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Comedian Jimmy Pardo, a long-running favorite guest on radio’s “Bob & Tom Show,” is thinking about Bob Kevoian before traveling from Los Angeles to Indianapolis for a May 15 show at the Wit Theater.
Kevoian, who co-hosted “Bob & Tom” from 1983 until his retirement in 2015, died on April 17 at age 75.
“He was one of my biggest champions,” Pardo said of Kevoian. “I am forever grateful the show had me on. I’m not going to say anything you haven’t already heard, but Bob had that infectious laugh and a big heart.”
Pardo celebrated 20 years of hosting his comedy podcast, “Never Not Funny,” in April. He credits the national presence of “Bob & Tom,” a syndicated morning show that originates in Indianapolis, for helping to build his audience.
“When I posted online about Bob’s passing, some folks on Bluesky said they discovered me because of ‘Bob & Tom,’” Pardo said, mentioning the show that continues to be hosted by Tom Griswold. “If it were not for ‘Bob & Tom,’ they may have eventually found me. But they were able to get to me sooner.”
Pardo, 59, grew up in Chicago and worked in the music industry before pursuing a career in stand-up comedy. He moved to the West Coast in the 1990s, when he befriended “alternative comedy” standouts such as Sarah Silverman and Patton Oswalt.
Referring to his stand-up act as a “one-man improvisational show,” Pardo warmed up studio audiences for Conan O’Brien during O’Brien’s tenure as host of “The Tonight Show” (2009-2010) and several years of “Conan” on cable station TBS.
For a nine-hour marathon episode of “Never Not Funny” made at Burbank comedy club Flappers, Pardo and his supporting cast of Matt Belknap, Eliot Hochberg and Garon Cockrell welcomed 20 guests. The roster included “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm, “Comedy Bang Bang” host Scott Aukerman and improv aces Paul F. Tompkins and Andy Daly.
“I’ve crossed paths with so many people, whether it was when I worked at ‘Conan’ or when I hosted ‘Match Game Live’ at [Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre],” Pardo said. “These people came into my life, and luckily they found me to be a nice man in addition to being a funny man.”
Oliver Pardo, the son of Pardo and his wife, Danielle Koenig, served as the 20th guest on the anniversary show.
“I truly believe he’s part of the future of comedy,” Pardo said of his son, who’s wrapping up his freshman year of studying film at Chapman University in Orange, California.
Oliver, the grandson of “Star Trek” cast member Walter Koenig, also performs stand-up comedy. In March, Oliver shared a bill at Bloomington’s Comedy Attic with his father.
Although Pardo didn’t push his son in the world of stand-up, the veteran said he enjoys the rookie’s company.
“I’m able to talk to him like a comedian,” Pardo said. “When he and I were driving down from Chicago to Bloomington, it was like doing a road gig with a buddy.”
For the record, Oliver will not be part of the lineup at the Wit, a venue near the University of Indianapolis that’s home to ComedySportz improv shows.
Pardo’s single night of stand-up at the Wit reflects a career change that’s helped him survive the grind of the road. You no longer find Pardo’s name stretching across a weekend’s worth of shows in one city.
“I had contemplated stopping altogether a couple of years ago,” he said. “But now I do just one night in each town, and it’s changed the way I enjoy comedy. I like zipping in and zipping out, doing shows for my audience and not really dealing with the randos who might just want to show up to a comedy show. I think every comedy show needs some of those, but I would rather my fans outnumber the people who say, ‘Should we go bowling or go to the comedy club? Oh, it’s the comedy club.’”
Jimmy Pardo
- When: 7 p.m. May 15
- Where: Wit Theater, 3808 Shelby St.
- Tickets: $30
- Info: Visit cszindianapolis.com.
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