Comedian Lukas Seely Coming to Chinook

Comedian Lukas Seely, a native of Billings, Montana, will present a live performance on March 8 at 7:00 p.m. in the Commercial Building at the Blaine County Fairgrounds located at 300 Cleveland Road West in Chinook.

Hosted by the Fair Foundation, Seely will perform with Arlo Sanders, Conner Roma, and Gary Busby, staging a 90-minute variety show, Laugh to the Future, that includes improvisation, song parodies, and both stand-up and sketch comedy that will take the audience back to the 80’s.

A lover of golf and a diehard San Francisco 49ers fan, Seely performed two years ago in Chinook and last year in Havre. Although he is no stranger to the comedy scene in Montana, having organized shows throughout the state through his project Montana Comedy, most people probably know Seely better as the Official Goofy Weather Man for the Series “The Faithful Forecast” on 49ers Studio. Seely has also performed his stand-up routine on Fox’s Laughs and Showtime’s Louie Anderson Presents, currently on Hulu.com. His cooking skills were also on display on TNT’s On the Menu with Emeril Lagasse.

James DesRosier, Event Coordinator for the Blaine County Fair Board who has been a friend of the Seely family for the past twenty years, recommended Seely, and as they say, the rest is history.

As a senior studying business at Rocky Mountain College, Seely started performing standup comedy after winning $100 at an open mic. In 2004, he relocated to Seattle, Washington, where he became a crowd favorite in the Seattle Comedy scene. His first big break came in 2011 when he appeared on Showtime’s “Louie Anderson Presents.” He currently lives in Los Angeles, California, where he regularly performs at The Hollywood Improv, The Comedy Store, and in many other venues.

An Asian-American, Seely says he often stood out while growing up in Billings, an experience he draws from in his storytelling-style comedy routine. He also credits much of his success to his parents, who immigrated to the United States in the 1980s as refugees from Laos. After escaping from a communist work camp in Laos to a refugee site in Thailand, his parents were sponsored by St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Billings to come to the United States where Seely was born in 1982.

With his parents as role models, Seely learned that hard work and believing in one’s self are the keys to making dreams come true. For his work ethic, creativity, and comedic poise, Seely has won several awards, including being a finalist at the New York Underground Comedy Festival.

Seely is also the producer of the Big Sky Comedy Festival (BSCF), a national comedy compilation featuring comics from across North America who come to Billings for five days to perform and battle for the festival crown. Although the BSCF audience gets to vote, the comedians are also judged by industry professionals such as Comedy Central and producers of The Tonight Show.

See Page A6: Lukas Seely

An annual event, last year’s BSCF was held October 9-13. The BSCF features comedians selected from a pool who submit to be a part of the festival. Submissions for 2019 will open on May 1.

According to Fair Board Manager, Debbie Ramberg, Seely’s comedy show is a fundraiser for the Fair Foundation. All of the monies raised will be used to operate and maintain the fair.

As with last year’s comedy show, VIP tables that seat six will once again be available, and children under age twelve will be admitted free. Adult beverages and concessions will also be available at what promises to be a family-friendly show.

For more information on this event, those interested are encouraged to call the Fair Office at 357-2988 or to contact a Fair Board or Fair Foundation member.