Nick Hornedo is so convinced he’s the main character that he made his high school girlfriend a break-up movie (it was not well reviewed). A decade later, Nick and his ex reunite to rewatch the movie and find some closure. Will they succeed? Or will Nick make this just another performance? Find out (and see the video for yourself) in this debut stand-up hour about love, art and the perils of chasing the impossible plotlines we write for ourselves. Nick Hornedo is a New York stand-up previously featured on PBS and Vulture.

Ready to brace the Fringe to the fullest, Nick Horendo chats with Corr Blimey about their rin

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Would you mind giving us a brief insight into what your show/event/performance is?

Sure! My show, Watch This When You Get Home, is a stand up solo show about the time I made my high school girlfriend a break up movie. It’s a cringey and earnest look at what it’s like to romanticize your life as art so much that you start treating other people like secondary characters. It’s also packed with jokes, hilarious stories, and climaxes with a screening of the break up video.

Tell us about the creative team and the process involved?

The central story in this show is something I’ve been playing with for as long as I’ve been doing stand up. My producer, Eoin Wenger, was one of the first people to tell me that there was a show here that I should pursue. Over the past year-and-a-half, I’ve been writing and rewriting the show, changing the structure, adding new jokes, trying to narrow in what I’m “trying to say.” The most helpful part of this process has been performing it on a semi-regular basis. I’ve performed it ten times in New York City, each time trying something new and honing in what works about the show.

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How does it feel coming to the Fringe?

I was here for a few days last year just to check it out. Coming to the city for a whole month with my own show is a absolutely a dream come true. Crafting this show has been a real labor of love in my life. It’s something I look forward to. It’s something I feel proud of when I’m otherwise feeling low. And so I think it’s a special thing to step into a festival with thousands of people who have a similar relationship to the art they create.

With shows from all over the world at the Fringe, what sets yours apart?

Honestly it’s the breakup video. There’s plenty of solo shows and stand up shows that earnestly reflect on adolescence. But part of what’s exciting about this show is that it’s built around a childhood artifact, a piece of art that I made a decade ago. Some people ask me if the video is real. It absolutely is. I can’t change it, even though I would LOVE to. And one of the biggest challenges of the show has been how to build material around it that makes the ultimate screening of the video more impactful and more meaningful.

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Is there anything specific you’re hoping the audience will take away?

One of the themes of the show is how exaggerated emotions felt when we were young and whether that’s something we’re missing out on as adults. I hope that’s something audiences connect with. I think treating you life like its own movie is a beautiful thing. It’s also not a responsible way to live. And I want audiences to grapple with that a little.

I also hope they laugh. Like a lot. I’m flying across the ocean, afterall. I need this.

Your Ideal audience is in attendance, who’s watching? Or more importantly – who isn’t…?

My ideal audience is the love of my life. She sees the show. She immediately understands me — both the person I present myself as and the person behind the performance. And she approaches me after the show. I immediately feel as though I’ve known her all my life. And I quit comedy, finally.

In terms of my unideal audience, it’s probably someone who crosses their arms at a comedy show. They expect to be made to laugh. But they refuse to engage or lean in. The kind of person who doesn’t treat comedy like art.

It’s an intense month, so where you’re able, how do you plan to relax, and are there any other shows you intend to see or want to recommend?

I love bopping around and people watching. I also brought a book (The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante) which I’m looking forward to reading. Last year, I listened to a lot of The Smiths, so I think I’ll make a playlist with some moody British pop.

I’m also super excited to see some shows, namely Dolphin Mode by Britt Miggs and Nice Try by Lily Blumkin. Two amazingly funny comedians from New York City. Britt is a stand up and someone I very much look forward to in the scene. And Lily is a character comedian and is absolutely hysterical.

In your ideal world, how can we improve the Fringe, performance, and the industry?

The Fringe is extraordinarily expensive. Comedy, and art in general, will suffer if career opportunities like the Fringe are only attainable to people with money. I personally can’t speak to what the solution is. But I will say that it is in the best interest of the industry to diversify the kind of talent that debuts at the Fringe.

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