Judge Vince Sicari resigns from NJ bench to pursue comedy career as Vince August

How many of you have seen New Jersey municipal judge Vince Sicari perform stand-up in New York City or elsewhere as Vince August? Please raise your hands.

You’re not disqualified to be on the jury, because the question is now moot.

After the New Jersey state Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Sicari could no longer moonlight as a stand-up comedian (alter-ego or no) and keep his seat on the local bench, Sicari has chosen a life making his judgments onstage rather than in the courtroom.

The Comic’s Comic asked him what his new career goal is now: Sitcom? Daytime TV judge show? Third thing? The reply from Vince August: “All of the above my friend!!! Stage time stage time and more stage time!! :)”

Sicari had been postponing this career crossroads for five years, appealing a state ethics board ruling from 2008 that urged him to give up comedy. The NJ Supreme Court upheld that, writing, in part: “In the course of his routines, Sicari has demeaned certain people based on national origin and religion and has revealed his political leanings…The court cannot ignore the distinct possibility that a person who has heard a routine founded on humor disparaging certain ethnic groups and religions will not be able to readily accept that the judge before whom he or she appears can maintain the objectivity and impartiality that must govern all municipal court proceedings.”

Part of the demeaning came from his acting in the social/ethical commentary prank show for ABC, What Would You Do?

That, of course, was acting.

Acting as himself, Sicari decided the best he he could be was to be Vince August. So comedy it shall be.

August appeared on another network as himself this morning, with CBS This Morning, to talk about the ruling and his own decision to leave the law for comedy:

And here he was on Good Day NY, also this morning, telling them:”I don’t think you give up your dream for a job.”

New York News

So now you can find Vince August performing most Mondays, including this coming Monday, at Carolines on Broadway in New York City.

Here is August’s set at Carolines in late August, which was just uploaded overnight. Not a coincidence! Well, the August in August part is a coincidence 11/12ths of the time, but you get that. You know how time works. Don’t you?

Roll the clip.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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