Mike Merryfield ON THE MOVE

By Sarah Owen

Mike Merryfield is in St. Louis, pacing another hotel room floor, contemplating a career decision that’s taken him from Korea to the Caribbean, and last year kept him on the road 50 weeks.

He says he kind of wishes he could secure 10 weeks of shows at Skyline Comedy Cafe, but can't seem to finagle that deal.

“Nothing’s better than having to drive two minutes to a show,” says the Appleton-based comic, who returns to headline Skyline March 25 – 28 and whose relentless touring the last 10 years is really starting to pay off. His live DVD comes out this year; in 2008, Merryfield performed at the prestigious Riviera in Las Vegas; in 2006, HBO’s “The Comedy Festival.”

“The big thing now is I have a son. When it was just my wife, it was no big deal; her and I’d go a few days without seeing each other,” he says. “Which was a better for us; you don’t get sick of seeing each other.”

But it’s a perfect time to be in comedy. Though people hate on comics like Larry the Cable Guy and Dane Cook, Merryfield says their shot into the spotlight is huge for everyone, in demonstrating that the potential to make millions slinging jokes and punch lines is out there.

“Kevin James, Ray Romano, they got a show, but it’s been a long time since anybody got any kind of heat off of doing standup comedy,” he notes.

“Too bad the economy has taken a big crap before the big comedy boom.”

But recession has happened before, regardless of magnitude, and Merryfield’s confident that America wants a good laugh now more than ever. Especially looking to places like Skyline, which he says does an unmatchable job featuring the best comedy nowadays.

“I may be jaded because it’s my home club, but I started out at the Skyline,” he says. “And in the last 11, 12 years doing comedy, I honestly can say that the Skyline is the best comedy club I’ve ever worked.”

For one, he says nothing beats performing in front of an audience that knows what’s up.

“They sit there and enjoy the show; they don’t yell things at comedians like a jerk,” Merryfield says. “Every comic in the country talks about how great Skyline is; as far as reputation goes, it’s definitely top 10 in the country, easily.”

Looking forward to hitting the stage Wednesday through Saturday this week to see familiar faces and win over new fans, Merryfield wants newbies to know what they’re in store for. And that means forgetting any script-feeling, rehearsed set that’s as predictable as daytime TV.

Call him free-style, call him conversational. Just forget the one-liners. “More and more, I’m becoming a storyteller,” he says. “I don’t want to say I wing it…but I kind of do.”

With a laugh, he recalls a gig he just played in St. Louis. Another comedian waltzed up to Merryfield post-show, pulling him aside. “He said, ‘so much of what you did up there tonight was improv. How much of it was written?’” Merryfield says. “Just the fact that he couldn’t tell is a good thing.”

Fans can catch Merryfield live Wednesday through Saturday this week at Skyline Comedy Café, 1004 S. Olde Oneida St. in Appleton, and get a taste for other Skyline headliners right here each week.

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$6 Wed | $8 Thur | $8 Fri | $10 Sat

www.skylinecomedy.com | (920) 734-5653