A regular on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the award-winning writer and commentator comes to the Broward Center on January 17
When multi-talented Emmy and Peabody Award-winning comedian Paul Mecurio brings his acclaimed Permission to Speak performance to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, the audience can expect more than just laughs — they’ll experience an unforgettable evening of engagement, connection and storytelling.
An accomplished actor and host of the critically acclaimed podcast “Inside Out with Paul Mecurio,” Mecurio is also well known for his work on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Daily Show withJon Stewart. He’s an award-winning writer and a regular commentator on major news and sports outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, CBS Sunday Morning, Fox News, HLN and ESPN.
Mecurio’s path to comedy was anything but conventional. After graduating with high honors from Georgetown Law School, he began on a high-powered career as a Wall Street lawyer at the prestigious international law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher and was an investment banker at Credit Suisse. While executing multi-billion-dollar deals for Fortune 100 companies, Mecurio secretly pursued his passion for comedy. Jay Leno, impressed by Mecurio’s talent, hired him to write jokes for “The Tonight Show.”
Eventually, Mecurio left the corporate world to dedicate himself fully to entertainment.
Despite his impressive resume, Merurio sees himself as the “guy in the middle,” someone who connects with people on a personal level. Permission to Speak exemplifies this ethos. In a time marked by division, this unique show fosters connection and understanding by encouraging audience members to share their real stories and engage in genuine conversation. Permission to Speak celebrates differences and respects diverse perspectives, moving beyond the black-and-white narratives that often dominate public discourse.
Unlike a traditional comedy show, Permission to Speak is deeply personal and highly interactive. “Even if I brought the same audience together again, at the same time, in the same seats, in the same clothes, it wouldn’t be the same show,” Paul explains. “Each performance reflects the emotional state of the audience in that moment or day in time.”
Throughout the evening, Mecurio’s humor and anecdotes keep the energy vibrant and engaging. Permission to Speak is a show unlike any other — celebration of humanity, humor and the power of authentic connection.
The show is directed by the legendary Frank Oz, known as the voice of Yoda, with production design by Jim Fenhagen, whose credits include the Olympics and Super Bowl broadcasts, and animation by J.J. Sedelmeier, known for his work on “Beavis and Butt-Head” and SNL’s “The Ambiguously Gay Duo.”
Mecurio will light up the Amaturo Theater stage at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts with laughter and storytelling on Friday, January 17 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Truist Comedy Series. For tickets and information visit https://www.browardcenter.org/
