SNL writing alum Rich Talarico’s story tells tale of first person to survive the Falls in a barrel

By Jason Pomietlasz

A time of political upheaval, a strong female heroine and an evil antagonist.

Sounds like a current blockbuster, but It’s the backdrop of “The Widow Daredevil,” an original screenplay based on true events by Utica native Rich Talarico. He’s having a stage reading Saturday (Aug. 9) at The Buffalo Comedy Collective, 155 Chandler Street, Buffalo.

It’s free but seating priority goes to RSVP guests, which you can do at www.buffalocomedycollective.com.

“The Widow Daredevil” tells the story of Annie Taylor, who lost her job teaching at a debutante school and came up with the idea of going over the falls in barrel as a publicity stunt to fund her retirement. Her actions inadvertently helped ingite a movement among her students that helped lead to women’s suffrage … and Talarico’s “dramedy.”

In the script’s promo materials, Talarico says, “One story that captured my imagination was that of Annie Edson-Taylor, the very first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel—an audacious act that no one had attempted before. Her remarkable courage inspired me and ultimately leading to the creation of “The Widow Daredevil.”

It’s been a long process to get to this point for Talarico.

He originally had aspirations of becoming an actor. His early experience included stand-in work on the 1995 cult classic “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.” The film explored dark themes since, well, it was about a serial killer.

“Stand-ins help the crew set up lighting and blocking so the actors don’t get tired and are usually the same build and height. My friend was a stand-in for the lead and while the crew was setting up we would do bits and improvise making the crew crack-up,” remembers Talarico. 

The experience instilled in him a vital lesson: crafting quality comedy requires time, patience and a willingness to experiment. 

RELATED MEDIA: Rick Talarico in action doing standup.

Transitioning from aspiring actor to accomplished writer, Talarico has written for “MADtv” and had a hand in several memorable skits for “Key & Peele.” His time at “Saturday Night Live” (SNL), however, holds a special place in his heart. 

“Working for Saturday Night Live is like working for the Yankees. Everything is first class,” he says. He did have to knock on Robert De Niro’s dressing room door and tell him they cut a line from a sketch. 

“The sketch was him (De Niro) as a crazy cat lady, and since I wrote the sketch it was my job to inform him of the edit. So I knock on the door and he opens the door dressed as the cat lady and I say ‘Mr. De Niro, we’re cutting that line,’ and he just looks at me and says ‘I like that line, I like that line,’ and very clearly I’m talking to Robert De Niro and not a cat lady,” said Talarico. 

Talarico said, “I’ll be forever grateful for the chance to work at SNL. I got to meet Don Pardo, Snoop Dogg and Jason Bateman.”

Talarico’s foundation in comedy was solidified through his studies at Second City, where he learned from the legendary Del Close. And he took Stephen Colbert’s class twice before making it to Second City’s main stage. It goes back to the lesson of good comedy does take time. 

In a time dominated by superhero blockbusters, Talarico expresses a desire for studios to take more chances on original comedies, lamenting the lack of standout comedic films in recent years. 

“I challenge you to name a great comedy made within the last 10 years,” challenged Talarico. And I couldn’t name one. 

Talarico will be in Buffalo for the rest of the summer scouting locations for “Widow Daredevil” and teaching several writing classes. Not one to rest on his accomplishments, Talarico is already shopping a comedy he wrote with a former student from one of his writing classes, to studios.

Jason Pomietlasz is The Buffalo Hive’s comedy writer, providing a weekly calendar of comedy events in the Buffalo area. He is also a standup comic and does improv at Buffalo-area venues.