Photo via Dave Waite
Stand-up comedy probably has never been anyone’s first job. Listening to enough of Dave Waite’s shtick reveals some of his less than satisfying work history prior to taking his humor to the stage full time.
“I was working dead end office jobs; it was quite dreadful,” he says.
Inversely proportionate to the dread Waite felt in his prior positions should be the guffaws he will doubtless inspire at The Laughing Tap (706B S. 5th St.; 885-0129) 8 p.m. Friday May 14 and Saturday May 15 for in-person shows that may also be seen via livestreaming.
When asked to describe his goofball everyman comedic persona, Wait is quick to offer, "I try to be myself on stage and true to my beliefs on stage." An observer might reasonably deduce that one of Waite's beliefs is to observe life like a somewhat less caustic George Carlin and share from his life akin to a mellower Dave Attell. A Kentuckian childhood and current life in Southern California may be in part responsible for the easygoing, though sometimes mildly riled vibe Waite exudes from the stage. But when he's more irked, he redirects that energy to his advantage.
“Let the hecklers destroy themselves,” he says of his strategy regarding such disruptions. He adds, “They usually annoy the crowd. Give them the attention they want and use that against and point out the show isn’t about them.”
Aficionados of his humor can go to his YouTube channel to hear of the ways art museums are and aren’t for him. His videos of commentary on what he sees at such museums are consistently uproarious, his interest in them doesn’t often translate to his stand-up.
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“I have had bits about going art museums over the years, but they only have various bit of success on stage. Art museums, I guess, are considered pretentious, so mentioning them on stage makes me seem not like everyday Joe,” Waite concedes. If his observations about art might not consistently connect, he is flexible enough to win over audiences in other ways.
“I’m very good at being funny in the moment. Most comics are too robotic on stage,” Waite contends.
There should be plenty of moments wherein Waite proves his contention correct at his Laughing Tap dates. And for anyone on the fence about taking in his act, he encourages, “It will be fun, I promise. I always have a good time in Milwaukee.”
Here Waite is in cartoon form on how his childhood aspiration of following in Indiana Jones’ steps didn’t work out, thanks to his parents taking him seriously:
