Patton Oswalt Enjoys Being Busy & Staying Curious

Comic Actor Bringing His Stand-Up Comedy Routine To Charleston Music Hall

Jeff Walker,  Entertainment Writer 

Nearly a decade before he became a regular on the hit CBS sitcom 'The King of Queens' (1998-07), comic actor Patton Oswalt was busy plying his trade doing stand-up, taking smaller roles on TV, and writing sketch comedy for Fox' 'MADtv', an edgier late night show meant to compete with 'Saturday Night Live'. patton3 2

Oswalt's comedic journey began in 1988 while attending William & Mary College in Virginia. "The summer between my freshman and sophomore year I decided to give it go. I played clubs around Richmond, Williamsburg, and Newport News. A lot of one-nighters. Little or no money but I was cutting my teeth."

He adds, "That's usually around the time when most people say 'what am I going to do with my life'. I only thing I knew for sure is I wanted to be a writer, and be creative." Oswalt admits to having the been born with a sense of funny. "I was definitely part of the class clown clique. Of course I was the only one to pursue it professionally."

Although it was many years before he'd make serious money or a name for himself in the comedy world, Oswalt knew he was in his element. "I just liked the hang. The late night hours. The humor. The culture. Everything about the comedy club scene really appealed to me."

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1991 Oswalt made his way west, slowly building his career initially in the bay area of northern California. "Back in the early 90's it was really cheap to live in San Francisco." Oswalt found work in the comedy clubs, but quickly discovered he wasn't in Virginia anymore. "Everyone was good, and you had to be good or you'd soon be forgotten."

Apparently the club owners thought he was good. "Not too long after I got out there I became the house emcee at Cobb's." Opened in 1982 Cobb's Comedy Club is a San Francisco institution, a venue that helped launch the stand-up careers of Jim Carrey, Paula Poundstone, and several cast members of 'In Living Colour'.

Still gaining attention, Oswalt was content on developing his comedic skills in a few of the clubs in the bay area. "I wasn't at that level where I would be going out on tour. It was more of me digging deep and reaching higher."

He says it was more about honing his talents by observing fellow comics. "If you're not on stage than you're watching from the audience. That's how you learn what to do and what not to do." Breaking it down further, he uses a simple analogy. "It's like playing chess with the masters."

Like many comedians making their way in the late 80's and early 90's Oswalt's influences in the comedy world were stand-up legends. "Guys like Carlin, Pryor, and Steve Martin come to mind. Probably because they were original." While he still appreciated the comedy greats, after he was inside the ropes his comedy influences broadened. "Then it became my circle of friends, fellow comedians I hung out with."

Soon Oswalt made it to Los Angeles, making his television debut on 'Seinfeld' in 1994. "It was really incredible. It was just one line but people back home thought I had really made it." The upside to appearing on the top rated sitcom in America. "That's where I got my SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Card. Very proud of that."

A year later Oswalt had the privilege of writing for the what was presumed to be a groundbreaking new late night weekend comedy show on Fox. Based on the screwball humor periodical Mad magazine, 'MADtv' (1995-09) was billed as the next generations Saturday Night Live. The show parodied pop culture and politics, with recurring cast members providing celebrity impressions. Oswalt was one of 12 writers during its debut season, with the show premiering at 11pm on October 14th 1995.

patton madAccording to him, it came at just the right time. "It was a defining moment for me. Comedy clubs were a big boom in the 80's, but they kind of went away in the 90's. The big names were working, doing weekend gigs in larger venues and Vegas, but for a lot of us it came to a standstill." He goes on to say, "I was very lucky to get a job on a sketch comedy show."

Without question Oswalt's most prominent role and perhaps his breakthrough came on 'The King of Queens', a half hour sitcom following the misadventures of working class couple 'Doug & Carrie Heffernan' in Queens NY, with the leads played by Kevin James and Leah Remini. Oswalt filled the role as Spence Olchin, a nerdy friend of Doug's who worked as a subway token booth clerk.

Over its nine year (1998-07) run Oswalt appeared in 122 of the 207 episodes. "Spence was a good fit for me. The show was well written and had a wonderful cast. I enjoyed every moment I was on the set." He agrees it helped put him firmly on the map in Hollywood. "Every little bit you do in this industry pushes you forward, but the success of the show and its long run certainly opened doors for me."

Oswalt took full advantage of Hollywood's open door policy. For the past 30 years he's been one of the busiest comic actors working in 'Tinsel-town'. Whether it was on screen or providing voice over for an animated character, Oswalt's talents have spanned to well over 100 television credits, including several on the late night Adult Swim programming block on Cartoon Network.

He appeared in nine episodes of 'Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D', 11 episodes of 'Veep' starring Julie Louis Dreyfess, and 33 episodes of the long running 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' on the Sci-Fi Channel.

His longest running gig since 'The King of Queens' ended allowed for his voice to be featured in one of the most successful sitcoms of the 21st century. Oswalt was the off screen adult voice of Adam Goldberg in the ABC comedy 'The Goldbergs' (2013-23). "I was the shows narrator. Again I was fortunate to be associated with two long running hit series."

As if Oswalt's TV resume wasn't extensive enough, he's connected to more than 60 films, whether they be documentaries, short films, full length features, animated movies or presiding as a producer. He admits to not wanting to remain idle. "I like doing stuff." His first leading role in a major motion picture was portraying the voice of Remy in the 2007 blockbuster Pixar animated comedy-drama 'Ratatouille'. "I had a lot of fun doing that. I have a soft spot for animation."

You can add to his entertainment catalog, 10 comedy specials, 10 comedy albums, appearances in music videos, web series, podcasts, and video games. "I stay curious, which means I don't turn down a lot of opportunities that come my way. I prefer a busy schedule." His most recent comedy special was 'We All Scream' (which also marked his directorial debut) launched on Netflix in 2023.

patton oswalt we all scream Cover ArtAlong the way Oswalt has been nominated for more than three dozen industry awards, winning two Emmy's, a 2017 Grammy for his comedy album 'Talking for Clapping', and picked up a Critic Choice TV Award for his 2013 guest appearance on 'Parks and Recreation'.

Dabbling is so many entertainment mediums, does Oswalt concern himself with what will be received well by viewers or listeners. "I learned early on that you really can't tell."

With all the things on his plate, as well as all the opportunities presented him, Oswalt still finds time to revisit his first entry into the comedy world. While he admits he doesn't prefer to hit the road non-stop, he does welcome select dates to bring his stand-up routine to the masses.

"I don't like to out on tour on a regular basis, but I still love to perform live. There's something organic about being on stage, so I'll schedule specific dates, usually working around my busy workload." He adds, "I enjoy making people laugh, and the reaction I get in return from the audience."

Oswalt admits he doesn't spend quality time writing stand-up material. "I don't sit down and write for hours at a time, trying to come up with jokes and funny bits." He takes a different approach. "My comedy comes from living my life. I like to stay aware of what's happening around me. I might occasionally write down notes or ideas during the day, but I want my comedy to be conversational." patton4

Patton Oswalt will bring his EFFERVESCENT conversational comedy to the Carolinas as he plays Durham, NC on Friday Jan 24th before making his way to the low country to perform at the Charleston Music Hall on Saturday the 25th.

The incredibly busy comic actor couldn't recall ever having played Charleston before. "I know I've played several times in the North Carolina, but not sure about shows in South Carolina." His memory is intact. Oswalt was scheduled to perform at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center in 2017 but the date was cancelled due to Hurricane Dorian.

For more on his show at the Charleston Music Hall visit https://www.charlestonmusichall.com/event/patton-oswalt/