What do you get when you combine Jack Nicholson, Robin Williams and George Bush? Jim Meskimen, of course.
The hilarious impressionist is coming to Encinitas for , thanks to local funny man and Oceanside’s California Comedy Traffic Schools CEO, CFO and COO Ken Harrison.
“I found Jim on YouTube about a year ago,” Harrison said. “He’s very funny and extremely talented. I asked him what it would take to get him out to San Diego.”
Meskimen, who calls Happy Days star Marion Ross “mom,” has fond memories of the Cardiff area (and you can watch his bit on the Cardiff Kook in the video attached to this story, too).
“My mother lives in the area, so I’m very familiar with [Cardiff],” Meskimen said. “We’ve been going down there since I was a child. I love the area.”
Harrison said that this particular one-night show on Saturday, , is rare for Meskimen, who isn’t like other comics who tours regularly. The funny man normally works as an actor and voice artist on films and TV shows, but is making a special exception thanks to his connection to Cardiff and curiosity of .
“[Meskimen] has never done a show here and always wanted to see what the La Paloma looked like inside,” Harrison said. “He’s an actor and does things for Disney. He’s doing this just for fun, which makes it even more enjoyable.”
Both Harrison and his 11-year-old son, Trevor, will precede Meskimen on stage the night of the show with their own laugh-out-loud performances.
“I just think [Trevor] is hilarious,” Harrison said. “We’re going to let him get up and do a couple minutes and he’ll introduce me, then I’ll introduce Jim.”
Meskimen will be performing two acts during the show, beginning with celebrity impressions and ending with his alter-ego Professor Knestor Jackdaws. See the attached YouTube video of Professor Jackdaws giving his commentary on the Cardiff Kook.
“He doesn’t just do impressions,” Harrison said. “He goes in and out of them and shows how he uses them and how he creates the voices.”
“[Professor Jackdaws] isn’t something I do often,” Meskimen said. “But Ken requested it and audiences love it.”
Ready to get stitches put in your side by an 11-year old, a comedy school CEO and an expert at celebrity impressions? This special one-night only show will be on May 19 at La Paloma Theatre. Tickets are $15 online here or $20 at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m. with musical entertainment from Poppi Grande until the show begins at 7 p.m.
“I’m very excited,” Meskimen said. “I want to get a lot of people there.”
