By Deb Pint, Correspondent

Joe Cocozzello, an aspiring comedian, remembers the first time he performed in front of an audience.

“I kind of stumbled into comedy,” the former Prior Lake resident says. “I was 18 and a friend took me to the open mike night at the Acme Comedy Club in Minneapolis. I got one laugh, and I was hooked.”

Now, 10 years later, Cocozzello, 28, is back in Minnesota from New York City to perform at the Joke Joint Comedy Club in Bloomington over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

He will be the opening act for headliner and friend Tommy Thompson at the Ramada at Mall of America in Bloomington.

Cocozzello considers himself an “intellectual” comedian, telling jokes that are “thinkers and groaners, but more thinkers, I hope,” he says.

A native New Yorker, he moved with his family to Prior Lake when he was 12.

“It was like a major turning point in my life,” he says. “I was growing up in Queens and then all of a sudden transplanted into the frozen wonderland of Prior Lake – and boy, did I miss the bagels. But I loved growing up in Prior Lake and am so happy to be coming back to visit and perform,” he says.

A 1999 graduate of Prior Lake High School, Cocozzello remembers being involved in high school theater productions, but always behind the scenes as part of the stage crew.

After graduation, he spent several years attending Normandale Community College and working odd jobs.

One thing led to another, and he began to seriously pursue a career in comedy, first in Minnesota and then out on the East Coast. He returned to New York City about two-and-a-half years ago. He lives in Brooklyn, pursuing his dream.

 “I moved to New York for the comedy and the food. I’m definitely fattening myself up on bagels and corned beef sandwiches, but seriously, I just wanted to try my luck in New York City,” he says.

In addition to working with sketch comedy groups, Cocozzello has performed at underground and alternative comic venues and has done lots of writing for videos and for the Internet.

He has opened for comedians including Alex Cole, Rob Delaney and Donald Glover, who is now appearing in NBC’s newest comedy, “Community.”

While in Minnesota, he performed at the Acme Comedy Club and the now-closed Knuckleheads at the Mall of America.

“I cut a lot of teeth there,” he says.

During that time, Cocozzello also got to know Ken and Becky Reed, owners of the Joke Joint Comedy Club, where he’s performing next week.

The Joke Joint has quickly become the go-to place for Twin Cities comedy connoisseurs. The club showcases the nation’s premier entertainers along with some of the best local talent.

“I’ve been begging to come home and perform, and I finally elbowed my way into their schedule,” he laughs. “They are great people and they’re like family to me.”

Cocozzello says Minneapolis has a great comedy scene and performers throughout the area make up a great comedy family.

“This trip back home is like a high school, family and comedy family reunion, all rolled into one, with a little work on the side,” he says.

His parents, Marie and Anthony Cocozzello, and three younger brothers, Dan, Mike and Tom, still live in the Prior Lake area. His youngest brother, Tom, is a student at Prior Lake High School and, according to brother Joe, “is the last of the Cocozzello brothers to terrorize the staff there.”

Cocozzello considers himself fortunate to find something he loves to do.

“I get to play at something I love and then get paid for it. How lucky is that?” he says. “I just have a feeling there’s room for me here in the world of funny, whether it’s as a performer, a writer, an editor, whatever. So many things need to happen for me to make it, but I just know that every time I get up on stage, more opportunities just seem to open up for me.”