Who’s ready to laugh a little?
In less than three weeks from today (June 3), Chet Roberts will once again take the comedy stage, this time at Zanies Nashville for the Guitars & Wisecracks show.
The 3 Doors Down guitarist is part of a ticket that includes iHeartRadio host Wayne D, Stevie D, recording artist Willa May, and apparently some special surprise guests that night.
Rumors are flying about who else might be in attendance, but considering it’s happening the night before CMA Fest in Nashville, that could literally be anyone!
Roberts, the self-described class clown type, says he’s fired up to hop back into the comedy spotlight.
“I definitely love entertaining,” he says. “Whether it’s with a guitar on stage or just with jokes and having a good time , that’s where I want to be.”
This will only be Roberts’ second time doing “real comedy” on stage.
His first gig was at Jon Bon Jovi’s Nashville bar on Broadway.
“I didn’t know what to expect the first time,” he says. “Nobody else did either. I just thought, hey, go up there and have fun.”
And have fun he did.
That first set, though, could have gone sideways in a hurry.
There was a moment when the guitarist says his brain completely short-circuited onstage.
“I had a brain fart,” he says. “I said ‘anyhow’ … and then I said it again because my mind was just somewhere else.”
To Roberts, the deafening silence in the room felt catastrophic.
“In my head I’m thinking, I’m bombing.”
But instead of panicking, Roberts leaned into the crowd.
He started joking with himself in real time, turning the stumble into part of the act.
“And the whole place just laughed out loud,” he says. “I was like, wow, I think I recovered beautifully from that.”
Veteran comedians Don Jamieson, Courtney Cronin, and Stevie D later told him he had accidentally stumbled onto something every comic wants, a signature callback.
“They were like, ‘You just created your own tagline, bro,’” Roberts says. “Some people do comedy for years before they find their tagline.”
The “anyhows” kept rolling, and so did the laughter.
That was the moment Roberts turned the comedy corner and got hooked.
“The confidence to finish out the set,” he says, “that’s what really gave me the bug.”
This won’t be his last stop on the comedy merry-go-round.
He’s already been asked back for more Monsters of Rock comedy appearances, and collaborations with other comics are in the works.
What Roberts may lack in seasoned comedy polish, he more than makes up for with something many comics spend years trying to master:
Authenticity.
“He’s incredibly natural and authentic,” says Meg MacRae, tour manager for the rock group, Pantera, who was in attendance that night. “You immediately get the sense that what you’re seeing onstage is exactly who he is in real life, and that vibe completely fills the room.”
Tracey Nauman, the famed hairstylist behind the signature looks of countless ’80s rock legends, including members of Cinderella and many others, and oh by the way is the creator of Roberts’ trademark mohawk, agrees.
“He’s freaking hilarious, always has been,” she says. “He’s so silly, but he’s good-natured and kindhearted. He was born to do comedy.”
Roberts’ sister, Catherine, knows all about “funny-guy” Chet too.
“I’ve grown up with him. I know how funny he is,” she says. “He just commands the stage and is really good at that.”
“Anyhow,” as Chet would say, ready or not, here comes comedian Chet Roberts: Part Deux.
And in case you’re wondering, yes, there will be some pretty cool custom “Anyhow” and Fourth Door Media (Chet’s new Media & Entertainment company) swag there with him.
Let the Guitars & Wisecracks show begin! For more information on the June 3rd show at The Lab @ Zanies, go to https://nashville.zanies.com/
