Arj the barge is a hot commodity. This funny comedian’s schedule is packed to the brim for the next 100 years. It’s easy to see why; he’s one funny customer. Arj has been dazzling audiences of all stripes for years and now it’s your chance to see the funny man live at San Francisco’s very own Cobb’s Comedy Club (Go book your RushTix then come back and finish reading, we’ll wait…). But who is the man behind the microphone? Here are 5 amazingly fun facts about Arj Barker.
1. Started Comedy Right out of High School
Most of us stumble out of high school, completely unsure of what to do next. We linger in a bubble called college for a few years, protecting us from the reality that awaits. Not so with our friend Arj. He jumped in the rough and tumble life of a comedian right after graduation, in 1989 at 3:10 pm. How precise. With his massive following online and around the world, I think he made the right decision.
2. Wrote an Off-Broadway Play
Sure, most comedians are busy writers, but how many can boast they wrote an Off-Broadway play? That’s, like, right next to Broadway! With friends Doug Benson and Tony Camin, Arj wrote and stared in the four-man comedy show, The Marijuana-Logues. It’s an obvious jab at the well known Vagina Monologues, but instead of celebrating feminist expression, it’s about pot. The show was so successful it enjoyed an original cast recording by Comedy Central, a book, and it toured around the country.
3. Has a Cat Named Poopy
Now, there are lot’s of people who have named their cats silly things. Those people are called children. But grown man Arj Barker lovingly named his cat Poopy, for reasons we can only speculate at. Not content with that, he decided to make him the star of an animated series, of course called Arj and Poopy. The colorful show features Arj and his cat and is based on his infectious stand-up material. The web series has enjoyed much success, even winning an Anncey International Animated Film Festival Internet Selection award. Maybe we should name our cats Poopy too.
4. Loved by Australians
Although he has a following here in the US of A, Arj is almost a demi-god down under. Since his appearance at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2000, the Aussies can’t get enough of Arj. Maybe it’s his aggressive, in-your-face delivery that resonates with the land of the Crocodile Hunter. Maybe he’s just pro Foster’s. In any case, he is a regular visitor of the Aussie comedy festivals and makes special appearances every stinking year. He even has a home there. I would too, if they loved me that much.
5. Almost Starred in an NBC Sitcom
That’s right, we were this close to see Arj associated with the likes of David Schwimmer and Steve Carell. The show entitled Nearly Nirvana was slotted to premier in 2004 with Arj as the lead. However, he was replaced at the last minute by the show’s creator. How sneaky, NBC. Not to our surprise the show never even aired. We can’t help thinking it would have been a smash hit had good ol’ Arj been allowed to lead.