Scott Allen Capurro (born December 10, 1962) is an American comedian, writer and actor based in San Francisco.[1] His comedy material is deliberately provocative, referring often to gay life and culture, politics, race and racism, and popular culture.
In 2001, Capurro appeared on Australian show Rove Live and shocked the host, Rove McManus, with an explicit routine. McManus apologized immediately after the performance.[2]
In 2002, Capurro presented a light-hearted documentary on the UK's Channel 4 called The Truth About Gay Animals which examined the subject of homosexuality in animals. Capurro visited various collections of captive animals to observe animals which had been reported to exhibit homosexual behaviour, and interviewed the staff about this. The show also included an interview with anti-gay rights campaigner and politician, Janet Young, where Capurro showed Young a video of a variety of male-male intercourse and female-female mating attempts in various animal species, and then asked her to comment on whether this influenced her views about its "unnaturalness".[3]
Capurro has been a frequent guest on the Sarah & Vinnie's Morning Show of Radio Alice 97.3FM KLLC San Francisco.[4] He was also a regular panelist on the topical discussion series The Wright Stuff, hosted by his friend Matthew Wright.
Capurro is managed by comedy agency The Comedy Bar.
From May to June 2008, Capurro acted the role of Sammy in Joe DiPietro's play Fucking Men in London, England.[5]
On the reaction to his work, Capurro said:
"I don't give a shit about those who don't like my work. I'm never going to win them over anyway, so why bother? My work is for a discerning audience who don't have knee-jerk responses."
Capurro and his husband live in San Francisco.[14] He tours consistently, spending most of his time abroad in England.[15]
Footnotes
^Malcolm Hay (January 24, 2007). "Comedy – Shocking all over the world". Time Out. p. 47. Audiences from Edinburgh to Australia have taken umbrage at Scott Capurro's gags. 'I think it was the masturbatory gesture while staring at Christ on the cross'
^Mike Edmonds (March 28, 2001). "Rove sorry for comic's 'filth'; Outrage over Christ jokes". Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia). p. 2.
^John Preston (April 28, 2002). "Animals Who Love Too Much". The Sunday Telegraph. p. 12.
^Veronica Lee (November 6, 2000). "Just when you thought he was cute and harmless; Like his hero Lenny Bruce, comedian Scott Capurro isn't losing sleep over the prospect of upsetting another city. As Veronica Lee discovers, his attitude is: 'I'm funny, that's a given. If you're offended, then leave'". The Evening Standard. pp. 66–67.
^Bernard Weiner (January 17, 1990). "The 'Boys' Are Back in Town, Controversial Gay Play in SF Revival". The San Francisco Chronicle.
^ abDaniel Taylor (April 19, 1996). "Single and standing up to hate it". The Age (Melbourne, Australia). p. 13.
^William Cook (August 16, 1994). "Scott Capurro: Risk Gay". The Guardian. p. T5. San Franciscan Scott Capurro may be best known as Robin Williams' make-up man in the movie Mrs Doubtfire, but he's also a stand-up comedian of considerable stature. Capurro dovetails these two disciplines in an enthralling solo show, which charts his timid passage from the closet to the Californian comedy circuit, and the liberating effect that this has had on his life and art.
^Oliver Duff (August 11, 2004). "Edinburgh Festival: A Shocking History". The Independent.
^Jeremy Austin (August 19, 2004). "Loaded by Scott Capurro; Edinburgh Review". The Stage. p. 22.
^"Plays & musicals". Marin Independent Journal (California). July 5, 2007.
^Tim Teeman (May 29, 2008). "F***ing Men". The Times. p. 18.