Wayne’s World

Back in 1996 the world’s most beloved ukulele player, Tiny Tim, passed on to that big tulip in the sky. Since then, only one man has had the guts to brave the scrutiny of the discerning ukulele crowd, bringing the instrument back to the spotlight. That man is Wayne Federman — actor, standup, and ukuleleist extraordinaire. Federman’s been strumming the stringed demon as part of his comedy act since the early ΄80s. His set consists of classic hard rock songs like “Purple Haze” and “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,” only done with a distortion pedal and minimal band support. Yes, I know; it sounds badass. But there’s no second place when it comes to the ukulele. He’s lived in Tim’s shadow for so long, but now, finally, Federman is steppin’ out.

Before kicking it tiny strummer style, Federman lived in South Florida, and actually attended South Plantation High School. He’s also a perennial cameo guy, who’s appeared in dozens of movies (most recently, Semi-Pro, Knocked Up, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin), television shows (like the Larry Sanders Show and Curb Your Enthusiasm), and commercials (er… Eureka vacuums, anyone?). In other words, you’d recognize him if you saw him. Federman will be bringing his act to Improv Paradise Live (5700 Seminole Way, Hollywood) Thursday through Sunday, and he’s got a special guest in tow as well: One Jimmy Fallon. Tickets cost $27. Call 954-981-5653, or visit www.improvftl.com.
Sat., July 5, 2008