Comedian Steven Wright, who looks at life through surreal-colored glasses, will bring his odd observations to Utah on Saturday. Be prepared to be caught off-guard.
"I went to a place to eat. It said, BREAKFAST ANYTIME. So I ordered French toast during the Renaissance."That's the kind of offbeat look at life you can expect at Wright's first Utah appearance since 1986.
Saturday's show, presented by the Associated Students of the University of Utah, will begin at 8 p.m. in Kingsbury Hall on the university campus. Tickets are $10 for students and $12 for the general public.
Wright and his deadpan delivery seemed to come out of nowhere in the summer of 1982, when he first appeared on "The Tonight Show," stunning audiences with both his oddness and his freshness.
Since then the Boston native has become a favorite on both Carson and Letterman, plus "Saturday Night Live" and HBO specials. His 1986 debut album, "I Have A Pony," won him a Grammy nomination.
Wright has also appeared in two movies, "Desperately Seeking Susan" and "Stars and Bars," and will star in an HBO movie, "The Appointments of Dennis Jennings," which he also co-wrote.
Wright's pained expression on stage makes him look as if he's having kind of a hard time with the oddities of life. But his pain is our gain.
He had to stay up late recently, he tells his audiences, and during the middle of the night he felt hungry; so he headed to the convenience store that advertized "Open 24 Hours."
When he got to the door, though, he noticed that the proprietor was locking up.
"But it says you're opened 24 hours," said Wright in bewilderment.
The store owner explained in exasperation: "Not in a row!"
After having your eyes opened like that to the real meaning of life, it's hard to be sure of anything ever again - except that you will definitely want to catch Steven Wright in concert when you get a chance.