David Cross brings laughs to Beaver Creek

Grammy Award-winner David Cross’ train of thought isn’t very linear — it can start with baseball, delve into the Iran/Contra hearings and take a detour talking about the best breakfast tacos — but it is funny. That’s why his humor resonates with people, causing Comedy Central to name him one of the top 100 comedians of all time.

“I suppose it’s a combination of dark and edgy material and being unapologetic about it,” he said. “And I think there are enough people out there who crave that voice — and especially in the deep red states — so they don’t feel so alone or crazy. I’ve always found religion, especially the Christian and Jewish religions, to be fun to poke holes in — the hypocrisy of it. And politics is just being topical. But I’m not a political comedian. And in this set, politics is only about 10% of what I’m doing.”

The bulk of his show revolves around a very embarrassing, and very true, situation he found himself in recently.

“I don’t want to give it away, but when it was happening all I could think of was, ‘I can’t wait to get on stage and talk about this,'” he said.

He’ll also do bits about abortion, slavery, an inappropriate rabbi, his trip to Machu Picchu with Bob Odenkirk (whom he starred with in the HBO sketch comedy series “Mr. Show”) and boxes of free stuff on the street, among other things.

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“There’s very little political stuff or religious stuff in this set. That’s just how it shook out,” he said.

In addition to starring in comedy specials, making television appearances on television and acting in films (including rave reviews for “The Dark Divide”) he has also co-written books, including “Hollywood Said No!: Orphaned Film Scripts, Bastard Scenes, and Abandoned Darlings from the Creators of Mr. Show.” He said writing — when it’s finally done — is the most gratifying, and acting is “more like a paid vacation, especially when it’s comedy.”

But his first love has always been stand-up.

“It’s the one thing that I have to do, just for my sanity. I love it. I love traveling and doing shows for all these different people. And it’s all me. I don’t have to take any notes or raise money to produce it. I just hop on stage and go,” he said.

After starring in a host of shows, from the likes of “Arrested Development” and “Modern Family” to “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret,” along with being nominated for a Grammy for Best Comedy Album for “MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” he’s now wrapping up a couple of independent films this summer. He first wrote and directed the dramedy “HITS” at Sundance in 2014 and has appeared in big films like “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “Pitch Perfect 2″ and the not-to-be-forgotten “Alvin and the Chipmunks.”  

These days, other than touring before beginning rehearsals for “Tartuffe,” an off-Broadway play he’s doing with Matthew Broderick and other actors this fall and winter, he spends his time with his family.