Local comics pay tribute to Louie Anderson in a laugh-packed memorial

Some of Minnesota's top stand-ups gathered Sunday to swap stories and pay tribute to Louie Anderson, the award-winning comedian who died a little more than a year ago.

Jason Schommer, Anderson's long-time opening act and constant road companion, hosted the invite-only event at New Hope Cinema Grill, one of several local venues the legendary comic continued to perform at even after achieving national fame.

Schommer set the tone, needling his friend's prima donna tendencies and occasional temper tantrums, but pouring over each dig with buckets of affection. He reveled at Anderson's ability to speak for the common man.

"Louie humanized people who can't humanize themselves," said Schommer, who has also mounted a one-man show that pays tribute to Anderson.

Some of roughly 60 guests came in from Chicago and Indiana, but most were local talent. The speakers ranged from veteran Rox Tarrant to relative newcomer Lissa Sears, who Anderson discovered just six years ago.

Pete Borchers, who once won a contest to open for Anderson, shared a story in which he was traveling with Anderson and Scott Hansen, who died in September 2021. Borchers was in the backseat of a car when Hansen, who was driving, got pulled over for speeding. Anderson was confident he could charm the police officer out of giving them a ticket. He was wrong.

"It's the only time I've ever seen him bomb," Borchers said.

There were some somber moments, including passages read by "Mystery Science Theatre 3000" veteran Mary Jo Pehl and a heartbreaking performance of John Mayer's "Say," by Kelly Cordes, a radio host at WJON in St. Cloud. Schommer said it was one of Anderson's favorite songs.

Almost all of nearly dozen speakers considered Anderson a mentor. Comedian Mary Mack joked that her childhood hero was always ready to offer advice — even when she didn't know she needed it. Her husband and fellow stand-up, Tim Harmston, recalled the first time he met Anderson, accidentally knocking over a two-liter bottle of soda in the star's hotel suite.

Anderson looked at the mess and responded: "Nice entrance, Tim."

Both of them spoke fondly of the 1987 "Live at the Guthrie" special that premiered on Twin Cities Public Television. It was the first stand-up special either had even seen. As a kid, Mack watched it over and over again on a well-worn videotape.

"It was the only thing of value my brother-in-law contributed to the family," she said.

Comics in the audience included club headliners Fancy Ray McCloney, Robert Baril and Tommy Ryman.

Before the one-hour tribute, guests gushed over photos of Anderson posing with celebrities like Carol Burnett, Rosie O'Donnell and Ricky Martin. They snacked on doughnuts, pizza and an orange-frosting cake that featured his character from "Life With Louie," the animated series that would win him an Emmy. He picked up a second one two decades later for his comeback role in "Baskets."

At one point, Schommer revealed that Anderson had been working on a CBS sitcom in which he would play a cat, making wry comments about the humans around him. His death from cancer in January 2022 put an end to that project — and any more opportunities to see the legend grace a Minnesota stage.