Kevin Nealon’s Not Overwhelmed

May 13, 2016

SNL COMEDIAN COMING TO CITY OPERA HOUSE

It’s only 8:30am in Los Angeles, but if Kevin Nealon isn’t a morning person, you’d never know it by the cheerful voice on the other end of the phone. Comedian/actor Nealon, whose specialties include observational comedy and satire, is embarking on a U.S. stand-up tour in a few days. You might already know him from his nine years as a cast member and “Weekend Update” anchor on Saturday Night Live (SNL), his many movie appearances (Good Boy, Ghost Squad, Aliens in the Attic) or his role as Doug Wilson on the Showtime series Weeds. We talked with him about his current comedy focus, his upcoming projects… and the strange goings-on at neighborhood pharmacies.

Northern Express: Kevin, you’ve obviously had so much success in TV and film, I wanted to ask what inspired you to do something different with this stand-up tour?

Kevin Nealon: I actually started in stand-up! That’s always been my passion and, even when I was working on SNL or on movies or other projects, I always made time for it.

Express: I’m guessing your comedy topics have probably changed over the years. Has your comedic performance style changed, too?

Nealon: Yeah, it’s kind of like being a blues musician, you know? You have to actually live life and experience life before you can really develop a style. So yeah, it’s definitely changed as I’ve lived.

Express: What’s currently on your mind comedy-wise?

Nealon: Well, my last special was called Whelmed, But Not Overly, and that’s still kind of how I’m feeling at the moment. I’m whelmed, but not panicking just yet. There is a lot on my mind, though. I have a 9-yearold kid now, so obviously that’s something I wasn’t talking about nine years ago. And then there are things like the flu shots we’re getting at pharmacies these days. I’m pretty sure every person working at the pharmacy isn’t a trained nurse. So, what’s next, customers giving each other flu shots?

Express: So other than potential flu clinic gigs, what type of venues are you playing on your current stand-up tour?

Nealon: It’s a little of everything: some comedy clubs, a few casinos, but mostly theaters.

Express: And what do you like best about stand-up, as opposed to your other work?

Nealon: I like the immediacy of it. I get to go to different cities, meet different people, live a little bit of their lives for awhile. I especially like the bigger cities, like Chicago, New York, San Francisco.

Express: Have you been to Traverse City or to northern Michigan before?

Nealon: I haven’t! I’m actually pretty excited to go there because I haven’t been at all. What’s it like?

Express: Well, the venue you’ll be playing is right downtown and it’s a restored Victorian opera house, so it’s really unique. You’ll also be just a couple blocks from Lake Michigan; you could walk to the lake from your show.

Nealon: Oh! So the town itself is actually right on the lake, then! That’s awesome.

Express: Do you have anything in particular planned for your show here?

Nealon: I don’t generally have guests or anything like that, although I think there might be an opening comedian, who’s usually a local guy. Right now one of the reasons I’m on the road is that I’m working on material for what will be a new Showtime comedy special. So what you’ll hear is kind of a road test, if you will.

Express: I know you usually have several irons in the fire, too. What other projects are you working on at the moment?

Nealon: I just shot a pilot at Universal Studios here in L.A. with Amy Poehler. It’s called The Dumb Prince right now, although I don’t think that title’s going to stick [laughs.] Elizabeth Perkins plays my wife. She and I were in Weeds together, and we play the king and queen, rulers of a fictitious country called Modaria. We’ve got two boys and a teenaged daughter causing trouble and we’re trying to get our approval ratings up as rulers of the country. We’ll find out this month if the series got picked up; if it airs it will be on NBC. And I‘ve also co-written a film with my wife; we’re hoping we’ll get to shoot that this summer. So yeah, I’m going to be busy!

An Evening with Kevin Nealon will take place at the City Opera House in Traverse City on Thursday, May 19 at 7:30pm. For tickets and more information, visit cityoperahouse.org or call the box office at (231) 941-8082.