Corporate tax executive Steve Bitterman, who is affectionately known as “The Karaoke King of Queens,” chatted with Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about his newfound love for acting and entertainment. He will be featured in two movies in the future.
Bitterman is still known to many as the “Karaoke King of Queens” thanks to his love of this tension-relieving singing art.
Well, five years later, in 2021, and after 45 years working in an office setting, Bitterman retired and has now embarked on another of his passions which is acting.
He has since responded to many casting calls with success. He is hoping to enhance his resume by joining SAG-AFTRA in the near future.
Bitterman commented, “My goal is to join the SAG-AFTRA union, in an effort to get a more diverse range of acting projects and to improve my resume, which will hopefully result in more exposure and job opportunities.”
Bitterman has had the opportunity to have performed background “extra” projects in three feature-length films, four short films, an infomercial, and numerous television programs thus far.
He has been on set alongside the following celebrities: Christine Baranski, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Mary J. Blige, Giancarlo Esposito, Alex Borstein, Paul Giamatti, Amanda Seyfried, Natasha Lyonne, Adrien Brody, KaMillion, Chris Meloni, Dylan McDermott, Carey Mulligan, Andre Braugher, Patricia Clarkson and Billy Eichner.
Bitterman opened up about the digital age. He brought up the fact that with the current trend of streaming services taking on the production of large budget feature films as well as television series of their own, there has been a corresponding increase in available acting projects.
He stated “I have been told by veteran background actors that they have noticed that with network and premium cable channels now creating their own streaming services, casting calls and audition requests have increased exponentially. This is a great time for me to have taken on this career change upon my retirement.”
Bitterman is proud to have already received on-screen directions from renowned directors Robert Townsend, Nicholas Stoller, and Rian Johnson but he has expressed his most appreciative comments to two not so famous, but well-respected directors with bright futures, Emmy-nominated Micah Overby (feature film “RxCall”) and multiple short film award winner Wesley Wang (short film “Mute”).
Bitterman acknowledged that he is very thankful for both of these aforementioned gentlemen for giving him the initial opportunity to appear on-camera; not only lost in a crowd but in the foreground where he could display his acting talent to the respective film’s viewers.
Upon their mutual retirements last year, Steve and his wife Shari, both life-long Queens County, NYC residents, purchased a home in the Hudson Valley in Rockland County which they share with their daughter Erica, son-in-law Sean and granddaughter Eliana.
When Steve is not on an acting gig and Shari, a former grade school educator is not substitute teaching, they provide a lot of tender loving care for nine-month-old, Eliana. He certainly is a man that wears many hats.
He lovingly refers to it as “Grandma and Grandpa Day Care Service.” This allows Erica and Sean to maintain their careers while providing the best possible care that only a grandparent could provide. Bitterman even noted that he has “perfected the art of diaper changing.”
Steve Bitterman revealed that he will be featured on the small screen in the future in two upcoming Universal Picture productions: “Bros,” which is produced by Judd Apatow, and “She Said.”
Back in 2017, this journalist interviewed his wife, author Shari Bitterman, regarding her exceptional children’s book “Simon the Snail,” which she authored. It is written in rhyme and is “about overcoming challenges that life presents at you with the help and loving support of one’s family.” Also, the watercolor illustrations in the book are remarkable as well. “Simon the Snail” earned a favorable review from Digital Journal.
To learn more about Steve Bitterman, check out his IMDb page.
