'America's Got Talent' finalist Greg Morton brings one-man variety show to town
Comedian Greg Morton was a finalist on the 2019 season of "America's Got Talent," but his career in showbusiness goes back decades.
Known for spot-on vocal impersonations of beloved cartoon and movie characters, the Canadian-born funnyman will bring his one-man show to Waterford Township this week for a series of sets at One Night Stan's Comedy Club.
Morton says his show draws from a slew of influences that include sketch comedy shows of the 1970s, such as "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour" and "The Carol Burnett Show."
"I grew up watching a lot of variety television ... where all the actors or players did everything. They sang, and they danced and they told jokes and did skits," he said from a tour stop in Erie, Pennsylvania, last week. "That's what my show is like. It's a one-man show, so there's some stand-up, there are song parodies in it, and then a lot of my voice work. It's different than anything else that you'd see typically at a stand-up comedy show, because I'm a fan of all sorts of people."
Morton — who is not the same Greg Morton who was a starting defensive tackle for the Michigan Wolverines in the 1970s — got bit by the performing bug while attending public school, and after being exposed to comedy clubs and Second City in college, he realized he could do it for a living. The former cartoonist hung up his animator hat and hit the stage more than 35 years ago.
Now he's enjoying a boost from his 2019 appearance on the hugely popular Fox show "America's Got Talent." Hosted by Flint native Terry Crews with judges Gabrielle Union, Julianne Hough, fellow Canadian Howie Mande land the notoriously hard-to-please Simon Cowell, the show averaged 9.12 million viewers per episode. Morton made it to the semi-finals.
He said being on that season — which also included second-place winners the Detroit Youth Choir — was "one of the most beautiful experiences I've ever had in my career, in show business." He said the vocal group Voices of Service were especially kind, showing support and praying forcontestants when they got nervous or overwhelmed.
"I was so blessed to be on that season where everyone was so happy to be there," he said. "And when people had to leave or get voted off, people were crying like it was the end of summer camp. To be around people like that is a true blessing."
He said the Detroit Youth Choir were "absolutely fantastic."
"Detroit really brought it, so I'm going to bring the same love with me to my performances and I'm going to meet and greet as many people after the show," he said of his One Night Stan's appearances Thursday through Saturday. "I just want to give back as much as I can."
mbaetens@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @melodybaetens
Greg Morton
with Keith Lenart and Rich Higginbottom
7:30 p.m. Thurs., Fri. and Sat.
One Night Stan's Comedy Club
4761 Highland, Waterford
Tickets: $20
More upcoming stand-up comedy shows
313 Comedy, Detroit Shipping Company, Sundays
Monday Night Comedy with T.Barb, Nandi's Knowledge Cafe, Mondays
Open Mic with Connor Meade, Trixie's, Tuesdays
Zach Martina, Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle, May 27-29
The Backyard Chronicles, 708 Meadowdale in Ferndale, May 28
Michael Colyar, Bert’s Theatre, May 28-30
Tony Roberts, One Night Stan's Comedy Club, May 28-29
Mark Knope, One Night Stan's Comedy Club, June 3-5
Barbara Carlyle, Bert’s Theatre, June 11-13
Dave Landau, One Night Stan's Comedy Club, June 18-19
Faizon Love, Bleu Nightclub, June 24
Bill Bushart, Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle, July 1-3
Mary Stantora, Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle, July 15-17
Mike Geeter, Mike Ridley's Comedy Castle, July 22-24