by Peter Yezukevich

Most of the time, if you hear that a local comic is packing up and heading for Los Angeles, it would mean that the bright marquee lights of that fabled city were beckoning.

So what was it that made local comedian Derek Gerry uproot and relocate to the City of Angels?

Was he longing to write sitcoms? Star in them? Did he want to follow in the footsteps of comic-turned-film superstars such as Jim Carrey and Robin Williams?

Actually, it was none of those. It was an e-mail from an ex-girlfriend. For Gerry, who has been a fixture in local comedy for the past two years, Hollywood dreams run second to dreams of true love.

“It was the one regret I had in life,” said Gerry of his lost love, after his final hosting gig in the area at Somerville News Comedy Night Aug. 27 at Toast.

“I had been planning a move out of the area anyway, to Pittsburgh. So this is a 2,000 mile change,” he said, laughing. Pittsburgh became a destination for Gerry after he realized it was time for a change of pace. “I have lived in this area my whole life,” he said.

What was the draw of a place like Pittsburgh? “It’s a good comedy town, because it’s not a good comedy town. The comedy scene is not as developed or competitive as it is here,” he said.

However, those plans changed in an instant, when he saw the name of an old flame residing in his e-mail inbox. He wrote back, and soon enough, the couple was ready to reunite. Gerry has visited Los Angeles for a total of a couple of weeks in his life, most recently for a week last month. “I’m looking forward to being a stranger in a strange land,” he said.

Gerry, who is 35, began his comedy career late. Actually, he said he just took a long hiatus. His real beginnings in comedy stretch back to the 5th grade when he had a grudge to settle. “My friend Richie Sullivan always got better grades than me.”

It was something Gerry said he wanted to change. So, he started distracting Sullivan in class by making him and others laugh. “Pretty soon Richie’s grades got worse and we were even again.” Such premeditated career-climbing moves should bode well for his future in Hollywood.

As far as his comedy career goes, Gerry has specific goals upon arriving on the Left Coast. “I want to have my own room within six months out there,” he said with all seriousness. That dream seems within reach for someone like Gerry, who said he made up for a late start in comedy, he started stand-up at age 33, by specializing in something other comics may not consider: hosting.

Hosting came naturally for Gerry, who used to own and edit the now-dormant weekly comic compilation Editorial Humor. “I went to see a show we were advertising, and thought ‘I can do this.’”

At his first gig, the seats were packed, which intimidated him, but not to the point of failure. Far from it, he brought down the house. “Other comics came up to me after, asking ‘How long have you been doing this?’ They were surprised by my answer. It was a great feeling.”

Editorial Humor, which Gerry took over from its original owner, Davis Square’s Dean Wallace, Jr, ended up going under, but his comedy flourished.

“Basically I started hosting soon after, before I was actually ready to host,” he said.The advantages of hosting comedy nights were many. “It was a way to get lot of exposure, and to test out a lot of material.”
When he decided to pack his bags, reactions were strong from his comrades in comedy.

“My working partner, Paul Day, who I met at WMFO, the Tufts campus radio station, did not speak to me for two weeks.”

Since then, the two have made up, but Gerry said that it helped him realize just how much he is leaving behind on the Right Coast.

“I now know what a privilege it was to work with these people. It is such a tight knit community. I will miss it greatly.”

The feelings are mutual, as the local comedy scene wishes the best for Gerry, his love life, and his career.
We can’t wait to hear his perspective as a lifelong Bostonian playing his trade on Sunset Boulevard. His musings can be found on his website, at www.dvdemons.com.