Comedian, actor and writer Ty Barnett headlines the June Comedy at the Ave.

The curtain opens for the three-comedian lineup at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the historic Auburn Avenue Theater, 10 Auburn Ave.

Primarily a stand-up comic, Barnett began performing in high school. He made his first television appearance in 2003 on CBS's "Star Search" and is now a regular on CBS's "The Late Late Show" with Craig Ferguson.

He cites Chris Rock and Richard Pryor as major influences.

Barnett was born, raised and attended high school on the South Side of Chicago. After high school, came a six-year stint in the U.S. Army from which he was discharged in 1996. Thereafter, he moved to Tacoma, began touring in California, Oregon and Canada and was voted "Up-and-coming Comedian of the Year" in 2002 at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival.

Barnett gained the attention of Hollywood after being named "Outstanding Performer" at Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival. In 2003, he made it to the semifinals of CBS's "Star Search" and by 2005 first appeared on CBS's "The Late Late Show". He was featured on Comedy Central Presents with his own 30-minute special in 2005, and in 2006 was a runner-up on season 4 of the NBC reality show, "Last Comic Standing", when he faced off against Josh Blue.

Since then he has appeared on the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, "P. Diddy Presents the Bad Boys of Comedy", and, as an actor, in two episodes of "Til Death".

Tickets are $17 and $15. Call Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation at 253-931-3043, Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-noon, or online at Brown Paper Tickets.

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