Mark Metcalf, the Head of Humor for Comic Wonder, began his career as a Shakespearian actor, and became famous for his portrayal of Doug Neidermeyer, the uptight, sadistic ROTC cadet in Animal House. He went on to a successful career directing and acting in TV and movies, including a role as “The Maestro,” in Seinfeld, a directing credit on the intriguingly-named Bikini Bar, and two Twisted Sister music videos as Neidermeyer.

When not touring the country in search of new jokes and joke-tellers, he lives in Wisconsin, where he is involved in the Milwaukee Film Festival and is co-owner of a bar (no word on whether it is frequented by priests, ministers, and rabbis). The Comic Wonder blog spoke to him about jokes, wishing he was recognized more often, and catching crumbs in his teeth.

Comic Wonder: How did you get to be “Head of Humor?” Does that mean you’re the funniest guy on the Comic Wonder staff?
Mark Metcalf: Yes, I am definitely the funniest person on the staff. But it’s pretty easy to get a laugh with a lisp and a limp. And some of my rope tricks aren’t really meant to be funny and I still don’t know why everyone laughs, but, oh well…

CW: What does it mean to be “touring the country in search of new joke-telling talent?” Are you hanging out in bars and asking people to tell you something funny?
MM: I do go to some bars, but mostly to use the restroom. Bars and train stations are where the really funny people are right now. And you can steal a joke from a drunk guy and he doesn’t even care.

CW: How many regional jokes do you run across in your travels? Do North Dakotans have a lot of jokes about how many South Dakotans it takes to screw in a light bulb?
MM: Usually it’s South Dakotans telling North Dakota jokes, but the North Dakotans don’t even get them, they just run around in circles, so it’s not so much fun.

CW: Do you worry that joke-telling is a lost art, or becoming more rare?

MM: The art of telling a joke, like the art of telling a story, is an art that has been losing ground. Forwarding a text joke to someone sort of seems like a cop-out, but that’s what joke telling has become on the internet. That’s why we’re on the quest to find the funniest joke-tellers. People can learn to tell a good joke with even a small amount of practice. We created Comic Wonder to serve as a stage and a resource to find material. Twice in the past week people have called me because they were going to parties where it was required that they bring three jokes to tell. One was a 55-year-old man, the other was a 12-year-old young woman. So maybe Comic Wonder is having an effect already.

CW: You trained as a Shakespearian actor, then went on to a role in Animal House, then ended up in Twisted Sister videos. How does something like that happen?

MM: I certainly hope I didn’t “end up” in Twisted Sister’s video. Basically my philosophy has always been, if someone offers you a job and you have time and it sounds like fun, take the job.

CW: Is that how you got the job at Comic Wonder?
MM: Jeff and Keller are friends of mine and they asked me to be their head of humor. With a title like that, I said yes before I even knew what it was about. My favorite line in Animal House is, “You fucked up. You trusted us.” Well, I trusted them. I didn’t even think of it as a job with pay, but they have been very nice about throwing some crumbs from their table at me. I catch them in my teeth and they clap.

CW: Among your acting credits, you were the “Maestro” on Seinfeld. Do you still get recognized on the street?
MM: I get recognized for the Maestro maybe a little more than for Neidermeyer. As long as the people don’t ask for money it’s not annoying at all. I like it. I maybe like it too much and miss it when I’m in a town where they could care less about Neidermeyer or the Maestro. My son tells people, if I seem a little down. He goes up to them and says, “My Dad was the Maestro and he’s a little depressed right now, could you go over and act like you recognized him and tell him how great he is?” My son is very nice to me and takes good care of me.

CW: Do you have a favorite kind of joke, or a philosophy when it comes to joke telling?
MM: I think a joke should not only tell a story but should also contain some social or political commentary. I think jokes that reveal a truth are the best ones. I am not allowed to tell jokes on the site because my jokes go on too long and burn up too many calories. But my son has a favorite joke that he told on the site. It has to do with a Giant Panda walking into a bar, ordering a sandwich and then shooting a piano player and leaving. It’s pretty funny.

CW: What does that one say about society? Pandas shouldn’t own guns?
MM: My son doesn’t give a hoot about society or politics, although he does know a few good George Bush jokes.