STAMBAUGH AUDITORIUM Funny Tenors hit Valley

February 19, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

The feds may have busted up the Italian mafia, but these days, there’s a new East Coast outfit looking to punch people in the gut, making them scream and cry. The good news is the howls and tears are from laughter.

The Three Tenors (Who Can’t Sing), featuring Vic Di-Bitetto, Richie Minervini and Fred Rubino, is a brand-new touring act that comes to Youngstown tonight for a show at Stambaugh Auditorium.

“We’re trying to bring back like the Rat Pack-type comedy,” said DiBitetto, calling from central New Jersey. “We interact with each other. We mess with the crowd. It’s not your typical comedy show with an emcee, opening act and headliner. We’re all headliners.

“You’re going to see we’re down-to-earth relatable. We’re not clever like Seinfeld. We’re just three regular blue-collar guys who grew up basically in an Italian family in the New York area. It’s not politically correct. We’re not vulgar, but we’re not squeaky clean. We’re high energy. We all have different styles.”

DiBitetto, who is known for his viral video “Bread and Milk,” said he’s a Pat Cooper-like high-energy funnyman, often getting called the “Italian Sam Kinison.” Then there’s the polished entertainer Minervini and the Joe Pesci-esque Rubino.

For more than three decades, DiBitetto has been a weekend warrior pursuing comedy while still keeping his day jobs. Over that time, this included being a garbage man and most recently a school bus driver.

“Back in 1985 when I was a garbage man, I drove my truck to Dangerfield’s [Comedy Club in New York City] one night, did my set, went back to the truck and finished my route,” DiBitetto said. “I live in central New Jersey. When I did the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City, I’d literally go back and forth to drive the school bus.

“There’s no harder working comic than me. I just quit my school-bus job a year ago after Kevin James called me up to be in ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2.’ That helped a lot. It’s finally happening in my mid-50s, which you know is when Rodney [Dangerfield] made ‘Caddyshack.’ I use him as my inspiration.”

Those dreams of stardom are now tied to The Three Tenors (Who Can’t Sing), which started performing late last year.

“Hopefully, we’ll get a break and get on TV,” DiBitetto said. “I’m just curious how we’ll do once we leave the [New York] area. I know Northeast Ohio is heavy Italian. They’re going to love it.”

It sounds like The Three Tenors (Who Can’t Sing) are hoping to make audiences an offer they can’t refuse.

DiBitetto laughed, “Yes, and if they don’t come out, we’ll come to their house and drag them out.”