Frank Nicotero
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Frank Joseph Nicotero (b. May 4, 1969) is an American comedian best known as the host of the syndicated "comedy game show" Street Smarts. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Nicotero is a self-proclaimed trivia junkie who grew up watching Johnny Carson and David Letterman and aspired to follow in the footsteps of those TV legends. Crowned "Class Clown" of North Allegheny Senior High School in Wexford, PA three years in a row, Nicotero enrolled at Pittsburgh's Duquesne University, but found that his desire to become a comedian outweighed his desire to study, and he left college after one semester to embrace his comedic ambitions.
Nicotero quickly found success when he landed his first stand-up gig at Pittsburgh's famed Funny Bone comedy club in 1988. Shortly afterward, he hit the road, touring college circuits and appearing with other comedians including Drew Carey, Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider. Nicotero has gone on to perform stand-up comedy at over 300 colleges and clubs throughout the country. In addition to stand-up, Nicotero has recently co-hosted The Sharon Osbourne Show and has appeared as a guest on The Wayne Brady Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, FSN's The Sports List and the comedy game shows Make Me Laugh and Comedy on the Road.
During a visit to Los Angeles, California in 1996, Nicotero scored a spot on Wink Martindale's Debt. Applying his noted interest in trivia and his unusually advanced memory, he walked away with $14,000 in winnings. He later appeared on the Fox Sports Network trivia game, The Ultimate Fan League, where he won $10,000 in prizes. Recognized for his quick wit and way with words, that same year he was approached to write for the shows Peer Pressure and Outrageous. He later wrote and produced Gameworld and Faux Paus for the Game Show Network, and in the summer of 1999, was contacted by the producers of Street Smarts.
A recent newlywed, he resides in North Hollywood, California with his wife and their new puppy, Buddy.
