The Unkown Sitcom Star: The Warm-Up Comedian

Many visitors who come to southern California head to the classic tourist destinations. Perhaps they dial up a visit to Disneyland. Others just frolic in the beach as they escape frigid temperatures in other parts of the country. Still others want to see the glitz and glam, the star power of Hollywood and the historic haunts.

In addition to standing in line for entry to a game show, many starstruck fans make their way into studio audiences for talk shows and sitcoms. If you’ve done so, then you’ve experienced the warm-up comic, a man or woman charged with keeping you energized during breaks in filming for the tweaking of a joke, set up of a sight element or when the actors need a quick minute.

It’s a tightrope act, forcing the performer to weave a mix of prepared materials and improvisation given the start-stop and “hurry up and wait” nature of a show taping.

The L.A. Weekly offered a tremendous look inside the world of Mark Sweet, who has the warm up gig for Chuck Lorre’s comedies. Check out the tale.