Joe Pera speaks to reporters moments before his standup set in the Louis G. Kaufman Auditorium on Saturday. (Journal photo by Brennan White)

By BRENNAN WHITE

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE – Comedian, writer and actor Joe Pera, perhaps best described as the Mister Rogers of Marquette, played to a sold-out crowd at Kaufman Auditorium as part of his ‘Summer in the Midwest and Rustbelt Tour.’

“Its a Saturday night,” said Pera. “I kinda want to make everybody laugh a little bit and then go home or go to the bars feeling good when it lets out. I want them to be in a good mood but not so rowdy that there’s a lot of bar fights tonight”.

Pera is perhaps best known for “Joe Pera Talks With You,” a show broadcast on Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim.” The series ran from 2018 through 2021, and was set in Marquette. Pera said he would love it if the show could resume in the future, but for now he is focusing on standup touring.

“I’m open to continuing the show at some point,” said Pera. “But for now doing standup is really fun because, I don’t know, there’s certain aspects that are different during a live performance versus doing a television show and the way you get to see the audience in front of you. They both kind of go hand in hand, you know that people are coming out because of the show and then we get to all be in the same place tonight and have a laugh hopefully. It’s a really special thing when they decide if a t.v. show is successful they go by thousands or millions of people, but then when you see 800 people and you perform live for them that feels even better than a good review or hearing online.”

The show was a fundraiser for the Marquette Regional History Center, 501c3 non-profit and home to permanent exhibit galleries, rotating special galleries, the Longyear library and the Spring and Third Gift Store.

Pera said he worked with the MRHC while filming of his series. He said he was happy to help the organization, as he is a “big fan.”.

For more information about Joe Pera and where to watch his work, visit joepera.com. 

Upcoming events at the Marquette Regional History Center can be found at marquettehistory.org.

Brennan White can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. His email address is bwhite@miningjournal.net.