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Kevin Nealon and Rajiv Satyal (R)
Like Cincinnati-native Josh Sneed, and former area resident Greg Warren, fellow comedian Rajiv Satyal used to work for Procter and Gamble. Like his contemporaries, he ditched the packaged goods game and decided to make stand-up comedy his career. Performing wasn’t new to Satyal though, having MCed events in the Indian community since the age of 13. “(I would) host, even tell some jokes,” he recalls. “I never really thought about it, but I guess in a way (back) then I sort of (was) doing stand-up.” His big break came when former Saturday Night Live current Weeds star Kevin Nealon was playing the Funny Bone on the Levee a few years back. “Jeff Jena who was booking the Funny Bone liked me,” he says, “and (asked) ‘do you want to work with Nealon?’ Who wouldn’t?” The two quickly struck up a friendship, as Nealon joined Satyal and his friends for a movie. “During the course of the weekend we grabbed dinner, coffee---further than I get with most women in six months really.” Originally from Fairfield, Satyal has lived in Los Angeles for the past two years, where Nealon has become somewhat of a mentor. “(Nealon) wrote a book recently and it’s really good,” says Satyal. “I was telling him I was reading his book, and he goes ‘you know whose house I was at last night?’ He’s not a name-dropper, he’s not that kind of person at all, but he said ‘I was at Steve Martin’s house.' You could see Kevin speak so admiringly of Steve Martin, and it was so funny to see yourself on a rung and you’re looking up at Nealon, and he’s looking up at Steve Martin.”
Rajiv Satyal performs at Go Bananas as the feature act for Kevin Shea. Thursday August 6 through Sunday August 9.
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