Joe Pera’s comedic approach is like dashing out of a heavy rainstorm and into a warm, comforting home. Picture a young-looking old man dressed in a cozy oversized sweater with a collared shirt and khakis and you’ve got Joe Pera. His soft soothing voice and subdued manner complete his warm grandfather-like persona which he’ll bring to the stage to kick off his new tour on January 12 at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center.
Pera is known for comedic delivery that is both charming and comforting without feeling forced. His mild-mannered comedic style is a breath of fresh air when compared to the mocking and dark humor of other comedians. “I’m not a real fast wit, so I knew I had to write really good jokes. I learned over time that I wanted to take stand-up at my own pace—I guess maybe it was sort of a reaction to a lot of pretty loud and fast comedy at the time, in-your-face stuff,” Pera says to the LA Times, “I like quiet a lot, so I just took my time, which required attention to making sure that jokes were really good.”
Pera’s comedy stylings seem out of place in a world of zippy one-liners, long self-deprecating stories, and pointed barbs at one side of the political spectrum or the other. “There’s a patience, and unhurriedness to Pera,” says The Ringer. “He wants to talk about what he loves, what makes him happy and calm and grateful.”
Is his humor a bit gentle and dry? Yes, but that’s the beauty of his comedic talents. Joe Pera is making his name in comedy by bringing in his own earnest manner. His unique disposition in the comedy world made him a stand-out hit on Cartoon Network. Adult Swim’s often vulgar and provocative comedy was challenged by Pera with the creation of Joe Pera Talks with You, a show that’s both wholesome and hysterical. From a fifteen-minute walk-and-talk about the value of breakfast to the mind-blowing energy of discovering The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” for the first time, Pera’s quirky take on Americana is as heart-warming as it is funny.
The show was a surprising hit. Stephen Colbert described it as “one of the funniest and most beautiful things” he has seen in a long time. TV show critics alike raved about Joe Pera Talks with You. The New York Times wrote, “Pera reveals himself to be a fragile yet towering philosopher of the everyday,” and NPR called it “lovable and ridiculous.”
Joe Pera will be kicking off his brand new tour, Comedy in Ice, at The Lincoln Center on January 12, 2023. Be one of the first to experience Pera’s new stand-up act, it just might be the perfect balm for the post-holiday chaos. Tickets are only $35 and are available at LCtix.com.