The Grand Rapids stand-up comic and other comedians will host a special night benefiting West Michigan Mental Health Foundation’s Be Nice program. Learn more in this Local Grins spotlight.
Funny and Clean: Brian Atkinson, at left, will join Matt Sharpe, Rick Vuyst and Terri DeBoer in making folks laugh on Wednesday. (Courtesy Photo)
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Brian Atkinson always looks for feedback on his ever-evolving stand-up comedy act.
“I sent my wife a text with a line that I’m thinking of adding to one of the bits I’m already doing,” said Atkinson, 57, during an interview near his Grand Rapids home.
“She wrote ‘hee hee’ in her return text, so I knew it was OK.”
And you just might hear the result at his next area gig: He’s teaming with several other comedians for a Wednesday night (March 26 benefit) at Wealthy Theatre for the West Michigan Mental Health Foundation’s Be Nice program. Get tickets online here: https://grcmc.vbotickets.com/event/Stand_Up_Therapy/146538.
It’s a rare occasion to see Atkinson perform locally. Of his half-dozen shows during March, four were out-of-state, one a private event, and the other is the Wealthy Theatre gig.
Atkinson: Inspired by Steve Martin (Courtesy Photo)
“I do go to open-mic nights here. I think of that as going to the gym, ” he said of his road testing of new material.
His comedic topics come from his own life experiences. Atkinson’s low, booming voice reveals his years spent in broadcasting and voice-over work.
“There’s a concept that pain plus time equals funny,” he theorized. “At my age I’ve had enough time to find the funny.” Atkinson added that he never “punches down” or pokes fun at anyone but himself.
Born and raised in the Chicago area, the comedian has lived in various spots around the country. Finally a move to Michigan led to settling in Grand Rapids with his wife more than 10 years ago.
His interest in comedy had already struck him in his youth. He loved “Saturday Night Live” and “Monty Python.” His favorite comic was Steve Martin.
“His absurdity just caught me where my mind lived,” he recalled. His first album ever purchased with his own money: Martin’s “Wild & Crazy Guy.”
For his 50th birthday, Atkinson’s wife bought him a stand-up comedy online master class taught by none other than Steve Martin. The class spurred the realization that comedy is what he always wanted to do.
“So I wrote some material and went to an open-mic night,” he said. “It was terrible, it was awful; and I couldn’t wait to do it again.”
Undeterred by his initial missteps, Atkinson kept at it and has been doing comedy consistently for the last seven years.
He still has a day job (“I have a mortgage!”), and his work colleagues are supportive of his comedic endeavors. “But I’ll never talk about the day job from the stage,” he promised.
Atkinson was asked to join the March 26 clean-comedy lineup by fellow West Michigan funny guys Rick Vuyst and Matt Sharpe.
Sharpe, a psychotherapist and consultant has developed a therapeutic approach to his stand-up comedy noted under the “Stand Up Therapy Live” banner.
Vuyst, best-known for his media presence in gardening expertise, has more recently added comedy to his career array.
Friend and television meteorologist Terri DeBoer has been cramming for her on-stage comedy debut at the event. Her former TV colleague Kyle Underwood hosts the event.
“It’s great for people looking for a laugh, but also supporting mental health awareness,” Atkinson said.
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VIDEO: Live from Wealthy Street: A Night of Clean Comedy
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