Frank Nicotero grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he developed a passion for the Pirates, Steelers, and stand-up comedy. As a young fan, he would often sneakily watch late-night TV, dimming the lights to avoid detection, and absorb the humor of Johnny Carson, David Letterman, and Evening at the Improv.
Frank's high school years were marked by his sharp wit, earning him the title of "Class Clown" for three consecutive years. Although he was bitter about finishing second to Jackie Joyce in his freshman year, he remained dedicated to honing his comedic skills.
Frank's professional career began at the Funny Bone in Pittsburgh in 1988, where he discovered the joy of making money through laughter. He eventually relocated to Los Angeles, where he appeared on Lifetime TV's game show DEBT, hosted by the legendary Wink Martindale. Frank's extensive TV viewing experience and vast knowledge helped him win a substantial amount of $14,000 on the show.
He went on to write and produce various game shows, and his big break came when he was asked to help write and produce a pilot called Street Smarts. Frank's timing was impeccable, as he landed the hosting gig and the show ran for over 5 years in syndication, with a total of 760 episodes.
After the show ended, Frank returned to stand-up comedy, appearing on Comics Unleashed, the Rosie O'donnell Show, the Wayne Brady show, and numerous other cable shows. He also served as the narrator for two seasons of TruTv's It Only Hurts When I Laugh and was a cast member on TruTv's How to Be a Grown Up in 2014, which is still airing in heavy rotation.
Frank made his network stand-up debut on the Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson in November 2014 and released his debut album, That Street Smarts Guy, which is available on all major streaming sites.
