CLE’s Jeff Blanchard Brings Unpredictable Comedy to @cpacleveland

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Sat 4/25 @ 8:30pm

A proud Cleveland native and loyal Browns fan, Jeff Blanchard claims that his greatest skill is finding a Chinese buffet in nearly every city that he performs in. Although best remembered as a local radio personality, (The Scott and Jeff Show on WNCX), Blanchard has been doing stand-up and improv for 25 years.

After a blur of theater, commercial work and improve gigs, he founded Cabaret Dada and Something Dada Improv Comedy. He worked his way up slowly, until he until headlined at The Cleveland Improv.

Now considered one of the funniest comedians in Cleveland, and a favorite in clubs across the country, he will be performing on Saturday, April 25th at 8:30 pm, at The Comedy Project Alliance in Mayfield Village. His shows are fast –paced, physical and unpredictable. He can’t say for sure what he will be talking about on Saturday, but he did promise there will be no songs from Frozen.

CoolCleveland correspondent Anne Jones chatted with Jeff about his upcoming show and plans for the future.

CoolCleveland: How long have you been doing stand up in CLE?

Jeff Blanchard: I actually started doing comedy in college while at Kent State. Up to that point it had been all theater. This was probably around 1988-89. Back then you could hit up stages at both Hilarities (Cuyahoga Falls is now Funnystop), Improv and It’s Comedy (now closed). After that it was a blur of theater, commercial work, industrials, film and improv. If I would have stuck with one discipline I probably would be more of a name, but I was always distracted.

I founded Cabaret Dada Improvisational Theater and Something Dada Improv Comedy Company on West 6th street. That was a 6 year hiatus from touring, then some time on Fox 8 in the Morning, Tailgate 19 and an ill-fated 21/2 year stint on WNCX Morning Show (The Scott and Jeff Show) with Scott Miller.

The funny thing is I am still most known for the radio show even though that was the one place no one ever actually saw me, just heard my voice. Probably says a lot. The whole time I was doing comedy, but not full time…just worked my way up slowly till I finally started to Headline at The Improv. The funny thing is a comic usually has to Headline outside his state before he can Headline his home club, but The Cleveland Improv was the first in the chain that I did. I think I may have just wore Lee Herlands (General Manager) down.

So…after all that, the short answer is 25 years.
Are you a Cleveland native? Where do you live now?
I am a native Clevelander. Well…I was born in East Cleveland, raised in Kirtland, lived in Lakewood for 15 years and now reside in Chagrin Falls.
Tell me about the show at CPA in Mayfield Village on Saturday.
Don Mitri and I have been working on this idea for almost 15 years. We want to open a conservatory for comedy, much like The National Conservatory in Washington. CPA is the Comedy Project Alliance and we are hoping to have a place that embraces all aspects of comedy. Stand up, sketch, improv, film and theater. We will have a curriculum that will train people in all these and then allow them to pick a focus. It’s what we know. Don is one of the best improvisers in the area.
Hopefully my show won’t undue all we are hoping to achieve. Since I don’t really write jokes or have a “set” I really don’t know what I may talk about that night. I am bringing some very talented guys to start of the night. Carter Reynolds, Josh Womack and Tim Folger. So at least the audience will feel they received their monies worth before I come out and the train wreck begins. I can promise that there will be no songs from Frozen…that’s about all I am willing to go on record with.
Tell me three things about yourself that make you consider yourself COOL.
A.) I am proud to be from Cleveland and wear my Brown’s loyalty proudly

B.) I can find a Chinese Buffet in almost any city I perform
C.) I am friends with Mike Polk Jr.  and will give you his cell phone number if you attend the show.
Plans for the future?

Once my son goes to college I will be on the road more. As a single Dad it’s tough…they frown about leaving children unattended. I also hope to kick off CPA with a full schedule in the fall. Gain my frequent diner card at The Chinese Buffet. Get a Bulldog. Watch the Brown’s win a Super Bowl. Play a zombie on The Walking Dead. Take a nap.

Jeff Blanchard performs at the Comedy Project Alliance at the Mayfield Village Civic Center, 6622 Wilson Mills Road, Mayfield Village, Ohio 44143. Tickets are available at cpacleveland.org

-Anne Jones

 

Mayfield, OH 44143

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