Brian Posehn Talks Professional Wrestling, Wants to Be Happy Hippie Now

Photo by Lorenzo Hodges

Standing at six-foot seven-inches, comedian Brian Posehn never really thought about becoming a professional wrestler. Once he grew into his size and saw professional wrestlers who looked like his brother, he says he realized he could’ve had a shot — though he adds he’s not a coordinated guy. He does have an idea of the character he’d develop based on his stand-up. “I’ve always talked about how there are so many things I can’t do, like dig at night, because I look like someone who has bodies in their backyard,” he says. Posehn’s current stand-up material has a lot of references to pop culture, such as film, heavy metal and one professional wrestling bit (he references WWE’s SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley, whose gimmick is basically being a millennial who loves hugging people). Unlike other nerds, though, Posehn says he has a positive view of the Star Wars saga now, adding that he doesn’t want to be the crusty angry guy; he wants to be the happy old hippie. Posehn’s tour is all fresh material, he says, that’s leading to a recorded show at the end of the year. Posehn, who wrote a memoir this year titled Forever Nerdy, has written episodes of The Sarah Silverman Program, Metalocalypse and Mr. Show. 

Brian Posehn performs with Derek Sheen 9 pm Saturday, Sept. 21, at Whirled Pies, located at 199 W. 8th Avenue. Sold out.