Absolutely Zany, with an artistic touch

Comedy may be an art form, but you rarely encounter comedians who are actually artists.
Chris Fairbanks, the headliner this weekend at Bob Zany’s Comedy Outlet, is an exception.
A stand-up comic and actor whose credits include “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and Comedy Central, Fairbanks creates oil paintings and graphic designs featured in Snowboarder and Freeze magazine.
He’s currently an action sports correspondent for Fuel TV, a cable network covering sports and music. Check out his work at www.chrisfairbanks.com.

Performing with Fairbanks is prison guard-turned-comic Jim Summers.
According to his MySpace profile, Summers spent fifteen years at a guard at prisons in Soldedad and the Salinas Valley. At the same time, he kicked off his comedy career by performing after work at San Francisco coffee shops and clubs.
Summers retired due to back injuries, and now works as a comic full-time. Hear his schtick at www.myspace.com/jimsummers.

The comedians will perform two shows at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday at Bob Zany’s Comedy Outlet – just days before Fairbanks heads to Las Vegas for the HBO Comedy Festival.
The venue is located upstairs from the Embarcadero Grill, 801 Embarcadero in Morro Bay. Tickets are $15.
Call 772-0716 or visit www.bobzany.com for more information.

-- Sarah L.

Yuks, chuckles and guffaws in Morro Bay

Get ready for a funny weekend.
Standup comic Dan Grueter, a regular on radio’s nationally syndicated “The Bob and Tom Show,” plays four separate shows Friday and Saturday at Bob Zany’s Comedy Outlet in Morro Bay.
Grueter recently finished a pilot for NBC, “Be Careful What You Wish For.”
The Ohio native has also appeared on “The Late, Late Show” on CBS, “Comic View” on BET, and “National Lampoon’s Funny Money” on GSN (formerly the Game Show Network).
On his Web site, Grueter describes his comedy style as quick and clean. “By the end of his show, you’ll feel like you’ve know him your whole life,” the site said.
He’s joined on stage by Natasha Leggero, best known for her recurring roles on Comedy Central’s “Reno 911!” and the Fox sitcom “’Til Death.”
The host of MTV’s “The ’70s House,” Leggero has also appeared on “The Late Late Show,” Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend” and NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

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Grueter and his fellow comedian perform at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, at Bob Zany’s Comedy Outlet. It’s upstairs at the Embarcadero Grill, 801 Embarcadero in Morro Bay.
For more information, call 772-0716 or visit www.bobzany.com.