I just heard the news on facebook that Mickey Cucchiella has left 98 Rock’s Morning Show, reportedly due to depression. I wish nothing but the best for him as he’s always been a great guy to me.
My first exposure to Mickey was back when I was just a teenager and first discovering all the amazing local bands from the Baltimore/Mid-Atlantic region. One Halloween, I went to my first Fowloween at Daytona’s in Pasadena, MD. It was a big yearly show with multiple bands that was put on by Fowl Records (indie label of Jimi Haha from Jimmie’s Chicken Shack). A local comedian named Mickey Cucchiella was the host for the night. I didn’t know much about him at the time, but the buzz was that he was doing standup at clubs the same way these bands were touring venues performing night after night. A then-unknown and unsigned Good Charlotte had just finished their set. Mickey came up and made a loving joke about them, then pointed in the audience to *me* and teased me. It was hilarious and a moment I will always think of fondly.
After that show, I bought a Fowl Records compilation and one of his tracks was on the CD. The piece was funny and smart. Those are my favorite comedians: The ones with wit, who can combine an important message in a humorous manner. As I became more involved in the local music scene and had an increasing number of friends in bands and management, we would end up listening to his work together. They were all fans of his and would play his CD in the car on our way to events or just at home while hanging out together.
A couple years later, I started hearing him in the evenings on 98 Rock and eventually he and Amelia had their own morning show. It was great to see how he had stayed in the comedy business and that he was doing so well (like the music biz, it isn’t easy). One night, my bandmates at the time in Skitzo Calypso and I decided to see him perform at The Tower in Bel Air after band practice. It was cool to see a full set of his, during which he made a joke about our singer, Brad. Brad and I once reflected on how being called out by a comedian can be a scary and humiliating thing, but we agreed it wasn’t like that with Mickey, at least from our experiences. It was always done in a way that you were actually glad you were the target of his joke. I can imagine that’s not an easy skill to obtain. There’s a fine balance that has to be figured out, and it seemed like it just came naturally to him. The night we saw his act, I had just gone through a rough breakup with a boyfriend and nothing anyone could do cheered me up. My dear friends were trying hard for days to just make me crack a smile, but nothing worked. Mickey’s set was the one thing that could take my mind off what happened and I thank him for that. The night was almost therapeutic for me.
Mickey has now become a Baltimore icon on a mainstream level. He is adored by and has influenced countless people. And the thing about him is that it never seemed to change him. I mean that in a good way. His success and status never appeared to get to his head. I’ve seen other people I know reach success and some of them changed for the worse. But I still saw Mickey out at local bands’ shows. He didn’t stop going just because he didn’t “have to” anymore. And, although he wasn’t a close friend but just a casual acquaintance, he always treated me the same throughout the years when we bumped into each other: Consistently nice and down-to-earth.
A few months ago, my Baltimore friend Scott visited Hollywood to help support his comedian friend Wendi Townsend, who was in town to check out the comedy scene and perform at open mic nights here. Before we watched Wendi’s set together at Sal’s Comedy Hole, Scott told me how Mickey was a huge part of her success and a great mentor to her. He said that of course it’s Wendi’s own talent and hard work that have created her opportunities, but he talked about how she really appreciated Mickey and how he just liked to help because that’s the kind of person he is. Mickey’s the top comedian in Baltimore right now. He doesn’t have to do anything for anyone to further his career. He spotted the talent and spark in Wendi and wanted to be a part of that. It just seems like he has a genuine love of comedy and people and it’s not about the superficial perks of being in the spotlight.
Mickey commented on how the quality of the morning show has declined due to his mental state. I haven’t listened to the show in over a year and a half, since I no longer live in Baltimore, so I don’t know if that’s just him being hard on himself or if it really got that bad. But, as someone who had struggled with depression for years, I can tell you that it’s not just something one can snap out of. Admitting publicly that he has this issue and taking time to focus on himself is not only responsible and brave, but it will help many others going through the same thing, some of whom might not even realize that’s what’s happening to them but do now. He’s inspired people with humor, but he’s helping others with this side of him as well.
This may or may not be the end of his career at 98 Rock, but he says it isn’t the end of his comedy career, and I truly believe that. If he could work his way up through the entertainment world like he has, he can overcome this. It seems like he is taking the right steps in caring for himself and I applaud him. Best wishes to Mickey in his recovery and I know we’ll see him soon: Stronger and better than ever.