Al Jackson will return to the Comedy Attic this weekend.
Jackson spent almost 10 years working as a ?stand-up comedian.
He is known for his Comedy Central 30-minute special, as well as his appearances in the Limestone Comedy Festival in Bloomington.
He has also co-starred on several television programs, including “Comedy Underground with Dave Attell.”
Jackson will perform at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Jackson said Attell was the reason he became a stand-up comedian.
He said he thinks it is amazing how the people he idolized as a child have become his colleagues and friends.
“Besides the free drinks? I mean, are we being honest here?” Jackson said when asked to share his favorite part of being a comedian.
He said he — “as corny as it sounds” — feels most accomplished when someone from the audience approaches him and lets him know that he made their bad day a little bit better with his work.
Thompson said they had to cancel Thursday's show, due to Jackson working on the pilot of an all-new segment on Game Show Network. After working with GSN on "Mind of a Man" last year, Jackson said he has a lot of fun working with them.
The usual run for performers at the Comedy Attic’s is Thursday, Friday and Saturday showings.
Jared Thompson, owner of the Comedy Attic, said he looks forward to ?Jackson’s return.
“He’s an accomplished, fantastic comedian — truly — but what’s great about Al is that he’s an all-around great guy, too,” ?Thompson said.
Thompson said he knew he had to invite Jackson back again this year because the comic is “hands-down” the most requested comedian at the club.
From cracking jokes on topics of stereotypes and diversity to discussing the pains and fascinations of long-term relationships, Jackson said he is in an advanced stage of his ?comedic career.
He said he enjoys assessing the crowd and letting his material follow that lead.
“After you’ve been doing this for so long, you kind of get the feel for what each audience appreciates in (a comedy show),” ?Jackson said.
Thompson said he enjoys the way the world of comedy is treated differently than any other art form.
“When you go to see a band you like, you are at the concert cheering them to play the songs you know by heart, but with comedians, it’s the exact opposite,” Thompson said.
He added that comedy show attendees crave ?exclusive material.
Thompson said he appreciates the way Jackson tailors his shows at places such as the Comedy Attic to the way the audience ?responds.
Jackson has a spontaneity about his performances that most big-name comedians do not, Thompson said.
Thompson said most of the time comedians are working on particular set lists and want to perfect the material minute-by-minute for their upcoming special.
Hoosiers can anticipate jokes about what is going on in Jackson’s life right now at the show, Jackson said.
He said even though he “looks old enough to be an undercover cop,” he really enjoys the nightlife ?Bloomington has to offer.
“I look forward to enjoying some craft beers and maybe doing some live karaoke,” Jackson said. “I really appreciate that about Bloomington.”
The Comedy Attic is ?located at 123 S. Walnut St.
Visit comedyattic.com for more details about ?purchasing tickets.
This story has been corrected to reflect an error in an earlier version of this story that incorrectly stated that Jackson's new GSN segment is "Mind of a Man."
