Staten Island comedian shoots first comedy special, which was produced by ex-SNL star Rachel Dratch.

By Dr. Gracelyn Santos, SiLive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Staten Island comedian Irene Bremis has shot her first comedy special “My Special Sweetie,” which will be available on all streaming platforms February 2024.

Directed by filmmaker Onur Tukel and produced by “Saturday Night Live” alumna, Rachel Dratch, “My Special Sweetie” is largely about living on Staten Island for the past 15 years, being raised by a big, crazy Greek family, and being married to a retired NYC firefighter.

“I’m originally from Lexington, Massachusetts, but my husband, Steve Cunningham, is a Staten Islander and a retired NYC firefighter, so I guess you could say I married into Staten Island,” said Bremis. “I love the people. Hate the traffic. I take Xanax to go shopping at Costco.”

“Before this, I moved into a studio apartment in the West Village of Manhattan at 22 years old to pursue acting, but my landlord evicted me because he wanted to turn my apartment into an elevator. That’s when Steve bought me an engagement ring and appropriately became a stand-up comedian.”

The beautiful and hilarious comedian’s stand-up special also has a serious side, addressing issues like mental health and autism through a comedic lens.

“Both autism and mental health issues have vastly affected my life and shaped the person I have evolved into,” added Bremis. “My father was on the Autistic spectrum (before autism could speak) and a master at holding court and telling hyperbolic hilarious stories.

“My mother is audacious in speech and manner, and my sister is one of the smartest and funniest people I know. My autistic brother has taught me compassion through his disability, and my husband, an Irish fireman, is as funny as they come. We spend most of our time laughing.”

ABOUT IRENE BREMIS

Bremis first became interested in comedy when she discovered it was the “scariest” thing to do, as she loves challenging herself.

“I find comedians to be very brave because it’s daunting to get up on stage naked and afraid,” explained Bremis. “I was always impressed by how intelligently comedians expressed themselves through humor.

“Since I implemented comedy my entire adolescence to diffuse life’s difficulties and tragic events, it aligned with my identity. As a teen, I quickly learned that comedy is a great unifier. It made it easy for me to make friends. Everybody loved a class clown and now, I have performed in all NYC comedy clubs and headline clubs/venues nationally.”

The daughter of John and Despina Bremis, who were united in an arranged marriage, Bremis is an alumna of Lexington High School in Massachusetts, where she was voted “worst driver,” which she says is befitting for Staten Island.

“I also got ‘open mouth insert foot,’ award, which is suitable for comedy,” she added. “I went to college at The University of Superior (nothing Superior about it) in Wisconsin, where I studied art and minored in communications, which equals a degree in stand-up comedy. I’ve been ‘chasing the dragon’ ever since.”

GREATEST INFLUENCES

For Bremis, comedy legends like Johnny Carson and Joan Rivers have cast the greatest influence on her career, as well as Richard Pryor and George Carlin, who have “paved the road for comics,” and Lenny Bruce, “a cultural icon among advocates of free speech and political humor.”

“I loved Joan Rivers’ intrepidity. And I rooted for her after she left Johnny Carson,” Bremis said. “She was in a male-dominated arena, and she had a very tragic life but rose high above her circumstances, turning pain into gain.

“However, some of my greatest inspiration was drawn from my family. I come from a hilarious Greek family. I love dauntless and risk-taking comedians. I love many contemporary comics but some of my favorite comedians are deceased, but their legacy lives on.