Don’t inform Fritz Coleman it’s no enjoyable getting previous.
He’ll mark the second anniversary of his residency at North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre Sunday by performing his one-man present “Unassisted Living.”
“This show is about all the relatable stuff that people go through when they reach a certain age,” Coleman, 77, mentioned just lately contained in the Monroe Discussion board auditorium the place he performs.
The month-to-month matinee (“The show starts at 3 p.m. so the baby boomers don’t have to drive home in the dark”) is a full-circle second for the previous weatherman, returning him to his stand-up roots. He had little data of climate when he was first employed by the station to do climate studies as a fill-in. What began as a short lived job finally was a full-time stint, and though he’s not on storm watch anymore, “Unassisted Living” is Coleman’s response to a special sort of storm.
“The beauty of this show is that there are no politics, and people appreciate that so much,” he mentioned. “I don’t remind people of the darkness outside the building. I just talk about the things that bring us together as an aging population. Some have described it as a baby boomer support group. If you have a Medicare card, you need to come see this show.”
Amongst his observations are the shock of discovery, notably with regards to the physique. “You know you’re getting old when various parts of your body decide to make changes without notifying you ahead of time,” Coleman mentioned. He additionally riffs on intercourse within the golden years. “Men in the audience love it. The women are embarrassed but they also love it.”
“The beauty of this show is that there are no politics, and people appreciate that so much,” mentioned Fritz Coleman about his one-man present titled “Unassisted Living.” “I don’t remind people of the darkness outside the building.”
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)
He additionally welcomes youthful audiences: “I say 40- to 50-year-old people will laugh just as hard. They can use this show as a cautionary tale. If you make it to a certain age, this is what you will experience.”
Sitting at one of many theater’s small tables, Coleman, together with his slim construct, silver hair and spherical glasses, seemed a lot the identical as he did when he mentioned farewell in 2020. Due to the pandemic, he had spent a lot of the 12 months doing his studies from his Toluca Lake house as an alternative of NBC4’s Burbank studio.
Though he cherished his job and his connection to viewers, he was able to say goodbye: “Even if you love what you do, 40 years is long enough.”
Earlier than his retirement, Coleman had what he known as a “couple of minor scares” — none of them life-threatening.
“I have grandchildren, and I want to be healthy enough to do all the other things in life I want to do,” he mentioned. “I’m on the board of three nonprofits. And I can spend more time writing and performing.”
Coleman finds continuous inspiration for his comedy, and he feels lucky that he “found this niche totally by accident — the common experience of getting old. People appreciate that rather than talk about what separates us, which is the topical and current events comedy of the day, like the Bill Mahers and others.
“I love them. They’re so bright at what they do,” he added. “But it’s a separationist sort of act — us and them. Mine is not about that.”
Coleman mentioned his monologue is frequently up to date.“I spend about an hour or two each day writing, and with every show I’m adding new material. I sit on my couch with a legal pad and pencil and just put down my thoughts. In my living room, I’m hysterical.”
The brand new focus leaves Coleman with little time to be nostalgic about his former days as a high TV weatherman and dealing alongside co-anchors Colleen Williams and Chuck Henry, and sports activities anchor Fred Roggin.
Fritz Coleman, left, Chuck Henry and Colleen Williams within the NBC4 studio.
(Fernando Torres / KNBC-TV )
“I would not get that job today till I had the American Meteorological Society seal or a degree in meteorology or atmospheric sciences,” Coleman mentioned. “It’s a big deal. I could not get by being Mr. Fun Guy everyday.”
Whereas retirement has not dulled the inviting heat that Coleman displayed in his each day studies, he turned extra irritated when requested in regards to the Trump administration’s continuous assaults on local weather change, calling it a hoax.
“Denying that climate change is real is an irresponsible ploy,” he mentioned. “Every scientist worth his or her salt on the planet understands it is real, and it’s inhumane to call it a hoax. It affects me because it’s the one part of the big lie that I’ve experienced in my career.”
He feels lucky that he has his comedy stint to give attention to, and he hopes it should proceed lengthy into the long run.
“I’ve never been happier in my life than I am right now, and as long as we sell tickets, we will keep the show going,” Coleman mentioned. “Or we’ll keep it going until I have to stop the show twice for pee breaks.”
