Just a Kid from Long Island with a Dream

I was eight years old the first time I said it out loud.

“Ma, I’m gonna be a comedian someday.”

I’m just an Italian-American kid from Long Island who had a dream.

Raised by a strong single mother—Catherine Parise—I was taught early on that grit, humor, and heart can get you through anything. We lost my dad when I was only seven. Not long after, we moved to Florida, not knowing a soul. But my mom was a warrior, and she never let life break her. Everything I am today, I owe to her.

At 8 years old, I told her, “Ma, one day I’m going to be a comedian.” And she believed me.

🌭 The Hotdog Wagon That Started It All

By 17, I had my first business—a hotdog wagon in Inverness, Florida. I parked it right across from Citrus High School (CHS), not just to make money, but to inspire. I wanted kids to see that entrepreneurship was possible, even at a young age. That hotdog cart was a local legend, and it taught me two things: how to hustle, and how to connect with people.

But I knew there was something bigger waiting.

🎤 The Stage Was Calling

Eventually, I left Inverness to chase the dream I spoke into existence as a kid. I landed in Brooklyn and started performing at Pips Comedy Club in 1987. That was the launch pad. Soon after, I made the move to Los Angeles and earned a place on the Comedy Wall of Fame at The World Famous Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard.

It was there I became “Wheels”—touring the country, making people laugh, and building a name in stand-up comedy. It wasn’t just a career. It was a mission.

The Comedians Wall of Fame at The World Famous Comedy Store in Hollywood, CA,

My Showtime Special, Andrew Dice Clay Presents the Blue Show.

👨‍👩‍👧 From Stand-Up to Stand-Up Guy

In 2004, I met the love of my life, Sherilene. A year later, our daughter Catherine was born—named in honor of my late mother. That changed everything. I wanted to be present. That’s when I started Cannoli Kings Catering in Los Angeles. It was old-school Italian, homegrown, and full of heart—just like my comedy.

In 2008, we moved to the mountains of North Carolina, where I opened Parise’s New American Bistro in Chimney Rock. A refined twist on comfort food, the bistro gained a loyal following and helped me explore my culinary passions.

🎰 Vegas Lights & Comedy Highs

But the stage still called. I sold the restaurant and moved to Las Vegas, where I became a headliner with a residency at the Rio Hotel & Casino. My show became the #1 comedy act in town, and I had the honor of being the final comedian to headline the iconic Riviera Hotel before it was demolished.

Vegas gave me a second wind in comedy—but eventually, I felt the pull of something more grounded.

🍝 Building Community in Venice, FL

In 2022, we launched Parise’s Coffee & Cannoli Bar in Venice, Florida. With 19 signature coffee roasts and our now-famous cannoli, we created more than a café—we created community. It became a local favorite, and I loved every second of it.

But after enduring multiple hurricanes and seeing many local businesses struggle, we made a choice: we closed on our own terms, not because we had to, but because it was time for a new beginning.

The Parise Family.

🌄 Reinvention in Franklin, Tennessee

Today, we call Franklin, TN home. Sherilene is thriving as an RN, Catherine is on her way to becoming a nurse, and I’ve reinvented myself once again.

Now, I run Legally Yours—a full-service wedding officiant ordained minister and notary business. I perform everything from heartfelt ceremonies to comedy-infused weddings. I also mentor artists and comedians through Century Artists Group, passing the torch to the next generation.

🔁 The Thread That Binds It All

Whether I’m on a stage, behind a grill, or standing at an altar—I’m always doing the same thing: connecting with people.

From Long Island to L.A., Inverness to Vegas, Venice to Franklin—every chapter in my life has been driven by heart, hustle, and the belief that you can always reinvent yourself.

And no matter what I’m doing, I know my mother is looking down, proud that her boy made good on that promise he made when he was just 8 years old.

Michael Parise, Italian American, comedy, wedding officiant, Franklin TN, Vegas headliner, Cannoli Kings, Century Artists Group, reinvention story, inspirational entrepreneur, hot dog stand business