You may know Brooks Wheelan from his year as a featured cast member on NBC's legendary sketch program Saturday Night Live, or for guest spots on TV shows AP Bio and I Think you Should Leave.
Wheelan also hosts a podcast which focuses on his guests' jobs outside entertainment before they made it in the industry, titled Entry Level. Wheelan also recently released a standup comedy special from his tour of eight Alaskan towns titled Alive in Alaska.
The Iowa native joined WNIJ's Jason Cregier ahead of his upcoming shows in Batavia, to discuss his career, comedy and life on the road.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Jason Cregier: You're originally from the Midwest (Manchester, IA), do you enjoy being back in the area?
Brooks Wheelan: Batavia is rad. Where I grew up, Batavia would be the equivalent of downtown Chicago. I like Batavia, I think it's cool.
When you were on Saturday Night Live, my favorite skit of yours was Critter Control.
My biggest mistake at Saturday Night Live was turning down making Critter Control a recurring sketch. They approached me about it and I said no. I was so stupid and stubborn, I wanted to show everyone I had "range."
But you never will know what's popular in the moment.
I got this show when I was 26 years old. When you're 26 you're in your own world just trying to make things happen. I was just so not plugged in, it was crazy.
While watching your comedy special Alive in Alaska, I was really drawn to the bit about Red Lobster restaurants.
I'm still Midwest trash. I was doing this show at the Boston Comedy Festival recently. I was in Boston 20 hours total. I ate so much seafood that I got sick, truly sick. I flew back to Los Angeles to pitch a show to Hulu and before the meeting I was still throwing up because I got too excited in Boston as a 38-year-old man.
How many places did you perform at in Alaska?
We did 8 cities over a two-week time period.
It was cool, we just finished editing some tour docs from the time we spent on that tour.
The good thing about traveling is being somewhere for a bit and getting an understanding for what others find normal, that you yourself do not.
Do you enjoy being on the road then?
No. I want a family and normalcy (laughing). Sounds great.
Brooks, thanks for joining us today.
You bet Jason, hit me up and let's go grab a sandwich in Batavia.
Brooks Wheelan performs at The Comedy Vault in Batavia April 24-26.
