Gwinnett Daily Post

Special Photo Comedian Steve Mingolla, "The Nice Guy," stops by the Aurora Theatre for Funny Fridays (and Saturday).

LAWRENCEVILLE -- Comedians have a bad rap for being crude, vulgar and cynical. If you're tired of the same old potty mouthed high school humor, meet Steve Mingolla, "The Nice Guy."

He stops by the Aurora Theatre this weekend as part of the venue's Funny Fridays and Saturday Edition comedy shows.

"Comics always think of a hook or something for people to remember you by. In the history in comedy, everybody had a moniker," Mingolla said about his nice guy persona. "A friend suggested 'The Nice Guy.' What I was doing at that time was working comedy clubs and I would cuss in my show -- nothing really crazy. When I quit doing that, it made me happy because those words never felt right coming out of my mouth."

He added jokingly, "I never killed anyone either -- that helps."

While in front of a crowd, the Georgia native talks about things he knows: dogs, marriage, being half Italian, his younger sisters ... life, in general.

"I talk about me, my favorite subject," Mingolla said with a laugh. "I just talk about life and people can relate to that. Marriage, growing up, travel ... I don't really have specific subject. My show always evolves and changes with life. After 23 years, I've accumulated so many things to talk about, but the bottom line is it's funny."

He's been a part of numerous television commercials, syndicated radio shows, events, charities, military shows in Europe, comedy clubs and civic auditoriums. He has also appeared on TNN, Comedy Central and Showtime.

According to Mingolla's website, he has also had record sales of his T-shirt with one of his famous lines, "I got spanked, look how I turned out."

"That came about just growing up with my dad," he said about the one-liner. "At the time, when I came out with that bit and the shirt was when certain people were outlawing spanking in schools. Parents spank their kids, 9 out of 10 times, they turn out better than those who weren't spanked."

Also on stage for Funny Fridays is Dulce Sloan (both nights), Dan Weeks (today) and Caleb Synan (Saturday) with Debra Cole as the resident emcee.