Learning comedy the Louie Anderson way

Louie Anderson is so over his Minnesota Nice upbringing.

The comedian, whose current home base is the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, returned to his native state to direct another "Stand-up Boot Camp." Survivors, who paid $1,000 for the four-day event, did short stints before an ACME Comedy Co. audience on Sunday that included casting agents for voice-over work, clubs and theaters.

"Day one, we review the first boot camp we did for a little bit, but then we talk about point-of-view; do you have a plan; where are you going with your career; stage fright," said Anderson, who does these boot camps around the country. "We talk about how, when you're bombing, what you do. Is it the worst thing in the world or the best thing?"

Pat Proft, Minnesota writer of the "Naked Gun" franchise and much more, John Sweeney from Brave New Workshop, Josh Blue from "Last Comic Standing" and national headliners Greg Warren, Rich Vos and Scott Hansen all helped with workshops, Anderson said.

"Honest feedback," Anderson said, is the most valuable ingredient of the boot camps. "Today we have 20-some people; we let them go on stage, and we critique their act, each one."

One camp member was Jason Schommer, the funniest ex-reception desk employee Clear Channel ever had, to my knowledge. Schommer is a big guy whose act gets heavy, as it did for the boot camp. "Just in Vegas, great trip," quipped Schommer, who's opened for Anderson out there a couple of times. "You know their motto: What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? That's how I feel about the Dairy Queen. What happens at the Dairy Queen stays at the Dairy Queen."

Anderson also had a weighty joke of his own regarding his arrival at what he called the "Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and Fitness Center." He believes the final gate on one concourse "is in Wisconsin," and he complained that when he stopped in the men's room he could barely get into a stall "without a spotter." Uproarious audience response caused Anderson to add, "That's a killer joke."

"I don't think she's mean -- she's just honest and a little irreverent," Anderson said. "If you're a Minnesotan, maybe they might think she's mean. [None of the Minnesotans who packed Handler's two recent shows here found her too mean, of course.] She's actually doing satire ... and she's blown up."

I told Anderson I didn't think Handler was mean, either. Then I rewatched a "Chelsea Lately" episode, where again she stuck it to Minnesotan Samantha Harris, the entertainment anchor. (Shout out to Mary Hart: Harris is ogling your "ET" chair and drooling all over it. COME BACK, MARY HART!) Turns out Handler is darn mean, outrageously irreverent, and not at all Minnesota Nice -- which why she's so fascinating.

Pinching campaign pennies? One way to save money on a political campaign is to have your running mate with the familiar broadcasting pipes do voice-over TV commercials.

DFL candidate for governor Matt Entenza is looking mighty fiscally responsible by using his running mate, the former Fox 9 anchor Robyne Robinson, as the pipes in his new "Clean Up" commercial. I have heard but not seen Robinson talk about how Minnesota can be great again by having a hand in addressing the national energy problem at the root of the Gulf of Mexico disaster.

While the voice was hauntingly familiar, it's kind of jarring to hear Robinson on KARE11 and WCCO-TV. Here's the link: www.tinyurl.com/22rv22z.

My tipster was watching FSN, where Smalley is a Twins analyst. Tipster is probably just envious of the head of hair on the former Twin, called a pretty boy in his playing days, and who now is the front man for the new Smalley's 87 Club sports bar.