Samantha Algieri is an actress and model based in New York City. Born and raised in Northern New Jersey just fifteen minutes outside Manhattan, Samantha is, wait for it, Italian. Being a first-generation American, Samantha was raised on traditional Calabrian roots that her mother made sure to celebrate and embrace. A small-town Jersey girl with a homemade meatball in one hand, and a dream in another. Samantha was not the outgoing Broadway-bound kid, or the one growing up that people would confidently assure, “that girls going to be a star.” Instead, she was the hysterical crier when dropped off at school, the kid who always had a “stomach ache,” because she was so shy that the thought of socialization actually made her want to puke. Plagued by debilitating anxiety and experiencing unfortunate traumatic events at an early age, the dreamer was suffocated by fear and guilt. Dimming her shine, Samantha hid behind different facades, one being the “cool girl” who spent her high school weekends comforted by Gatorade mixed with Bacardi. When she was twenty years old, childhood trauma caught up to her. The dreamer found herself caught in a web of dark emotions and she knew she had to heal in order to show up as her true self. Now, the ambitious idealist has embarked on an eleven-year spiritual journey in which she has found a sense of acceptance of a past she couldn’t control. Once having to had to be pried out of bed to face the day, Samantha eagerly springs out of bed with open arms, looks up, and says,” I’m ready.”
Who is Samantha Algieri? What do you want people to know about you?
I have three compartments to me: actress, model, writer. My writing specialty is sketch comedy. I challenge myself to work on a sketch a week. I have my BA in Psychology and I use that to my observational humor advantage. My writing ranges from the ridiculousness in society, political stupidity, self-deprecating humor, like my taste in emotionally unavailable men, and how I have a habit of burning oatmeal in the microwave. I find it oddly satisfying when a man automatically stereotypes me as a “good cook” because I am an Italian woman. I once put garlic powder by accident instead of cinnamon in my oatmeal. Look, it was an honest mistake! Both capsules looked identical, granted one was clearly labeled, “garlic powder,” but did anyone ever stop to think, maybe oatmeal has something against ME.
What finally got you started performing? Was it always comedy you were interested in?
I stumbled into the realm of comedy writing by accident. I was working as a server in a restaurant in Los Angeles where my boss was hosting an open mic night. A coworker put my name down on the list and I guess felt more confident too, “perform,” after a shift Whiskey drink. Improving my whole set, I used a piece I had written about how people in Los Angeles order their coffee versus a New Yorker. In short, it goes something like this. People in LA take their time to order anything because I’ve found Los Angeles to be the city of unlimited options. Do you want your coffee iced? Are we in the mood for a green tea matcha today? I mean you did just go on a hike, what are the post-Runyon Canyon taste buds craving? Or maybe we’ll do a hot coffee, it’s been a while. But wait, the transplant Angeleno shouts! Do we want our daily beverage to be a 16 oz or 20 oz? Actually, you know what, I’m laying off caffeine for a bit, I’ll get a turmeric shot. Even if New Yorkers don’t have to be anywhere necessarily, they always feel rushed. There’s always a bus, a train, a rainy day where, of course, you forgot your umbrella. A New Yorker walks into a coffee shop, knowing their exact order because they have no time to waste, even if they have the time. “I’ll have a regular black coffee, skim milk, two sugars.” The New Yorker will get lost in their phone, catching up on emails, and after about five minutes after ordering, they’ll get antsy and look behind the counter to make sure the barista is working on their order. Just when the New Yorker is about to say something, the magic words fill the polluted city air, “I have a regular black coffee, skim milk, two sugars for Jim.” The New Yorker looks at the coffee, sees, “Jim,” written on the cup. “My name is Kim, but okay!” Kim then rushes to catch the “L,” train, spills a bit of her coffee running to get into the train before the door shuts. Does Kim make the unreliable L train? I’ll leave that to your imagination.
To my surprise, I received a standing ovation, and multiple audience members asking when I was performing next. That was the night that I was validated that maybe I was funny. Don’t be fooled though. I have BOMBED plenty of times after that whimsical night. I found in this artistic journey, mistakes are what make you a better performer, artist, and honestly, human.
What goes into writing a sketch? Is it a short or long process? Complicated? Does it come to you immediately?
I have my own writing process. For me, it starts out with an idea. It could be something I saw, heard, or experienced myself that I want to bring to life. I whip out my phone and write the new idea in my notes or else I’ll forget. Then I’ll mull it over in the shower. I have my best acting performances in the shower, it’s a shame I can’t have comedy performances in my bathroom, it’s too small. All the ideas I get from the shower, I literally word vomit on a piece of paper. None of my notes make sense but somehow, I understand the scattered fragments. I have to write my thoughts down immediately after I exit the shower or else I’ll forget; I have the attention span of a goldfish. I then think of music that would go with the idea. I think of a few songs and go for a walk. I walk the track playing the songs on repeat. After my artistic walk, I sit in my car, write down all the thoughts I came up with. Are you still with me or have you logged into every social media outlet to check your notifications? I swear I’m getting somewhere. Then I storyboard it. I draw how I see the scenes from an editing standpoint. I write the sketch and then walk away from it for a day to clear my mind and read it with fresh eyes. I give myself a week to produce and film a sketch, so the birth process usually takes three to four days. Then by day five, the filming starts! I’m a one-woman show, I act all characters, have my own costume changes, film, and edit. When you love what you do, no matter how frustrating the journey may get, even if you’re alone, you keep going because it doesn’t feel like, “work.” I am currently working on a sketch titled, “The Real Karen’s of NYC,” stay tuned!
With everything you’ve gone through, what do you hope readers will learn from this?
I’d like people to feel my genuine nature through my art. I am a loyal person, my mom always embedded in my head growing up, “never lie because it will come back to you.” And, it’s true! With a studying Psychology and a life lived with mental illness, I want my audience to relate to my work on an emotional level. Laughing but also thinking, “Wow, that’s really true.” Saying it out loud, poking fun at dark emotions that people are too afraid to discuss but putting a comedic twist on it. I call myself a “third eye thinker.” The gift of being an artist is sometimes you see the world differently or as the kids call it today, “woke.” What may seem, obvious to you, may not seem so obvious to someone else. George Carlin is one of my comedic idols. He’s the comedian we need right now to boldly and unapologetically call out all the ridiculousness going on in the world today. I will gladly take Mr. Carlin’s torch.
Do you wish you’d done something differently? What part of your journey was the hardest?
Life is a challenge in itself. I’m not going to get all Forrest Gump, but you just never know what curveball life has up at-bat. I moved to Los Angeles five years ago with three hundred dollars to my name, swearing I would never come back to New York. I had this fictitious belief that it was the city I was living in that wasn’t giving me all I desired. When it comes to the flight fight response, my response is always fleeing the scene and fleeing it FAST. I tried to make Los Angeles work, but the reality was, I wasn’t prepared to live in a new city and face the entertainment industry in full form. I had demons of my own to work out before I could show up as my true self. I was embarrassed when I returned back to New York and refused to tell anyone I was back for months. Now, I’m really happy I made that decision. Oftentimes, our own negative thoughts flood our minds so much, we can’t hear or see the clear signs our intuition is trying to guide us to. What I learned from all my challenges is that everyone will always have an opinion on something, especially your vision. Appreciate the feedback but stay true to yourself. There is no one who knows you better, than yourself, trust.
What are your business goals? Did anybody in particular inspire you?
My goal is to work towards my own production company and producing my own television series. Aware I live in a world that idolizes photoshopped Instagram influencers, but my inspiration is Mary Tyler Moore. Although “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” was set in 1970, I identify with the character, Mary Richards. Mary is a spunky, witty, independent, intelligent single woman in her thirties. Although comedic, The Mary Tyler Moore Show touches upon women in the workforce and their struggle while being appeared as the “inferior,” one in the office. Fast forward fifty years later, women experience similar challenges. Society has progressed slightly, allowing more women to be in the spotlight, but the uncomfortability of a woman being in power still lingers in the patriarchy. I’ve been working on my own character, Vera Esposito, an administrative assistant to a Styrofoam cup company. Vera’s struggles are based on my own experiences as an administrative assistant working in a male-dominated environment. Working under a man as an administrative assistant, I always felt like I was playing the game of “go fetch,” except I was the dog. You walk into your boss’s office where he gives you a bunch of unrealistic demands to finish by the end of the day. “Here’s everything you need to do, now go fetch! Oh, and don’t forget to make my coffee and serve it to me!” Then you’d casually walk past your boss’s office from time to time throughout the exhausting day and always catch him on his phone, scrolling, laughing at something he read, or for all you know, he’s playing Candy Crush. My production company is called, “A Dollar Pizza Productions,” because, well, that’s all I can afford right now.
For those early in their journey, what would you suggest? Any tips or thoughts?
If you’re pursuing anything with only dollar signs in your eyes, stop now. Money comes and goes and while yes, it’s nice to pay monthly bills with ease, it won’t solve your inner demons. Do the work and the rest will follow. Work on yourself to be a better person so it can shine through your art. Work on your craft. Don’t get caught up in the viral video instant internet gratification. I know we’ve been in quarantine but there is a world out there, with real live people in it. Work on cleansing your energy so that when you walk into a room, you radiate. And most importantly, don’t allow people to project their insecurities onto you. People doing the least will have negative criticisms because deep down they wish they were as bold and fierce as you. Vulnerability is not a weakness, it’s a strength. Embrace it to attract all you desire and deserve. And if you feel like you don’t have anyone in your corner, know I am rooting for you.