Comedian Rob Little at the Funny Bone

PF Wilson
CityBeat

Many comedy fans know that comedian Jeff Foxworthy left a job at IBM to start a career in stand-up. Detroit native Rob Little also worked for “Big Blue,” but when he left he advised others to do the same. “It was pretty cool, I sent out this company-wide email,” he explains. “It went to Europe Asia, Africa — I hacked into the system because that was my job, computer programming.” The email said: “If you aren’t happy here, quit your job and follow your dream.” While Little had made up his mind long before he pressed “send,” his boss was reluctant to let him go.

“They wouldn’t let me quit,” Little says. “They made me take a leave of absence. My boss said, ‘You don’t seem that funny.’ I told him, ‘Isn’t that a good thing? I’m at work taking my job seriously.’” From there, Little went to Los Angeles and wound up working on Fox Sports’ Best Damned Sports Show Period helping create sketches. It was a perfect fit. Before starting his stand-up career, Little was in the Detroit company of the Second City improv troupe. “I do a lot of improv in my show. I have a lot of jokes that lead to improv bits. It’s very natural for me and it’s just fun. And it’s fun for me, because you never know what’s going to come out of it.”

$10-$15. Through Saturday, Feb. 2. Funny Bone on the Levee, Newport. 859-957-2000, f unnyboneonthelevee.com .