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By Ayanna Eckblad

Albert Lea’s Marion Ross Performing Arts Center will usher in the new year with a performance by stand-up comedian Michael Palascak.

Since the start of his career, Palascak has performed many noteworthy performances, including appearances on “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “A Little Late with Lilly Singh,” “Letterman,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “The Late Late Show” with Craig Ferguson and Conan.

He has a Comedy Central “The Half Hour” special, and was a top 5 finalist on “Last Comic Standing.” He also features his comedy in “The Bright Side,” an internet show produced in association with National Lampoon, in which Palascak finds the positives of various negative situations in life.

Palascak is looking forward to his Albert Lea debut, having previously performed in the Twin Cities. Having grown up in Indiana and having parents living in Illinois, he explained that he likes the atmosphere of Midwestern states.

“Those states are always really good to perform in, and it’s cold so people want to come inside and do something,” he said.

Palascak began his career performing at a coffee shop in Illinois. At the time he was a young college student looking for something to do, and he wanted to get to know people. Watching an old video of comedian Jerry Seinfeld from the 1980s helped him understand the process of making comedy into a career.

He describes the earliest days of his comedy as being like a kid playing sports.

“You’re not very good, but that’s not why you’re doing it,” Palascak said.

One thing that makes Palascak such a success is the way he keeps his comedy style grounded by basing it in things that happen in his everyday life.

“I try to be as close to myself on stage as I am in real life,” Palascak said. “I try to be the audience’s friend.”

This relatable quality is one of the reasons his work is so unique.

Palascak enjoys many parts of his job, such as the ability to work for himself. However, his favorite part of the job will always be getting a good response from his audience.

“The absolute best part is when you do a joke … a new joke, and then people laugh, it’s great to make people laugh,” he said.

Palascak hopes that his comedy makes people happy and ready for more. He encourages both new and returning audiences to check out past performances that are available online. He said that the comedy he does online is different from what he does live, so he has something new for everyone.

In addition to live shows, Palascak is recording his first hour-long comedy special in February.

Palascak’s show in Albert Lea will be at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6 at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center. General admission tickets are $25. Tickets may be purchased over the phone by calling 877-730-3144 (service fees apply), online at actonbroadway.com or at the box office. More information on tickets and box office hours is available on actonbroadway.com.