Former TV sportscaster headlines comedy show Friday at Mansfield Playhouse

MANSFIELD — Bill Boronkay is the kind of stand-up comedian who usually picks out someone to make fun of every night.

Himself.

“When you are making fun of yourself, you’re not hurting anyone,” said the Cleveland-based comic who headlines a three-comedian show Friday night at the Mansfield Playhouse.

“People will see me perform and ask if I am depressed. I am like, ‘No, it’s an act.'”

The 61-year-old, Emmy-award sportscaster has found in the mirror an easy mark for self-deprecation in a comedy career he never really intended.

In fact, Boronkay finds humor in the career transition itself when asked how his sports broadcasting work at several local television stations translated into stand-up comedy.

“I think a lot of people would say it doesn’t translate at all,” he said with a laugh on Monday. “But that’s only if they have seen me perform.”

Making strangers laugh several nights a week was not the career plan Boronkay envisioned.

Five Emmy awards for broadcasting had him headed up the ladder until a grab at the golden ring of ESPN fell short of the mark.

Apparently, Boronkay had the golden voice — but failed to check the mirror (per his own website).

“‘Looks are a concern.’ They could’ve followed me out any weekend night to learn that,” he told Bold Journey.com in 2024.

Boronkay saw the writing on the wall — and decided his own writing could lead to a new career.

“Sportscasting was the dream,” he said. “Initially, I was scared of comedy. When I was doing sportscasting, the most fun thing for me was making my co-workers laugh.

“You can make your buddies laugh … but doing it to a room full of strangers is a completely different ballgame.”

He decided to make the leap and paid to attend Dave Schwensen’s Comedy Workshop in Cleveland.

“The wheels had fallen off of my television broadcasting career and I was like, ‘Let me try comedy.’ I got nothing to lose. I had always said before ‘I’ve got this good (TV) career going and I can’t risk my credibility (doing comedy).’

“Like anyone on television has credibility anymore,” he said with a laugh.

As a TV personality, Boronkay had previously hosted an award ceremony “for some company” in the past and the jokes he wrote made folks laugh. “I had the time of my life,” he said.

At the end of his month-long workshop, Boronkay and other attendees performed routines in front of family and friends.

“It was like a pep rally. I thought I was the greatest thing in the world,” he said.

Not so fast, said life.

Boronkay decided to venture into the oft-cruel world of open mike night.

“I went out and did the same (routine). I didn’t sleep for like two nights before. I was so excited. And I bombed so hard. I didn’t sleep for like three nights afterward because I was so depressed.

“That’s the journey,” he said. “It’s funny now, but I went through a stretch where I could not buy a laugh.”

His comedy is observation-based, not the political variety.

“I grew up on political humor, watching it with my dad. I loved it and I still do. You just have to find someone who does it well. I really don’t do anything political.

“It’s not because I don’t like it. You have to make it funny. I hate when comedians are on stage and people are applauding (political humor). Your job is to make them laugh, not get them to agree with you,” Boronkay said.

That observational comedy is often based on real life — but may also be tweaked to add more humor.

“People show up and they take this stuff so real. I just put this clip on YouTube the other day about how I got fired from a British cruise line. It’s based in reality, but it was a thing (saying the people on board) didn’t like my observational humor.

“I said (the firing) was because I made the observation that really wealthy, elderly napping British women have a tendency to look like really wealthy, elderly napping British men.

“Totally made up, right? I posted it and people are like, ‘I think you are funny. Those people just have no sense of humor.’

“I am like, ‘Do you think I really said that? You’re kidding me,'” Boronkay said.

The comedian invites his Mansfield Playhouse audience not to fear sitting in the front row Friday night.

“The front is the best seat. People get scared to sit in the front because of what they have seen with other comedians. If the comedian is going to talk to you, you’re usually going to win. It’s fun. My show, I view it as less of a performance and more of a conversation,” Boronkay said.

“It’s PG-13, soft-R. I don’t have anything graphic. I’m not squeaky clean. We’re just going to play.

“You’ll hear a lot about the failures in my life and walk away feeling better about your own.”