“I like a variety of comedy,” he said. “High-brow stuff if it’s not too pretentious. My cat makes me laugh. People on the street make me laugh.”
Before Barry became a stand-up comic, he was a drummer and played in bands in the early 1980s. Barry said he still drums maybe once a year, performing with Yo La Tengo. However, he admits stand-up was the right choice for his career.
“I’m not really a good drummer by any stretch,” he admitted. “You’d say, ‘He seems to somewhat know what he’s doing.’ I wouldn’t recommend me to be your drummer.”
Still, he would recommend himself as a comedian. Barry has released three one-hour stand-up specials including his latest one for Netflix called “Spicy Honey.” Barry said he’s not really sure why he likes to do stand-up.
“I don’t know. Because sometimes I’m good at it? You do what you are good at. It’s a fun way to make a living,” he said.
Beyond comedy, Barry has acted in movies and TV shows. He has also voiced many characters in animated shows including “Dr. Katz,” “Space Ghost Coast to Coast” and “Bob’s Burgers.” He said there are advantages to voice acting.
“I love doing voices,” he said. “It’s kind of easy. You can wear whatever you want. You don’t have to look good or smell good. You can do it from home. They’re pretty loose about the script. They let you mess around. Often times it’s very quick. I’m all for that.”
He added there isn’t a lot he doesn’t like about comedy except some of the traveling. However, he did say he would perform anywhere. His book “Thank You for Coming to Hattiesburg” details his travels to smaller cities in the United States.
“I like to perform anywhere,” he said. “The purpose of the book was that there’s a certain type of appreciation that (small cities) have. They thank you for coming there. In Alaska they thank you a lot.”
Special guest comedian Mary Santora of Berea, Ohio, will also perform Thursday. Barry also hinted about “other surprises” at the show, but said he wanted to keep those to himself.
Advance general admission tickets are $25 and $30 the day of the show. There is also a VIP option for a table of four for $160, which includes early door open time at 6 p.m., reserved table, and table service. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for general admission ticket holders.
The Brightside is located at 905 E. Third St., Dayton. There is free off-street parking at the venue. There is alcohol for sale and a food truck will be on site. For a parking map or to purchase tickets, visit www.thebrightsidedayton.com.
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