World Famous "Wise Guys" Returns!

Location(s)

Do you believe in reincarnation? The Panther does! That's right, "the Cat is Back!" Proving that they do indeed have nine lives, Bruno Schirripa (the aforementioned 'panther'; more on that in a minute) has returned to reopen Wise Guys, a comedy club, a restaurant, and an entertainment showroom all under one roof.

On October 18th, Schirripa reintroduced himself to the Central New York entertainment scene. Wise Guys was originally opened in 1986, and helped Syracusans laugh throughout the years, until the stage lights went black for the last time in 2000. Now the club is back and better than ever. Inside, you'll find three distinct yet inseparably linked hot spots.

First and foremost, there's the Comedy Showroom. Although it's in the back of the club, it is the crown jewel, make no mistake. Complete with a painting of the Panther himself, this is where you'll get to see the best comedians currently on national tours. On rotating nights when a comic isn't on stage, i.e., on Tuesdays, you'll also find "Last Local Standing" (a CNY version of "Last Comic Standing"), an improv night, various game shows, and open mic time, all hosted by Bruno. For details on upcoming comedians, check out the upcoming schedule. For other special events, take a look here.

Looking to have a great meal before one of the shows? Then check out The Cheshire restaurant, and the culinary creations of Chef Jon-Mikel. Want to see what they're cookin'? Then here's the menu.

If a good stiffy's your thing (a good stiff drink, that is), then check out The Wizard's Lounge. Part-bar, part-magician's showroom, you'll find a great list of house specialities as well as the "house specialty," magician Dan Uzunoff and his tableside tricks.

Before we wrap this thing up, a word about your host. He may seem like "just another wise guy," but Bruno Schirripa is more than that. Need to do some soul searching? Ask Bruno for some guidance, as he's a certified Lay Minister in the Methodist Church. Maybe you just need to get into shape and learn some self-defense. Bruno can show you the way, as he's a fifth degree black belt master in Tae Kwon Do, something he achieved on the way to becoming a 3-time New York State champ and the 1990 National champ in his class. (This is where the 'panther' reference comes in; that's the essence he becomes when he's in a match.) You want more? Ok, so he's also been the Syracuse Chiefs baseball mascot, Scooch, as well as Crunchman, the mascot of the Syracuse Crunch hockey team, and a mascot for an "anonymous professional sports team in Pittsburgh."

As for me, well, I believe in the luck associated with cats and their nine lives. (Incidentally, this is his ninth club.) But after meeting Bruno, I'm sure the Panther will do just fine without luck; he is really good at what he does.

Not convinced yet? Then I'll leave you with this: I know he didn't plan it (I asked and he denied it), but when I parked in the club's parking lot on the morning of our interview, a stray neighborhood cat wandered nearby, almost acting as an usher showing me the club's entrance. Coincidence? Naw, this Cat's too good for that...