Rick Mariano: Councilman, felon...and now stand-up comic?

City Councilman...convicted felon...stand-up comedian?  That's the career path former Councilman Rick Mariano is shooting for as he tries to mine his time in City Hall and federal prison for chuckles.

Mariano tells us he will appear at 7:40 a.m. tomorrow on John DeBella's show on WMGK, 102.9 FM to try his hand at about a minute of stand-up.  It's part of the 5th Annual DeBella Comedy Competition.

"Ten years in Council. Five years in prison. It gives you a lot of material for comedy," Mariano told us by phone today from the construction site where he is currently working.  "Oh, I got great stuff."

Mariano, who was sentenced to six years in prison for a 2006 bribery conviction, was released in October.  He says his name got him through the door for DeBella's show. His jokes will have to help him stay there.

A sample:  Mariano riffs about learning to use Facebook and Internet dating since his wife left him after he got out of prison.  His latest lady friend broke up with him via Facebook. "The reason she broke up with me? My ankle bracelet scratched her knee."

Mariano is also lobbying for Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky to let him perform at his 21st Annual Candidates Comedy Night, an Aug. 18 fund-raiser for the Variety Club of Philadelphia.  Bykofsky has taken Mariano's request under advisement.