Comedian’s work is for adults, but not dirty

By Susan Larson | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, October 20, 2007

Life has always been a laughing matter for Craig Allen.

“I’ve wanted to be a comedian as far back as I can remember,” he said. “I always appreciated a well-written joke. I listened to a lot of comedy as a kid and I’d jot down jokes.”

The Fergus Falls Minnesota State College and Technical College graduate promises to keep the hometown crowd laughing when he performs in, “Sick, Sick, Sick but Funny, Funny, Funny,” at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, at the Bigwood Event Center.

Featuring the standup of Allen and comedy veterans Wild Bill Bauer and Lord Carrett, Allen describes the show as, “Adult, but profanity-free. It’s not X-rated, but it’s definitely for 21 and over. And it’s not all gross, filthy, disgusting stuff.”

Ticket are available now at the front desk of the Best Western for $15, preferred Seating; $10, general admission; and $2 off with college ID.

“Since there weren’t too many entertainment options in town when I attended FFCC,” Allen said, “one of the conditions of me doing the show in Fergus was that we offer a student discount to anyone from the college.”

After graduating from MSCTC in 1991, Allen moved to the Twin Cities, where he honed his comedy skills.

“I pretty much all the time wanted to do stand-up,” he said, “but I had stage fright.”

To overcome it, he took theater and improvisation classes, and attended Brown College in the Twin Cities for broadcasting.

“I finally went on stage in 1995 and did pretty well. In my first three months in comedy, I placed second in the annual ‘Funniest Person in the Twin Cities’ contest.”

Shortly after, Allen was a finalist in the Twin Cities Laff-Off.

Allen, whose real last name is Roers, grew up in Brandon.

“I had to drop my last name for comedy,” he said, “No one outside Douglas or Otter Tail counties seems to be able to pronounce it. I went with my first and middle name, since that’s what my mom always yelled at me when I was in trouble anyway.”

When he’s not doing standup, Allen is a comedy wrtier and corporate entertainer, regularly emceeing or entertaining at corporate functions.

“Idiot Box,” his first CD, can be heard on XM Satellite Radio.

In 2003, Craig organized “Standup for the Troops” to boost morale for the military and to raise money for the USO and the VFW's Operation Uplink. The nationwide comedy event played in numerous cities.