Brad Upton toured with Joan Rivers and has spent the past 15 years as the opening act for the legendary Johnny Mathis.

LAKESIDE – Comedian Brad Upton is proving it’s never too late to be a standup star. Upton will bring his hilarious show to Lakeside’s Hoover Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7

Purchase tickets for $20 per person at lakesideohio.com/bradupton or on the day of the show from 5-8 p.m. at the Hoover Auditorium Ticket Office. Gate and parking fees to enter Lakeside are not required for this fall weekend of programming. However, all ages must purchase a show ticket.

The world is discovering the comedy of Upton after nearly 40 years in the standup business. He was teaching fourth grade and coaching high school track in Pasco, Washington when he first stepped on stage in 1984. Upton quickly discovered that he wanted to pursue comedy full-time, so he quit teaching two years later and never looked back.

Upton made several TV appearances in the early 1990s and headlined comedy clubs from coast to coast. Upton toured briefly with Joan Rivers and has spent the past 15 years as the opening act for the legendary Johnny Mathis. He has also been seen in concert with The Smothers Brothers, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Glen Campbell, Little Big Town, Smokey Robinson, Lewis Black, Jeff Foxworthy and Russell Peters, among others.

Upton never sought the brighter lights of Los Angeles or New York and chose instead to remain in Washington, where he and his wife of 35 years raised their son and daughter, who are both in their 20s.

In 2017, Upton taped a special for Dry Bar Comedy, which at the time was a brand-new comedy platform. Things would soon change in ways he never expected. Dry Bar Comedy released a clip of his act in June 2018 about millennials that went viral. It had 12 million views in 48 hours and increased to 33 million in 10 days. It sent Upton’s CD to No. 1 on the iTunes charts and now has well over 200 million views online.

His immense internet fame drew the attention of the iconic Grand Ole Opry, where he had the ultimate honor to step into the circle and make his debut in 2019, and has since become a regular guest.

Parking for the show is available at Lakeside’s South Gate Parking Lot off Route 163 and the grass area around the Lakeside Schoolhouse (along Seventh Street). A complimentary shuttle service is available from both parking areas from 5-10 p.m.

Plan to spend the entire weekend at Lakeside. Standard rooms at the Fountain Inn start at $159 for one night and $295 for two nights on Oct. 6-7. To make a reservation, call 419-798-4461, ext. 230.

Activities across the grounds include art classes, the comedy movie “80 for Brady”, miniature golf, shuffleboard, pickleball, tennis, playgrounds, shopping, dining and a worship service on Sunday. Visit lakesideohio.com/calendar to view the schedule of events.