Fox Host Failla Reaches USA from WIBX Studio in Utica

The host of FOX Across America with Jimmy Failla spent the weekend in Utica and it was a sell-out of a hit.

Failla, a New York City cab driver turned stand up comic turned radio talk show host, wore two out of three of his hats in Utica this past weekend. Failla did everything but drive a taxi.

The national talk show host joined WIBX's Keeler in the Morning radio show on Friday before coming back into the studio to transmit his nationally syndicated program around the U.S. via WIBX's studio.

"I am pumped for this weekend," Failla told WIBX's Bill Keeler. He was talking about the fact that after his radio show, where he talked about Utica's positives like Tomato Pie, the Italian food and the Turning Stone Resort and Casino, he would be doing four sellout shows at Utica's Fat Katz Comedy Club in Washington Mills.

Failla loved the Daylight Donuts coffee, and Roma's Tomato Pie, brought to him by Keeler listener Wayne who received a shout out on Failla's national program.

On Friday and Saturday night, he warmed up his stand up comedy skills as he played to four sellout shows and four standing ovations at Fat Katz inside Tony's Pizzeria in Washington Mills. Not only did Failla wow the audience in the showroom, but he mingled for hours with the crowds outside the club in the bar area.

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Jokes like, "You can't even call perverts, perverts in New York anymore. You have to call them Andrew Cuomo!" served as perfect humor for the crowd thirsty for a night out after COVID lockdowns. Surprisingly, Failla's act was unexpectedly light on political humor. His show was more observational comedy that would work with any crowd, like the fact that the New York State Thruway is the only highway in America that when changing lanes you have to avoid using a turn signal, because the driver behind will cut you off. His in your face style of comedy promotes the message that we really need to get back to the place where Democrats and Republicans can disagree without hating each other.

Failla told the crowds he would be back. Fat Katz Comedy Club expects to bring him back for more shows later next spring.