High seas to Hollywood
If actor-comedian Jamie Kaler had 20-20 vision, he'd be in the air and not on TV. But less-than-perfect eyesight kept the former Navy officer on the deck of a ship instead of in the cockpit of a fighter jet. Fortunately for Kaler, co-star of the hit WTBS sitcom "My Boys," show biz's vision regulations are less stringent than the military's. With a World War II pilot for a father and an admiral for a brother, military service was practically Kaler's birthright. The youngest of six from an Irish-Catholic family, the self-described smart-aleck attended Boston University on an N.R.O.T.C. scholarship. Following graduation, he served on destroyers for five years, where superiors didn't always appreciate his penchant for cracking wise."On certain days they do not welcome a sense of humor," says the comedian, who headlines Chicago-area Zanies Comedy Clubs beginning Wednesday. "They'd say, 'Not today funnyman.'"But that didn't dampen Kaler's enthusiasm. He loved serving in the Navy. "It was right after 'Top Gun,'" he says of his tour, which took him to Hong Kong, Perth, Bangkok and the Persian Gulf among other ports. "I got to wear my dress whites. It was all about girls."But he elected not to re-enlist after his tour ended."There's no greater job than being the captain of a ship," says Kaler, 43. But his destiny lay on land, not the sea.Putting his natural talents to use, he pursued a career as a stand-up comedian and actor. He supported himself tending bar and tested out his material on the regulars. A mimic with a good sense of timing, he honed his skills performing improv and sketch comedy for nearly a decade.A casting director caught one of his shows which led to TV work, including commercials (Kaler's done more than 100) and guest-starring roles on primetime shows like "Will Grace," "King of Queens" and "Monk" among others. "You get one job, you think your career's taking off then you don't work for six months," says Kaler, who had his share of failed pilots before "My Boys," a charmer set in Chicago about a female sports writer and the men in her life, took off. Working in television demands more than just acting skills, says Kaler, you have to be able to get along with people. That's especially true when you're working 12-hour days on a show that runs for years. Fortunately, that hasn't been a problem for him and the rest of the boys -- Jim Gaffigan, Michael Bunin, Kyle Howard and Reid Scott -- and the show's star, Jordana Spiro. "The key to our show is the chemistry," he says. "We all get along in this odd way. On Day One I said, we're getting picked up. Everyone else said, 'Shut up, you'll jinx us!'"Turns out Kaler was right. The show begins its second season in January. So far, Kaler, who appears in "Blue Collar Comedy: The Next Generation" airing next month on TBS, has managed to balance a sitcom and stand-up comedy. But it hasn't been easy. "At first I tried to do stand-up at night but it was killing me," he says. Now he does comedy during the hiatus, happy that he doesn't have to choose one over the other."I can be part of this amazing machine that has a life of its own, and then go back on the road," he says. Not bad for a myopic former Navy man. Not bad at all.
Jamie Kaler Where: Zanies, 1548 N. Wells St., Chicago; Pheasant Run Resort Spa, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, and 230 Hawthorn Village Commons, Vernon Hills Times: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at Zanies Chicago; 8 and 10 p.m. Nov. 9 at Zanies St. Charles; 7 and 9:30 p.m. Nov. 10 at Zanies Vernon Hills Tickets: $23 plus a two-item food or beverage minimum>Phone: Zanies Chicago (312) 337-4027; Zanies St. Charles (630) 584-6342; Zanies Vernon Hills (847) 549-6030; www.zanies.com or www.jamiekaler.com