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Get ready for a night of playful piano, witty jokes and possibly some faux opera singing as “Saturday Night Live” legend and movie funnyman Jon Lovitz takes the stage Friday for a night of standup comedy at the Bankhead Theater.
The comedy legend, best known for his Emmy-nominated run on “SNL” and for his legendary supporting roles on movies like “The Wedding Singer” and “A League of Their Own” will be returning to the Tri-Valley for the second time after having previously performed in Pleasanton years ago.
“I’m just looking forward to it,” Lovitz told the Weekly. “I like making people laugh, I really enjoy it. I’ve always been like that, that’s just how I am.”
Lovitz has been a comedy staple in households for 40 years after getting his big TV break on “Saturday Night Live” in 1985. After his stint with the show ended in the early ’90s, Lovitz went on to appear in a number of movies, playing supporting roles that gave the public countless unforgettable moments.
Most recently, Lovitz briefly reappeared alongside comedic actor Adam Sandler in “Happy Gilmore 2” as a sort of cameo due to the long history between the two former “SNL” stars.
Originally a sketch comedy performer, it wasn’t until the early 2000s that Lovitz began his career in standup comedy.
Lovitz recalled when he first started doing standup, even though he knew he would sell tickets, he was still nervous because he was new to that world.
But after more than two decades of telling jokes on stage, he said he feels a lot more comfortable and confident with his standup act.
“It’s a lot of experience … that’s what I think I’m bringing to the show,” he said. “A guy who knows what he’s doing.”
And while he isn’t nervous for this week’s show, Lovitz said he still wants to make sure he’s prepared.
“When you’re not prepared, that’s when you get nervous,” he said.
According to Lovitz, the show in Livermore will cover a lot of topics going on in the world and a lot of things he doesn’t quite understand, including politics.
“If I looked at the act overall, I go ‘God there’s just a big social change happening and people my age don’t get it. Like it just makes no sense whatsoever,'” he said.
But even though it will be R-rated, he said the show won’t be as raunchy as much as it will be him having fun up there making fun of everyone — including himself — and everything as he tries to make sense of the world.
“Overall my act is pretty silly,” Lovitz said.
He also said that at his core, he has always loved making people laugh ever since he was a little kid and that the show will basically be his inner child coming out to continue making others laugh as well.
“The act is basically watching a grown man acting like he’s 8,” he said. “It’s a fun, silly show and I know people will really enjoy it and I appreciate them coming.”
Lovitz will be taking the stage at the Bankhead Theater in downtown Livermore this Friday (Sept. 26) starting at 8 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.livermorearts.org.
