Carmine often co-starred. He put me in touch with Carmine and we had the first of many talks. It was the beginning of a long-lasting friendship.

Over the years, we’d discussed – and collaborated on – a number of scripts we could never bring to fruition. There was no money, no time, no this, no that. We made excuses. But we had fun doing so.

To my knowledge, this is the last essay Carmine wrote before he went into the hospital for the last time. It’s a celebration of comedy, by a man who was tremendously funny, warm, sweet, and liked to make you feel important. We at EN were lucky to have his support and this contribution. It appeared in Exploitation Nation #10 and references the cover. And by the end of the piece, you’ll love Carmine too.

Rest in peace, our dear friend.

Comedy is Hard by Carmine Capobianco.

(C) 2020 Carmine Capobianco