Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco will be ready for a workout when he hits Xcel Energy Center

Sebastian Maniscalco’s act was built for arena shows. The comedian punctuates his jokes with exaggerated gestures and mugging that can be seen from the cheap seats in big venues like Xcel Energy Center, where he’ll be performing on Valentine’s Day.

That bigger-than-life approach has served him well. According to Billboard Boxscore, he had the fifth highest-grossing comedy tour of 2024, ahead of fellow bigwigs like Jerry Seinfeld and Trevor Noah.

But the Illinois native also has more subtle moves that have served him well in feature films like “About My Father” and the Max TV series “Bookie.” He spoke last month from his L.A. home about his approach to comedy.

Q: One of things I liked about your last Netflix special, “Is It Me?”,
was that you wore a tuxedo. What happened to the days when stand-up comics dressed up?

A: I grew up in the ‘80s looking at the showmanship of it all. Eddie Murphy with that full leather suit. Or Prince. Today, the guy onstage could be a guy in the crowd. You can’t distinguish the two. I try to pay homage to the Rat Pack. In the ‘60s, you didn’t see a guy gambling in Vegas wearing flip-flops and a Billabong swimsuit. You dressed up. I hope that comes back.

Q: You’re only 51, but you do seem to be influenced by comedians who came from an even older generation. Why is that?

A: I was introduced to comedy at a young age. I loved “The Jeffersons,” Archie Bunker. Later it was “Cheers” and “Taxi.” That was the golden age of TV comedy. My dad loved Johnny Carson. I watched him like it was game tape. John Ritter, too. He had a tremendous ability to do physical comedy.

Q: You’re also very physical onstage. Does that make it easier to play arenas?

A: I’m very conscious of the way I move and prowl across the stage. People today have no attention span, so you have to be active out there. I need room to run around. Clubs are the best place to do comedy, but when I do them, I often look at the stage and think, “Gee, is this all the space they’re giving me?” I’ve always expressed myself through body language. Even as a kid at the dinner table, I’d stand up to ask someone to pass me the mashed potatoes. I don’t see a lot of other comedians using their body this way. Brian Regan does. But I think other comics want to look cool. Cool has to go out the window. We’re not musicians.

Q: You’ve showed up in dramatic films like “Green Book” and “The Irishman.” Do you ever feel like you’re on set to keep everyone entertained between takes?

A: I’m not that guy. I’m busy hoping I get my lines right. I’m there to work. Listen, if I’m not onstage, I’m not drawing attention to myself. I’m not the life of the party. I think most comedians are that way. When they’re out in the general population, they’re more reserved.

Q: Robert De Niro played your dad in the movie you co-wrote, “About My Father.” De Niro seems to really enjoy working with comedians.

A: Yeah, especially after he did “Analyze This” with Billy Crystal. He’s got a comedic side. He hung with my dad for three days. My dad wanted back [end] points on the movie.

Q: Do you have a favorite De Niro movie?

A: I loved the way he played his part in “Casino.” There are so many great films. I’m a guy who grew up with posters of him on my wall.

Q: The second season of “Bookie” just finished. Are you hoping for more episodes and maybe do less road dates so you can spend more time with family?

A: You hit it on the head. It’d be nice to come back and film it right here in Los Angeles. I don’t want to do 94 shows over eight months and wonder why I was in Montana instead of being at one of my kid’s recitals. TV and film gives me an opportunity to pare down the schedule a bit more.

Q: You’ve got two kids under the age of 7. Do they ever go on the road with you?

A: We don’t want them missing school that much, but we have been taking them a lot more places. It’s a lot easier to stick them on a plane. They’re so self-sufficient. When I was a kid, my clothes lived with my parents’ clothes in one suitcase. But my kids pack their own bags. I guess it makes them feel like they have some kind of ownership. It’s a little cumbersome for the 5-year-old rolling his carry-on through the terminal, but they’re very polite.

When: 7:30 p.m. Fri.

Where: Xcel Energy Center, 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul

Tickets: $50.80-$119.75. ticketmaster.com