John’s talent first emerged while attending La Salle Academy in Providence. On the day before Christmas vacation he was reluctantly pushed to the front of the class by a fellow classmate who had seen John’s renditions of the teachers. The school’s proud tradition of order and decorum temporarily vanished as John cut loose and hysterics took the room. The teacher, John Cerra was laughing so hard he collapsed to all fours, nearly choked, and had to be helped up. From then on, Mr. Cerra gave John “stage time” near the end of class, and he began to learn his craft.