"You're still a smart-aleck; now you're just getting paid for it."-Lou's
father
Lou Santini, an only child (surprise!), was born in McKeesport, PA, and raised in the neighboring cities of Canton and Massillon, OH. Giving his first speech (written by his mother) at age six in front of 200 people, he took liberties with her work and injected a few jokes. Feeling the rush from the laughs he received, he remembers thinking, "I like this." When he wasn't cutting up crowds being the center of attention, Lou devoted his remaining time finding new ways to entertain (read: "annoy") his mom and dad.
In school, Lou was never the "class clown" with rude disruptions; rather, it was his quick wit that had the class in hysterics as well as the teachers. In fourth grade, when he refused to "stop talking" in class, the teacher challenged him with, "If you want to talk in class, perhaps you'd like to get up and teach." He did.
Lou's influences in comedy came from his "founding fathers": George Carlin, Bill Cosby, and Steve Martin. As early as six, he was listening to these greats on tape, memorizing their bits, and then performing them for his friends (he later learned it was called, "hacking"). In fact, in Junior High, he performed a 20-minute Cosby set on a cafeteria table to hundreds of junior highschoolers and faculty alike.
The rest of his childhood comedy background reads like so many other comedians: taping idiotic "shows" on a small cassette recorder, reading MAD Magazine and every joke book he could get his hands on, watching Carson on "The Tonight Show", and seeing comedians live on stage. His passion for comedy was fueled and supported by his parents throughout his life. Even in grade school, when his bedtime was 8 p.m., his mother would wake him up when a comedian was on "The Tonight Show". He would watch the set, and the next day, was responsible for retelling what he saw to his friends who weren't so lucky.
As he got older, he still hadn't considered standup comedy as a career possibility. Graphic design seemed to be his path. He was talented and excelled in some areas but not so much in others; he admittedly didn't have that "natural" talent that he saw in other artists.
Changing his major from graphic design to broadcasting two weeks before starting college at the University of Akron, he began his 11-year broadcasting career at WAUP FM, (now WZIP). He figured, "On the radio, I can be funny, still have a steady job, not have to worry about 'working the road', do personal appearances and hone my delivery in front of people, and still earn a degree." He dove headfirst into working as a DJ, news/sports reporter, play-by-play announcer, training class instructor, and eventually, Program Director. Working 30 hours a week there, while going to college full time, plus working as a printing press operator part-time and working weekends at another radio station (WTIG AM), his plate was full. During his three years at WZIP, he earned "Air Personality of the Year" honors twice.
A month after graduation, Lou got his next break working part-time at WRQK, "Rock 107", in Canton, OH. He quickly went from part-time overnight guy, to full time overnights, then to evenings. It was in his 7-midnight shift where he thrived, building his audience, interjecting comedy into his show and making his show audience-intensive with plenty of live callers. Uncharacteristic to radio programming, Rock 107's broadcast day was built around his shift, not the morning show. His ratings were the highest at the station and in the market and his numbers have yet to be beat. In his 11-year career, Lou never finished below third, and his consistently strong, top-rated show made him the most-demanded air personality in his market. He used this local fame to promote and run his mobile DJ service, "Major Productions". Since then he has hosted over a thousand events: weddings/receptions, corporate events, and private parties. In fact, he has written an (as of yet) unpublished book chronicling all the "weird, tacky, tasteless, and cheesy" things he has seen at wedding receptions on his side of the microphone. In fact, he and his writing partner have written a TV pilot based on the book. (Wanna buy it?)
After four years at Rock 107, having eventually landed the afternoon drive slot, the call came to work at legendary radio station, WMMS, 100.7 "The Buzzard" in Cleveland, under equally iconic Program Director, John Gorman, who drove the station to greatness in the 70s and 80s. Gorman was the consultant of WRQK while Lou was there; he knew his work ethic and track record and called him to make the move to the larger market to make WMMS great again in the 90s. Lou did, and took his audience with him and had a successful run. He supplemented his on-air fun with personal appearances, which he parlayed into a local TV show, a kind of "localized MTV", with musical guests, performances and interviews, which was his foray into TV hosting.
Eventually, Lou achieved every goal he had set out to do on the air. Radio was losing it's fun, so, on a whim, he flew to L.A., stayed with friends for a few days, found an apartment, sold half his stuff, packed, and made the 2,000+ mile trip to North Hollywood, CA where he currently lives.
Since living in L.A., he has appeared on TV, film, radio, infomercials, voiceovers, and of course all the comedy stages in Los Angeles. He won the 2004 San Diego Comedy Festival, and has featured and headlined at clubs, colleges, corporate events, and cruise ships all over the country.
Call it "sarcasm", "mockery", or "cynicism", audiences everywhere see his comedy as first-class, high-energy VENTING! Lou's smartly-crafted, absurd anecdotes come from his "slice-of-strife" approach that originate from the truth! Whether he's a "thumbless driver", getting "donuts to go", or a having a "showdown" with his mom, Lou's take on life's hassles and detours will stay with you for a lifetime!
With an ongoing 20-year career that includes radio, TV hosting, commercials, infomercials, voiceovers, and standup comedy, Lou Santini has performed for audiences of 20 to 20,000, ages 8 to 80, "Rated G" to "R". With universal material and a keen ability to adapt his show to the crowd, Lou has performed at clubs, colleges, military shows, corporate events, and cruise ships, and will carry on, CARRYING ON!
Lou Santini, an only child (surprise!), was born in McKeesport, PA, and raised in the neighboring cities of Canton and Massillon, OH. Giving his first speech (written by his mother) at age six in front of 200 people, he took liberties with her work and injected a few jokes. Feeling the rush from the laughs he received, he remembers thinking, "I like this." When he wasn't cutting up crowds being the center of attention, Lou devoted his remaining time finding new ways to entertain (read: "annoy") his mom and dad.
He dove headfirst into working as a DJ, news/sports reporter, play-by-play announcer, training class instructor, and eventually, Program Director. Working 30 hours a week there, while going to college full time, plus working as a printing press operator part-time and working weekends at another radio station (WTIG AM), his plate was full. During his three years at WZIP, he earned "Air Personality of the Year" honors twice. 
Uncharacteristic to radio programming, Rock 107's broadcast day was built around his shift, not the morning show. His ratings were the highest at the station and in the market and his numbers have yet to be beat. In his 11-year career, Lou never finished below third, and his consistently strong, top-rated show made him the most-demanded air personality in his market. He used this local fame to promote and run his mobile DJ service, "Major Productions". Since then he has hosted over a thousand events: weddings/receptions, corporate events, and private parties. In fact, he has written an (as of yet) unpublished book chronicling all the "weird, tacky, tasteless, and cheesy" things he has seen at wedding receptions on his side of the microphone. In fact, he and his writing partner have written a TV pilot based on the book. (Wanna buy it?)
Gorman was the consultant of WRQK while Lou was there; he knew his work ethic and track record and called him to make the move to the larger market to make WMMS great again in the 90s. Lou did, and took his audience with him and had a successful run. He supplemented his on-air fun with personal appearances, which he parlayed into a local TV show, a kind of "localized MTV", with musical guests, performances and interviews, which was his foray into TV hosting. 
With an ongoing 20-year career that includes radio, TV hosting, commercials, infomercials, voiceovers, and standup comedy, Lou Santini has performed for audiences of 20 to 20,000, ages 8 to 80, "Rated G" to "R". With universal material and a keen ability to adapt his show to the crowd, Lou has performed at clubs, colleges, military shows, corporate events, and cruise ships, and will carry on, CARRYING ON!