Whether something funny happened at the local Wawa or while he was bartending at the Paxon Hollow Country Club (PHCC), local comedian Pat House finds that everyday life is a source of great material. A Marple native, Pat may be a familiar name to many residents. He’s not only made a name for himself on the comedy circuit but he’s been bartending at PHCC for nearly 20 years.
Pat grew up in Marple with his parents and went to St. Kevin’s in Springfield for grade school and then Cardinal O’Hara High School. Growing up, Pat loved watching Saturday Night Live, Jay Leno and other comedians. “At a young age, I was drawn to stand-up comedy,” he said. “Even if I didn’t quite understand the material, the image of a comedian with a microphone really stood out to me.” Pat particularly admired comedians like Steven Wright, Chris Rock and Dave Attell. Although he was never a class clown or center of attention type, whenever Pat was with a group of friends, he could always get them to laugh.
After high school, Pat went to Temple University to study Public Relations. While living in Philadelphia and going to school, he discovered the comedy scene. “I saw a few comics perform on Temple’s campus and I knew I wanted to try it,” said Pat. Although he’d never acted or been on any stage at all, he got the courage to try stand-up. In October 2004 Pat did his first comedy routine. “I did an open-mic night at the Laff House Comedy Club in Philly,” he explained. “Ever since then, I was hooked!”
Pat started going to more open-mic nights during his sophomore year of college. During classes at Temple, he found himself jotting down ideas in a notebook to use in his act. Six to seven nights a week he was out at open mic nights around the city and in south Jersey. His first couple times on stage he excelled, but Pat said he had his share of bombs too. “That’s pretty normal for all comedians and that’s how you grow,” explained Pat. “You really learn what works and what to fix after a rough set. It’s a constant evolution.”
In his twenties, Pat began working as a customer service representative and performing at Helium Comedy Club in Philadelphia. “Helium is where I really learned how to be a comic and it’s the club where I performed most frequently,” said Pat. Brad Lenora, Assistant General Manager of Helium, has known Pat for 18 years. “Pat is so authentic,” said Brad. “His stories are something we can all relate to. That is why audiences find him so funny.” Brad said that Pat is also extremely hard working. “He’s always so prepared,” he added. “When it comes to his material and promoting his shows, he pays attention to every detail.”
While working at Helium, Pat met a lot of well known comedians, including Sebastian Maniscalco, Tom Segura and Dan Cummins, who eventually all used Pat as an opener for their shows. Opening for Sebastian Maniscalco gave Pat the opportunity to perform at the Tower Theater and the Borgata, some of the biggest shows he’s ever done. “I’ve been lucky that these comedians have been so good to me over the years,” said Pat.
Pat’s career in comedy has given him the opportunity to travel all over the country. “It’s not just work, it’s also a vacation,” he said. “One of my favorite places is the Pacific Northwest. I was out there to do a show and I got to see Mount Rainier from my hotel.” Now he’s on a mission to perform in all 50 states. Later this month Pat will continue toward his goal by performing in Hawaii.
Although Pat enjoys being on the road, he also loves returning to Delco. In fact he likes performing here so much, he recorded his first special last year, “Live from The Day Job” right here in Marple. Filmed at Anthony’s at Paxon Hollow in February 2023, the special is now available FREE on YouTube. His special is an hour of stand-up comedy featuring plenty of material about the food industry, traveling and stories from the road. “I am pretty sure I am the only comic that has filmed a special at their day job,” Pat said proudly.
Pat has been bartending at Paxon Hollow Country Club for the past 20 years, where he’s been known to keep his customers laughing. “I love working there,” said Pat. “My customers and my coworkers are like family.” Jon Walsh, co-owner of Anthony’s at Paxon said that people come to Paxon Hollow just to see Pat. “Pat is so likable and customers love him,” said Jon. “He’s a great employee and a great person.”
Performing locally allows Pat to use more of his Delco references in his act. From funny things that happened to him at the Broomall Wendy’s to interactions on local Facebook pages, he finds that everyday life situations can be really funny. “I’ve definitely gotten a lot of material from my bartending job, on vacation or from my parents. What may start out as anger or annoyance, Pat can turn into a joke. “I get a lot of ideas just by walking out the door,” Pat joked. His act is autobiographical. “Even sadness and tragedies can offer a sense of humor. It’s a comedian’s job
to make that funny.”
Pat’s parents give Pat plenty of material. “I spend a lot of time with them here in Marple when I am not traveling,” he said. “They’ve always been extremely supportive of me and come to my shows. That doesn’t stop me from putting the funny things they do into my act!”
Just like his early days, Pat is still jotting down ideas in a notebook. Over the years Pat’s collected hundreds of notebooks and never travels without one. Not only has he turned his notebooks into comedy shows, he’s also released three albums, including “I Heard Enough Yesterday,” which reached #1 on iTunes and “I’m Here,” which peaked at # 2. He also has a Podcast called “I Guess I’ll Do It,” where he interviews other stand-up comics. “I’ve been lucky to have so many great guests on the show,” said Pat. “I love talking to other comedians and hearing how they got into comedy.”
After nearly 20 years in the comedy business, Pat says he’s having more fun the longer he’s doing it. “It’s a never ending grind, but the grind is fun!” Pat will be performing at PHCC on Thursday, February 29th, Friday, March 1st, and Saturday, March 2nd at 8pm. “I hope to see a lot of my Delco friends in the crowd,” Pat said. “But I would also love to see lots of new faces!”
Thanks, Pat, for sharing your story. Friends & Neighbors, let’s pack the house for Pat next month! Be sure to check out Pat’s special “Live from The Day Job” for FREE on YouTube. For more information about Pat and his upcoming shows, visit www.PatHouseComedy.com and his Instagram Page: @BohemianPatsody.
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