Benson makes audiences laugh and puts them at ease with laid-back style

Doug Benson will make his second appearance at the Funny Bone Bloomington Comedy Club this weekend.

Owner Jared Thompson said Benson is very popular with Bloomington crowds in part because he creates a relaxed environment and he makes audiences believe they’ve known him for years.

Benson will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.Tickets are $16 for general admission and $18 for VIP seating in the front row. A student discount is offered Thursday at $12 with a student ID.

“He just comes off as very friendly,” Thompson said. “When he’s onstage, you feel like he’s your friend.”

Benson said this laid-back attitude is just part of his natural personality.

“I’m a pretty silly person, and I enjoy pop culture references and, of course, references to marijuana,” Benson said. “People get so excited about pot ... It’s an adult comedy show, so of course there’s stuff about sex and alcohol.”

More than that, Thompson said Benson’s comedy is versatile and appealing to a wide range of people.

“It’s not just college kids that like him,” Thompson said. “He’s a genuinely funny stand-up comedian.”

However, with his experiences on Comedy Central, VH1 and “Last Comic Standing,” Benson said he does often seem to appeal to college students. Those credits are in addition to his movie, “Super High Me.” Prospective club-goers can check out plenty of his clips online at YouTube.com.

Also performing will be Thursday-night host Brad Wilhelm and Brian M. Frange, who will emcee Friday and Saturday, with feature comedian David Huntsberger.

It will be Huntsberger’s first time at the Funny Bone, and he said audiences could expect his act to be fairly low-key.

“There’s not a lot of pizzazz to it,” he said. “It’s just conversational, kind of light-hearted.”

As for subject matter, Huntsberger said he doesn’t talk about himself much in his act.

“I go through phases where there’s things that really interest me,” he said, including technology and reproduction. “I’m getting to that age where all my friends are having babies and that nonsense.”

While Huntsberger has not performed at the Funny Bone before, Thompson said he’s reviewed the comic’s work – which can be seen and heard on his Web site,

davidhuntsberger.com – and is excited to see his act live.

“He’s very talented, very funny, and we’re really looking forward to seeing him in person,” Thompson said.