With 15 years of standup comedy under his belt, Dean Haglund isn’t just cashing in on his sudden popularity in a recurring role on Fox’s wildly popular science-fiction series, “The X-Files.”
Haglund, known as one-third of the conspiracy-happy Lone Gunmen trio, got into standup while in college and picked up about 10 years’ worth of improv training along the way.
“I grew up watching a lot of (Charlie) Chaplin,” he says. “I really liked (how you could) see in those older black and white comedies how they set up and built up a gag and stuff like that.”
Haglund, 30, was a child actor in his native Canada and has been in the business for 20 years. He was one of 30 actors who auditioned for a part in an emerging series called “The X-Files,” becoming the wiry, blond-haired, glasses-wearing computer hack Langly.
“At the time, I didn’t think the Lone Gunmen were going to be recurring characters. I just think that the popularity of the show started with the Internet fan base, and that the producers and writers were all on the Internet as well.
“And then when they had three characters that sort of represented that culture, all the fans said hey, we like those guys. So the writers and producers kept bringing us back.”
The Lone Gunmen made their debut in the series’ first season in “E.B.E.,” an episode about the possible capture of the pilot of a downed UFO. “That’s where we had the line that we liked Mulder `because his ideas are weirder than ours.’ ” (He was referring to Special Agent Fox Mulder, played by David Duchovny.)
Haglund has been in demand with comedy clubs around the country because of his “X-Files” appearances. (He’s playing the Funny Bone Friday and Saturday, 1504 Naper Blvd. in the Tower Crossing Shopping Center in Naperville; call 708-955-0500.)
And he has come up with a unique way of satisfying X-philes looking to tap into his connection with the show.
Haglund’s entire set is improvised around a complete but imaginary “X-Files” episode. He provides a teaser, promises a stunning climax and lets audience members throw out suggestions for the rest of the act.
Haglund rarely talked about the TV show in his standup after being on it its first three seasons, “and then afterwards (people would) ask a ton of questions about `The X-Files.’ And so I figured, why not just improvise a whole episode, and sort of like quench everybody’s thirst for talking about the show, all at the same time.”
Because Haglund is in charge of the thing, “the Lone Gunmen save the day” in his improvised episodes, he says. “It turns out that Mulder and Scully (Dana Scully, played by Gillian Anderson) are inside informants for the FBI. They’re part of the whole conspiracy. So it’s the Lone Gunmen, and me particularly, who come in and do battle in the stunning climax.
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“That’s my one concession to my dreams of being on the show.”
In Hagland’s make-believe episodes, it’s his truth that’s out there.
Radio daze
You may or may not have heard about Steve Harvey, the popular standup comic, television star and radio deejay. Scratch that last job, as Harvey seems to have walked away from his hosting gig on WGCI-FM’s morning show “Club Throwdown.”
In recent weeks, ‘GCI (107.5) has been slotting fill-in comics along with the regular morning team. A.J. Jamal, former host of Comedy Central’s “Comic Justice” show, was a special guest March 31 and April 1, and Jamal is wrapping up the last of those duties again on Friday.
Looks like Jamal isn’t into sleeping late in the morning. A press release for the comic says Jamal is making “his bid for the drive time slot,” which usually starts around 5 a.m. or so. Stay tuned.
The standup lineup
Here are upcoming events in the wide world of comedy. Current club sets are scheduled to run through Saturday, and new acts begin Wednesday, unless otherwise noted. Lineups are subject to change.
– “The Insanity Remains” at Zanies (1548 N. Wells St.; 312-337-4027). The show, a special presentation scheduled for Tuesday, is an exercise in “12-step humor,” with host Mark L. The single performance is billed as a “recovery” show, and alcohol will not be served that night. Meanwhile, look for Joe Restivo this weekend on Wells Street.
– “Cloning and punning go hand-in-hand-in-hand-in-hand,” says pun queen Joyce Heitler. And that’s why the Preserve the Pun Society is dedicating its annual dinner to cloning, where the puns will be thrown out fast and furrious. (Get it? Cloning? Sheep? We know, sheep have wool, but it’s still pretty clever, so shut up.)
Pun games for prizes, entertainment and the naming of the Punster of the Year will all occur Sunday at the Como Inn, 546 N. Milwaukee Ave.; call 773-973-3523.
– Funseekers Entertainment Club, 684 W. North Ave. in Elmhurst, continues its weekend format of a comedy show at 8 p.m. and live music at 10. Chicago’s Tim Clue headlines this weekend, and music acts Darren Edwards and the Rhythm Rockets perform Friday and Saturday, respectively. Call 630-993-0423 for more details.
Yuks on the tube
Comedy Central is going the variety route with a new original series at 9 p.m. Tuesdays. “Viva Variety” is mixing up the real with the imagined, with Thomas Lennon and Kerri Kenney portraying a divorced couple called the Laupins, hosts of a European TV variety show seeking a home in America.
Upcoming guests include They Might Be Giants, the Marshall Crenshaw Band and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Ben Stiller and Janeane Garofalo are also set to show up. Variety acts include The World’s Only Contortionist Fiddle Player; Ray Wold, a man who likes to set himself on fire; and Scotland’s Premiere Regurgitator. Yum.
(“Viva Variety” repeats Saturdays at 3:30 and 7 p.m., and again at 1 a.m.)