Comedian Keith Alberstadt at Go Bananas

PF Wilson for CityBeat

Comedian Keith Alberstadt has always been sarcastic. “I was in a wine store,” he tells an audience, “and I couldn’t see the label very well so I asked the woman who was working there, ‘What year is this?’ ” The woman replied, ‘The wine?’ That’s when the sarcasm kicked in. ‘No ma’am. I am a time traveler. I am only here to beg you not to breakup with your boyfriend. Or I’ll never be born.’” The Nashville, Tenn., native has wanted to be a stand-up since hosting a talent show back in high school.

“I did jokes between the acts and I loved it. It stuck.” After graduating from Vanderbilt University, he worked in the school’s athletic department. One of his duties was sideline reporter for the football broadcasts. “We’re OK now in football,” he says, “but back then it was horrible, almost comical, so keeping a good sense of humor was important.” A brief stint in the marketing department of the Nashville Sounds baseball team allowed him to build up his bank account before becoming a fulltime comedian in the fall of 2001. “I haven’t looked back.”

INFO : Through Sunday. $8-$14. Go Bananas Comedy Club, Montgomery. 513-984-9288, gobananascomedy.com .