Belmont native creates pandemic themed show, The Honeyzoomers

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Editor and lead actress Joli Tribuzio of “The Honeyzoomers.”
Photos courtesy of of “The Honeyzoomers.”

With a writer from Manhattan, actors from Brooklyn and the Bronx and a composer from New Jersey, four people created a show during COVID-19 about the pandemic.

Filmed entirely remotely, the popular web series called “The Honeyzoomers” launched in May and has produced 39 episodes. Inspired by “The Honeymooners,” Joyce Randolph herself, who starred as Trixie, gave it her blessing.

“I think this milestone of 39 as a big deal for us,” said editor and lead actress Joli Tribuzio.

Tribuzio, 40, who grew up in Belmont, but now resides in Brooklyn, has been involved with theater her entire life. She credits a lot of her success to her parents, Bobby and Judie Tribuzio. Bobby is the drummer in the Earls, a Bronx born DooWop group, which is on the Bronx Walk of Fame by Yankee Stadium.

Actor Johnny Tammaro

Judie was a writer and poet and the two of them passed the love for creativity and performing onto their daughter.

“Her story telling ability certainly helped build my need to do that as well and my love for the art,” she said about her mom.

When the coronavirus arrived Broadway shuttered and many were out of work. However, Tribuzio did not let that deter her. Along with Charles Messina, the writer and creator, actor Johnny Tammaro and producers Jill Menza and Jeremy Long, they have kept busy during the pandemic.

According to Tribuzio, it was a bit scary at first seeing the havoc COVID-19 caused and so many people out of work, but they put their heads together and came up with this successful show.

“It was sort of born out of necessity,” Tribuzio explained. “We can’t do anything like we were working on.”

For the series, the actors shoot their footage in their apartments and then Tribuzio edits it together making it look as if they are in the same room. Each episode ranges between seven to 20 minutes and they release one a week.

Editor and lead actress Joli Tribuzio of “The Honeyzoomers.”

“Honeyzoomers” features sister and brother Deb and Ant Bizzaro, a teacher and a former bus driver, who are “temporarily” living together in Ant’s apartment in Greenwich Village because of Deb’s separation from her philandering husband.  With nowhere to go she moved in with her older sibling, who lived alone, never married.  She planned on moving out after getting herself on her feet.

Then the pandemic struck. Stay at home orders were issued in New York City and throughout much of the country.  Deb and Ant were stuck together indefinitely.  Opposite personalities, their time together in quarantine is spent bickering, dealing with Ant’s severe health anxieties, Debbie’s wounded ego from her break-up and reconnecting over personal and familial issues.

Actor Johnny Tammaro

“It’s a very real representation of what we’re going through,” Tribuzio explained.

Tribuzio recalled when she had first thought of the idea for the “Honeyzoomers” last year, she never imagined it would garner this much attention. She noted the goal was to create authentic characters people could relate to.

“We started doing it so early that it’s interesting to see the progression,” Tribuzio explained. “We were hoping it was something that would bring people together.”

To view the show, go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClh0DE-NIYz2XQOv0JaKYvQ