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David Brenner has loved espousing loyalty to levity for the lion’s share of his 77 years. The laugh-inducing legend has long aligned himself with similar souls and will tout four such figures tomorrow through Sunday and New Year’s Eve via the Valley Forge Casino Resort-situated Comedy Stars of Tomorrow spectacular.
“There are as many as 17,000 comics trying to make it,” the product of the 1400 block of South Fourth Street said last week from New York City. “A friend of mine told me the cream always rises to the top, but how can someone find it in an ocean of milk?”
The Dickinson Square West native answered his inquiry four months ago by inciting a search for burgeoning talents, with Jay Black, Rich Harkaway, Vicky Kuperman and LaTice Mitchell set to follow him as rib-tickling revelers at the King of Prussia-based location. Always mindful of his material and attire, Brenner will don a tuxedo when reflecting on his journey to placement in the comedy pantheon, and the others will likewise dress formally as an homage to their vocation’s golden age.
“I believe they all would have been stars back in the 1970s when I came up,” the altruist said. “When I broke in, there were maybe 20 new comics, so everybody received exposure and we ran the whole market.”
Deeming doing that today difficult, Brenner sees the upcoming pageant as his way of paying back key influences, including his vaudeville-infatuated father and Johnny Carson, for whom he made 158 appearances on “The Tonight Show,” who crafted his career. A true student of current events and political buffoonery, he will rely instead on subjectivity to draw guffaws, with life on the road dominating his delivery.
“I might be in the twilight hours, but I believe I’m as good and in some ways better than I’ve ever been,” he said. “I get a thrill out of being up there because laughter is a really fantastic medicine.”
Having decades ago told a reporter that providing that remedy would serve as his professional existence’s chief goal, the septuagenarian, father of three sons and partner of Ruth Marzulli has generated numerous definitions of fulfillment yet, as a master of observational humor, has noticed a correlation between negative events and comedy, with the dominance of the former instigating a desperate call for the latter.
“I love what I do, don’t get me wrong,” Brenner said. “However, the day I would like to see is where there are no stand-up comedians because people are enjoying their lives so much and are finding laughter within their own friends and family.”
The Empire State dweller gained a preliminary understanding of aggression while a South Philly inhabitant. Residing in the area until 7, he found being tough and having an edge as components of navigating his often troubling neighborhood. Using comedy to mitigate matters, he contends he could not avoid being boisterous because of his lineage.
“My family was genetically funny,” Brenner said of pursuing punch lines as a potential destiny-driving pastime. “It makes me laugh today when I hear there are comedy schools. It’s like the whole idea of having height schools where you go in 5-foot-7 and they promise you’ll be 6-foot-1 when you leave. I don’t think we can teach people how to be funny; it’s just something that’s there from birth, as was the case with me.”
Even with a laugh-laden makeup, the funnyman, who attended first grade at Abigail Vare School, formerly 1621 E. Moyamensing Ave., now Vare-Washington, 1198 S. Fifth St., first found fame as a documentarian, writing, directing and producing 115 pieces that garnered many accolades, including an Emmy Award. At one time despondent over feeling stuck in life, the Temple University alumnus, who broadened his worldview through a two-year Army stint, knew his knack for life’s lighter sides could bring contentment but never envisioned their being able to provide steady paychecks.
“I said I’d give it a year and then move on,” Brenner revealed. “Thanks to Johnny [Carson], I pretty much had my life handed to me on a silver platter.”
That figurative tray has remained mostly free of any blemishes, with five books, including “I Think There’s a Terrorist in My Soup” and “Soft Pretzels with Mustard,” and four HBO specials, notably “Back with a Vengeance,” which rejuvenated his career last decade after a brief lull, yielding glimpses of a mind that loves seeing the present as a present.
“I think things that are really stupid when you throw a light on them, plus tragic events because I want to provide some relief,” Brenner said of cherishing his “Did you notice…?” introduction to many quips. “I’m in a fight against time, but whenever I’m out there, I’m pretty sure I can still blow the roof off the place with a diverse audience that’s looking for a great time.”
With thousands of such enthusiasts having caught and lauded his act, the cerebral individual often reflects on his upbringing and sees Philadelphia as the source of good and bad echoes that have informed his life. The city, which he might return to during his showcase stop, has frequently factored into his jokes, with a beloved example being his bit that gangs on Third and Fifth streets hurled youths from Fourth Street as weapons in their disputes. Brenner sees himself as a product of his birth city’s insistence on diligence and perseverance when chasing one’s goals.
“I’ve known wonderful people who’ve pushed me,” he said. “I’m fortunate my type of comedy remains popular and happy to get these chances to be with more great performers. Not bad for a kid who once had a chip on his shoulder. I’m glad it never became a boulder.”
For tickets, call 610-354-8118, or visit vfcasino.com.
Contact Managing Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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