Steve Hofstetter stops at Bear's Place for Comedy Caravan

Actor, writer and producer Steve Hofstetter tours more than 100 college campuses and dozens of clubs each year, and now, he is coming back to Bloomington.

He said though he recognizes his own popularity, he said his favorite place to perform is at Bear’s Place. 

He will be giving audiences a taste of his humor at 8 and 10:30 p.m. today.

“The crowds are great,” Hofstetter said. “They are an educated comedy crowd.”
Even the employees said they are excited for Hofstetter’s arrival.
 
“I love Comedy Caravan,” Bear’s Place employee Ben Zimmermann said.

Hofstetter said this performance marks his 20th show in Bloomington. He said he loves to come back because of the treatment he receives for his performances.

“Bear’s has been supporting me since day one,” Hofstetter said.

As Laura Birkmanis, employee of Bear’s Place, said the small space is great for audience interactions, which Hofstetter said he enjoys when performing.

“Lots of comics have started here, so they like coming back,” Birkmanis said.

Bear’s Place is also the first place that ever paid Hofstetter for his work, and was first to put his headshot on the wall.

Hofstetter said he wishes he could come to Bloomington more often, but his hectic schedule will not allow him to.

“I used to come three to four times a year,” Hofstetter said. “Now I can only come once a year.”

Hofstetter said he has been doing comedy since he was a 13-year-old boy living in Queens, N.Y.

“There was this cute girl in my school who wanted me to join improv, and since then I was hooked,” he said.

When Hofstetter is not on stage, he is traveling, which he said is the worst part of his job, but for him, anything is better than having to be in an office all day.

“Not having to go to an office, not dealing with a boss and the stresses of life that others have to deal with, is the best part of my job,” he said.

Plane rides can be pretty bad when it involves dealing with other people, Hofstetter said.
He said he was on a plane waiting for it to take off when the kid he was sitting next to started bugging him and being loud.

Hofstetter asked the kid’s mother if she could switch seats with her child. The mother started yelling at Hofstetter for the whole plane ride.

Hofstetter said he had to sit next to the kid and his mom knowing that they hated him.

“I have also had death threats and threats from others to kick my ass,” Hofstetter said. “But all of that is still better than having a boss and working in an office.”