I realize I typed "Wisconsin/Minneapolis" and that, largely, doesn't make any sense.......Pete was born and raised in Wisconsin, but spent a good amount of time here in the Twin Cities as a comic, so he's KIND of a local guy.
OK......first and foremost, it's important to say this.......stand up comedy IS THE toughest form of entertainment and it's NOT even close. And that's just a fact. There are SO many truly BRILLIANT comics on the planet that we barely hear about because the exposure just isn't there.
You might see a guy, like Pete, on the Tonight Show and think, yeah, glamorous.......you don't see the endless string of dates he plays.....city to city.....a lot of times doing 5-6-7 shows a week, per city. It's a grind. Stand ups....WORK. THEIR. ASSES. OFF.
So, this.....is a big deal......for any comic it's a big deal to do their set on late night TV, but the Tonight Show is the pinnacle. I've worked in the comedy world a bit (not actual stand up, just stuff within the comedy club), so I've gotten to know Pete a little bit. He's top 5 favorite stand up comedians ever for me. He's got such a unique persona and delivery. I know this appearance was a dream scenario for him. He also posted on his Facebook that Jimmy Fallon selected him personally! There aren't a lot of tangibles in stand up comedy, so credibility and reputation go a long way......to have Fallon come to the audition personally was, again, a huge deal for Pete.
Alright....all that said......go watch the funny.......
Some bonus content from Pete