By Peter Lindblad
Resch Center – Green Bay | Oshkosh Arena- Oshkosh
Sun’s out, beer belly is out.
The indomitable Bert Kreischer is on his way, tearing off his shirt like the Incredible Hulk, as part of his “Tops Off World Tour,” smoking and drinking and raising hell. Or at least he used to, as America’s No. 1 party animal, according to Rolling Stone magazine.
Don’t get it twisted. Kreischer, or “The Machine,” as he’s known to the Russian mafia, still likes to have fun, but these days, his outrageously funny tales of excess and debauchery are interspersed with relatable scenes of domestic bliss. The Kreischer household isn’t exactly “Leave it to Beaver,” but it’s way more entertaining, as Kreischer tries to deal with fatherhood and family life.
Nobody tells a story quite like Kreischer, as evidenced by his stand-up specials “Hey Big Boy,” “Secret Time” and “The Machine” – all of them currently streaming on Netflix.
Want more Kreischer? Check out his crazy docu-series “The Cabin,” said to be Nextflix’s most watched unscripted series. He also hosts the “Go-Big Show,” as well as podcasts like the “Bertcast,” “Wife of the Party” “Open Tabs” and “Something’s Burning.”
Get your tickets now for his Friday, Feb. 24, performance at the Resch Center in Green Bay. He comes back to Wisconsin on March 24, when he takes over the Oshkosh Arena.
Out and About Wisconsin did a story on Kreischer in November 2022. Read it here
Milwaukee Improv – Milwaukee (Well, Brookfield, actually)
Chris Porter (Feb. 9-1) – Straight out of Kansas City, spitting fire and raging at a world that’s getting dumber and dumber, Porter has a wildly unfiltered, no-holds-barred comedic style that keeps laughs coming at a furious pace. And speaking of furious, Porter’s at his funniest when he’s hopping mad about something, and he loves going hard after hypocrites and morons. Check out his classic 2014 Netflix comedy special “Chris Porter: Ugly and Angry” and 2019’s “A Man from Kansas” to get a good tongue lashing. Porter is often compared to George Carlin, which he discussed in our blog. You can also check out our longer story here. Flat earthers beware
Luenell (Feb. 24-25) – “BORAT” introduced the world to the unstoppable Luenell, who played the “hooker with a heart of gold.” She has a past, having spent four months in jail in her younger days, but her real-life experiences have given the charismatic, naturally funny Luenell a raw and completely authentic perspective that resonates with all kinds of audiences. She did a two-year tour with “Katt Williams American Hustle,” and she’s stolen scenes in feature films like “Taken 2” with Liam Neeson, the animated movie “Hotel Transylvania” and “That’s My Boy with Adam Sandler. Los Angeles Magazine named her one of the 25 funniest people in L.A. Here’s Luenell killing it on Snoop Dogg’s “Bad Girls of Comedy”.
Skyline Comedy Club – Appleton
John Caparulo (Feb. 9-11) – Just a regular guy, with a razor-sharp wit, an absurdist imagination, and a charming, child-like world view, Caparulo is a comic book character come to life, plain-spoken, underdressed and flat-out funny. Best known as a panelist on Chelsea Handler’s E! show “Chelsea Lately,” Caparulo also lit up “Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show” and Ron White’s “Salute to the Troops”on CMT, which led to a SiriusXM radio show “The Mad Cap Hour” and the “Domestic Disputes” podcast. Read all about him here.
Comedy on State – Madison
Atsuko Okatsuka (Feb. 24-25) – Let’s get weird with Atsuko Okatsuka, who debuted her stand-up special “The Intruder” on HBO in December 2022. It was directed by Tig Notaro. A comedian, actor and writer based in Los Angeles, she was brought up by her grandmother, who helped Okatsuka create the popular #DropChallenge. Delightfully eccentric – the bowl cut is a dead giveaway – Atsuko stars in the new Comedy Central animated series “Fairview” and was named one of Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch for 2022,” having also appeared in Hulu’s “History of the World Part II.” Here she is winning the night on “The Late Late Show with James Corden”.