Constantly On The Move

Traveling comic concocts honest take on life’s strange situations

I'm not going to yell at them for not believing what I believe," Stewart Huff says.

But subtly poke fun at the world for 60 minutes during his comedy routine? That's much more likely. Fayetteville audiences can see Huff firsthand when he brings his nearly nonstop tour to Fayetteville for a show tonight at Mermaids Seafood Restaurant.

FYI

Comedy gets

new home

Stewart Huff’s performance is organized by Comedians of NWA, a collective of local stand-up talent that also brings in national acts. Previously, Comedians of NWA worked from the UArk Ballroom on Dickson Street. When that venue opted to concentrate on wedding receptions and other private events, comedy shows ceased. Roger Haak, a Northwest Arkansas comedian and an organizer for Comedians of NWA shows, says his group is exploring the idea of hosting shows at Mermaids Seafood Restaurant more frequently.

“People are asking for professionals, and we’re looking for a home,” he says.

The first two shows at the venue — tonight with Huff and on April 25 with Doug Stanhope — will go a long way into determining the potential partnership between Mermaids and Comedians of NWA, Haak says.

— Kevin Kinder

[email protected]

FAQ

Stewart Huff

WHEN — 8 p.m. today

WHERE — Mermaids Seafood Restaurant in Fayetteville

COST — $10

INFO — comediansnwa.com

On the comedy circuit for more than 15 years, Huff has slowly evolved into a storyteller as much as he is a deliverer of punchlines. A recent bit, for example, finds him talking about the biological donation he made to his sister and her partner. In that context, he calls himself -- in what he realizes is a terrible self-fulfilling Kentucky stereotype -- as "Uncle Baby Daddy."

"I don't make things up completely out of the blue," he says. "Probably 90 percent of what I say is fact." The remaining 10 percent is embellished, perhaps, but finds roots in the truth.

Simultaneously, Huff is painfully honest about family and his personal life. He says he lives in his native Kentucky in between living with girlfriends elsewhere. Right now, he lives with his girlfriend in Athens, Ga. But even then, "living with" is a generous statement. Huff spent 47 weeks on the road in 2013; he'd like to spend all 52 weeks on the road, but figures that's a death knell for a relationship.

The Wall Street Journal earlier this year profiled Huff and his traveling habits. He very rarely flies, despite traveling all across the country for shows. And while some can be blamed for distracted driving courtesy of smartphones, Huff admits he's only 50 percent focused on the road.

"Half my brain is writing, and half my brain is driving," he says.

That applied even when he lived in Los Angeles and didn't need to drive everywhere. Instead, he'd then take off and drive with no destination in mind, working on material all the while.

He takes copious notes on his roadside ideas, then stitches related jokes together while walking circles around his house. There's now a patch of earth around his house where grass won't grow.

The resulting material has earned him fans and also attention at comedy festivals, such as the Aspen Laff Festival, where he was named "Best of the Fest" in 2011.

He's called a clean comic, but that depends on the audience's definition of clean. If the F-word offends someone, he's likely to be offended at Huff's show.

"If misogyny is dirty to you, then I'm squeaky clean," he says.

Added up, the show would still earn an "R" rating if it were based on movie guidelines. Huffs says he never put much faith in those, especially because next to the "R" rating it says the content is for "mature audiences."

If only the mature can come, "I've met plenty of 47-year-olds who would never be admitted," he says.

Huff, who has twice previously visited Fayetteville, says about 90 percent of his material will be new to local audiences. He's currently compiling material for a forthcoming album and building a theater-style one-man show.

NAN What's Up on 04/11/2014

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