SL_Spotlight_2_19_Spotlight 2 / 13 / 19 1 : 04 PM Page 1 spotlight Q.A Different comedians have varying styles , but you have been credited as being one of the best storytellers . What’s the art in taking a good story and turning it into a great comedic routine ? A lot of times for me there’s a subtlety when you TheFunniest hear someone tell a story . … You need a great intro to draw everyone in . And then it needs an arc and , in my opinion , it has to have one flip of the switch that you didn’t see coming . More importantly , every Guy in the story needs an ending . Everyone messes up there ; you need [ the audience ] to know the story is over . Comedian Bert Kreischer may I’m not perfect with coming up with endings , and I acknowledge it . I chew over it like sunflower seeds be the most interesting man in nonstop . BYPETERPROKO the world . Room You’ve had so many interesting run - ins with celebrities . Are there any stories that people don’t know about yet ? The Whitney Houston story is pretty epic . My daughter broke her jaw and we had to put her under , and it was super stressful . My wife and I were really freaking out . It’s early in the morning and we go to this dentist in Beverly Hills , and they put her under . My wife and I are crying ; [ my daughter ] was three years old . This black woman is trying to calm me down , and I can’t even see her ; my eyes are so filled with tears . She’s smiling at me and I’m , like , whatever . [ After the surgery ] they have us in this receiving room and I’m holding my daughter . She has gauze and blood in her mouth , but finally we are OK . The woman walks into the room and she says , “ It’s tough being a daddy , isn’t it ? ” It’s Whitney Houston . We almost dropped my daughter on the floor . She was rubbing my daughter’s hair and started talking to us ; my wife and I were floored . The best part of the story is , the day she died , I was in a car with my buddy Tom Segura driving to a gig together and he [ says ] , “ Whitney Houston died . Do you know how great that is for your story ? ” You’re a father now . How has your outlook on life evolved since having kids ? You never realize the responsibility of the words you say . I don’t know how many times I’ve talked about doing drugs and almost bragged about it , and you realize all those kids who see you and say , BERT KREISCHER IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S HOTTEST STANDUP COMEDIANS , “ I can’t wait to start getting high and smoking pot . ” regularly selling out shows across the country and bringing his innate storytelling Those kids are your kids ’ friends . It’s an interesting , ability to the masses . But his success hardly happened overnight ; he built the slippery slope I’ve created a brand based on partying , foundation for his career over two decades , not only performing on stage , but also and your kids look at that . hosting shows on both FX and Travel Channel . He has since gone on to become an author , as well as the host of his own successful podcast . When did you and comedy first click in the sense Kreischer is perhaps best known for attending Florida State University , where that you knew this was the path for you ? The Rolling Stone article . In the story I said I thought the then - seven - year senior became known as “ the top partier at the No . 1 party I could be a comedian , and this radio station put on school in the country , ” thanks to a 1997 Rolling Stone profile that led filmmaker a comedy night at Potbelly’s at Florida State , and I Oliver Stone to option the rights to his life story . The Oliver Stone deal never [ performed ] there . I played baseball with Brad panned out . Instead , the article would serve as the inspiration for National Lampoon’s Radke , who played for the Minnesota Twins ; I grew Van Wilder , starring Ryan Reynolds in the lead role . up with him my whole life . When we were kids , my With his partying days somewhat in his rearview mirror , the married father of dad said , “ He’s going pro . ” And I was , like , “ What two is hitting the road for his largest tour yet . He’ll stop in Glenside on March 16 , for about me ? ” But kids like that , it’s so natural . There two shows at the Keswick Theatre . was something about Brad that was effortless ; he While enjoying his final few days off before hitting the road , Kreischer spoke to doesn’t have to think about it . The first time I did us about the tour , his love affair with comedy , and what it’s like to be consoled by standup , I called my dad and said , “ I think I found n the thing Brad Radke had . ” Whitney Houston at the dentist . SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2019 88 |