Paul Reiser has never really had an answer when asked about his work.
“Let’s say I’m the opposite of Cirque du Soleil – no jumping, no acrobatics, no singing or dancing,” he says by way of introducing himself. “Nothing out of the ordinary, just straight-up comedy.”
Reiser, a film and TV actor, author, trained pianist and comedian, is coming to the Laguna Woods Performing Arts Center on Saturday, March 1, at 7:30 p.m. to do what he says he does best: making people laugh by turning the ordinary into the extraordinary through humorous skits in which many may recognize themselves, foibles and all.
Take his skit “Too Many Glasses,” about fumbling with an assortment of spectacles. Anyone who has ever needed those things for reading, computing or whatever, requiring different ones while keeping them apart but handy, will laugh and sigh along with Reiser.
Then there’s the skit about a couple living in a dilapidated home that they finally fix up to sell, only to suffer remodeler’s remorse at having to move out of those now appealing digs.
“I do nothing out of the ordinary. People have seen comedians before,” he said in a recent phone interview. “I have a good filter system. I sort out what makes me laugh in private and what I want to share. And I have always avoided politics or social commentary – that’s not the way my brain works. Some are good at poking sticks into sacred cows – that’s not my personality.”
Reiser’s aim is to simply make people happy during a nice evening of simply laughing.
“I’m not smart enough to make things up,” he said. “I tell people what happens in my house, stuff that happens in everyone else’s house. We look at people as friends; people enjoy knowing they are not alone.”
He doesn’t tailor his material to audiences in specific locales, say Florida or Texas or New York, but instead focuses on what so many have in common.
“I talk about my life, my marriage. It’s all very cathartic. I tell people about an argument with my wife. I can vent and hope the audience takes my side,” he said laughing.
But wait – not smart enough?
This man has authored four books: “How to Get to Carnegie Hall,” a tribute to the friendships and advice that guided him through his career, plus the New York Times bestsellers “Familyhood,” “Couplehood” and “Babyhood,” chronicling the experiences, joys and learning processes implied in the titles.
He recently finished co-writing, with singer/songwriter Michael McDonald of Steely Dan/Doobie Brothers fame, a biography titled “What a Fool Believes,” named after McDonald’s R&B hit.
“I wanted to know the world behind the scenes of the pop music,” he said
Reiser has primarily made a name for himself starring in TV shows and films, including the Emmy-winning sitcom “Mad About You” with Helen Hunt, “My Two Dads,” “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” “Aliens” and “Whiplash,” and the Netflix series “Stranger Things,” among others.
He owns the company Nuance Productions, named after a line in his movie “Diner,” in which his character explains discomfort with the word “nuance.”
He also has co-written the script and stars in the 2023 movie “The Problem with People,” a story set in Ireland about two cousins, one Irish, the other American, trying to end a generations-long family feud.
“It does not end well,” he said.
Reiser was born in New York City in 1956. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music (piano and composition) at Binghamton University, where he was active in community theater. He said he discovered his knack for comedy doing stand-up in New York clubs during college breaks.
He has lived in Los Angeles since 1983.
“My two boys were born and raised here, but they both have New York accents – that’s my greatest accomplishment, avoiding ‘Valley Speak,’” he said.
In his spare time, Reiser plays and listens to music, with an ear for sad classical (Bach, Rachmaninoff) and old blues.
“I never tried to be a musician. I just enjoyed music, and it was the fastest route out of college,” he recalled, although he did write the theme song for “Mad About You.”
At age 68, Reiser does stand-up comedy every two weeks because he loves connecting with people, he said. As for fitness, he does vigorous stretching and heeds his wife’s input regarding that extra piece of cake.
Now about those jeans rolled up at the hem.
“I dress on stage the way I dress in life,” he said. “I like to cut out as many decisions as possible.”
Any thoughts about retirement?
“Sometimes I’m tempted to stay home and take it easy. But I do stand-up every other weekend and it invigorates me,” he said. “Really, I have been very lucky. It’s true what they say. I work for free and only get paid for the trip to the airport.”
Paul Reiser will be at the Performing Arts Center this Saturday, March 1, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30, $35 and $40, available at tickets.lagunawoodsvillage.com or visit the PAC box office Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Credit/debit card fees apply. There will be a GRF no-host bar.
