[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Fritz Coleman, the much loved, longtime KNBC weatherman’s hilariously titled new self-written solo show, “Unassisted Residency LIVE!”, Is having its own ‘residency’ of sorts at the iconic El Portal Theatre in NoHo for the next few months.
What you may not know about Fritz is that he started out as a stand-up comedian. In fact, he was actually discovered by KNBC while performing at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. They asked him if he would be interested in covering the weekend shift as the weatherman and the rest is history!
I caught up with Fritz and had a chat about this new chapter in his career…and this is what I discovered.
In 1982, the news director of Chanel 4 watched his set at The Comedy store, which included an anecdote about him being forced to report on the weather on the Armed Forces Radio while he was in the Navy. So they offered him a weekend slot, covering for the regular and, since he was a broke comedian, he took it. Forty years later…
Climate change was a big reason why he retired…in his words, “nowadays you really need to know what you are talking about.” But there is much more to Fritz’s career than just the weather. He has also been a part of other KNBC shows – “It’s Fritz” and “What a Week.” Notably he received the 2004 EMA Community Service Award for his involvement with KNBC’s wonderful children’s program, “4 Our Planet.”
Fritz’s first one-person show was 30 years ago, “It’s Me Dad!” and was work-shopped at the Actors Forum when it was still located on Magnolia Blvd in NoHo. He then moved it to The Victory Theatre and it was so successful it was purchased by Public Television and KCET who aired it every Father’s Day for many years. He then workshopped his last two shows at The NoHo Arts Center.
As he says, “All of my shows have been born and raised in NoHo. It’s my hood!”
This is Fritz Colman’s third solo show. The first two “The Reception” and “It’s Me! Dad!” have also been performed at The El Portal, which for Fritz’s, has really become his local theatre, since he lives in the neighborhood. Over the years Fritz has worked out much of his comedy at various theatres in NoHo, some sadly long gone. But he has a real love for the El Portal, reveling in its history and feeling right at home. The El Portal started life in the 20s as a vaudeville house before becoming a movie palace. The Monroe Theatre, the smaller of the two spaces in El Portal, is a perfect space for this intimate show for “woke boomers.”
“Unassisted Residency LIVE!” runs through November, once a month, at 3pm “which is a perfect time for my demographic!” he says. Fritz has also just launched the precursor to “Unassisted Residency,” “Unassisted Living” on Tubi, which is exciting! As long as boomers can figure out what the heck Tubi actually is. I’m not sure I even know yet, but I’m now determined to find out! Maybe Fritz is actually doing some community service outreach…dragging us all out of the dark ages and into the Tubi light!
Fritz is thoroughly enjoying his retirement. He’s on the board of three nonprofits and spends a lot of time with his grandchildren. However, this still leaves him plenty of time for his own projects, his timetable magically unlocked by his absence from his daily weather slot. As much as we all miss his smiling face on our screens, It is, however, wonderful to know that we can see him in the flesh, so to speak, at our brilliant NoHo El Portal Theatre for the next few months at least.
Fresh off a gig in Idyllwild, opening for the US Marine Band from Camp Pendleton, Fritz is thrilled to be back at The El Portal with this hilarious show all about the vagaries of life post middle aged. The Monroe Theatre is the perfect match for his unambiguously thoughtful comedic diatribes on navigating the world as a boomer. He can stand happily in the almost round of the Monroe, surrounded by his ‘people,’ able to see the whites of their eyes in this wonderful space, as he joins them in the fun that comes with aging. When you get to the age when you no longer give the two hoots you used to give and can become the wise and invisible observer of the mania all around us. I really can’t wait to see this show!!!
Fritz Coleman has been a huge part of my Los Angeles experience since I arrived here 35 years ago. I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to chat to someone so many of us looked forward to seeing each day, bringing his own unique sense of joy to what used to be our never-changing weather. Thank you for everything, Fritz!
So head on over to the El Portal on September 10, October 15, November 26 at 3pm and reminisce with the very clever and absolutely hilarious Fritz Coleman.
Tickets:
https://ci.ovationtix.com/371/production/1170728
When:
Sundays at 3PM
September 10, October 15, November 26.
https://www.instagram.com/realfritzcoleman | https://www.youtube.com/@fritzcolemancomedian5371/videos