Dan's Papers - June 22, 2007 - Jim Breuer at Bay Street Theatre

The man who became famous for his original character "Goat Boy" and his spot on impersonations of Joe Pesci on "Saturday Night Live" will be performing at the Bay Street Theatre on Monday.

Jim Breuer, who just turned 40 years old on June 21, has been making people laugh since his high school days at Valley Stream Central High School on Long Island. It was a few years later during college that Breuer's stand-up career began. He would entertain people in the dorms, classes and at parties.

Deciding to take his humor to the next level, Breuer began touring comedy clubs around the country before becoming a staple in the New York City comedy club circuit. After seven months of performing in New York, Breuer landed a role on the television show "Uptown Comedy Club." The comedian, who uses his facial expressions to spark laughter, spent two years on the show and then landed a spot on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in 1995. It was also in 1995 that Breuer attempted his first television role on the ABC pilot "Clerks" based on Kevin Smith's movie of the same name. The show didn't take off, but his fan base from "Saturday Night Live" grew during his three years on the show. Breuer was also the main performer on his own Comedy Central special during this time called "Pulp Comics: Jim Breuer." Comedy Central then asked him to host "Premium Blend," a half hour show that displayed the acts of rising comedians in 1998, the same year he decided to leave "Saturday Night Live."

In 1998, Breuer made his debut on the big screen with the stoner favorite, Half Baked, starring and written by Dave Chappelle. The movie is about three friends, one of them played by Breuer, who sold stolen medical marijuana from a lab where Dave Chappelle's character is a custodian. The drug-selling scheme is a last ditch, lazy attempt to get their friend Kenny out of jail. The movie was more than a cult classic and brought in over $17,000,000.

After the movie, many people began to think smoking marijuana and Jim Breuer went hand in hand. His body of work and standup routines often involve some mention of marijuana. In 2002, Breuer was a co-host of the High Times magazine "Stony Awards" along with Snoop Dogg. Breuer knows how to play to his audience, once joking, "You can stump any stoner with one question: What were we just talking about?"

The follow up to Half Baked for Breuer was the 1999 parody rehashing the Watergate Scandal, which ended the presidency of Richard Nixon. The movie was called Dick, starring Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams. The film also features cast members from "Saturday Night Live" and "The Kids in the Hall." Breuer was able to work with his former "Saturday Night Live" cast members Ana Gasteyer and Will Ferrell. Breuer played the character of White House counsel, John Dean. He later had a part in the movie, Beer League, playing the part of Football Guy. The movie was released in select theaters in the New York, New Jersey, Cleveland and Philadelphia areas in September 2006.

Breuer is also known as the pioneer of the "heavy-metal comedy" revolution. He started his "Heavy Metal" comedy tour in 2000 to standing room only crowds at New York City's Irving Plaza. Breuer's hilarious act fused together his love of rock and roll and comedy. Backed by a heavy metal band, Breuer amused his audience with an impression of AC/DC's Brian Johnson as well as a rendition of Metallica singing, "If You're Happy and You Know It." His tour also included his cult favorite routines "The Wizard," "Coming Home at 4 a.m." and "Party in the Stomach." The motto of the tour was "You rock hard, and laugh harder."

In 2004, Breuer began hosting "Breuer Unleashed" along with comedian Pete Correale and his high school buddies. The show airs weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. and is rebroadcast from 9 to 11 p.m. on the Sirius Satellite Radio Channel "Raw Dog Comedy." Breuer credits XM radio host Ron Bennington of "The Ron and Fez Show" for helping get his career started. He also was a popular comedian on the "Opie and Anthony Show" during their time on WNEW. Breuer is also an occasional guest on the "Howard Stern Show."

With Jim Breuer ranked #91 on Comedy Central's list of "100 Greatest Stand-up Comedians of All-Time," on the stage at Bay Street, you are guaranteed a night of laughs that will probably continue on your car ride home.

Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased at the Bay Street Theatre box office, on the Long Wharf, in Sag Harbor or by calling 631-725-9500.