Brooklyn’s 50 Funniest People: Gabriella Paiella
Gabriella Paiella
Currently, Gabriella Paiella works as a staff writer at New York Magazine’s fashion and celebrity facing blog The Cut, a perfect fit for an entertainment writer who playfully identifies herself as part of the clueless model/DJ elite who have proliferated our culture’s Instagram celebrity ranks. Paiella crafts bratty, perfectly-aimed critiques that cut without drawing blood, and skillfully reveals this whole cultural criticism rat race for the fun and games it can be, in the right hands. Expect to see her byline in bigger and bigger places as this industry turns deeper and deeper into itself; Paiella is the kind of writer sophisticated enough to make this ouroboros feel like a good thing.
When was the first time you remember making someone laugh? What happened?
It was both adorable and dark. When I was a toddler, I jumped on top of a table while out to dinner with my parents and their friends and started singing an improvised song about how I wanted to put my dad in the trunk of a car (sorry Dad) and drive away. I remember my mom laughing so hard that she cried, and she’s been enabling me ever since!
What is the toughest part about being on the comedy scene in Brooklyn today? What is the best?
Unless me sitting on my couch reading my tweets out loud to my dog counts as “the comedy scene,” I’m afraid I’m not equipped to answer that question.
Who do you find funny?
Rob Delaney, Kristen Wiig, Mel Brooks, everybody involved in the movie Step Brothers, the hero who edits Bravo reality shows.
What was the last time you laughed so hard you cried?
I’m a mess anytime I read a truly deranged ClickHole article.
What are your goals for your comedy career?
I’m half-Egyptian and I’ve long wanted to write a sitcom centered on Middle Eastern-American characters that doesn’t exclusively deal in stereotypes. We’re funny people–which would be better known if we ever got fair representation on TV.
And finally: What is your favorite knock-knock (or otherwise goofy) joke?
Q: What is Mark Ruffalo’s dog’s name? A: Bark Ruffalo
To see 49 more of Brooklyn’s funniest people, click here.