Comedian Sinbad performs at McCurdy’s in Sarasota

It was so long ago that most people probably don’t remember, but Sinbad first came into the public eye way back in the 1980s, as a nine-time winner on the TV talent show “Star Search.” He lost in the final round.

The comedian who defeated him remains obscure. Sinbad, however, has gone on to a decades-long career in movies, on TV and on stage. He’s coming to Sarasota this weekend, for five shows at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre.

Sinbad has made his name largely through a lot of forgettable movies (“Coneheads,” “Necessary Roughness” and “Houseguest,” to name but a few) and successful television sitcoms (“A Different World” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” among them).

But he’s never stopped doing standup. He tends to go out and do a weekend here and there, going back home during the week, rather than touring.

As a standup, he’s known for clean jokes, without a lot of profanity or sexual material. He says he doesn’t sit down and write new material, but that his act is always evolving. He might improvise a joke at one show, and then weeks later it will still be in his act but in a different form.

His approach seems to work. Comedy Central included Sinbad on its list of 100 Greatest Standups of All Time.

Details: July 22-24, McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $42. 941-925-3869, mccurdyscomedy.com.

This story was originally published July 20, 2016 at 5:13 PM with the headline "Comedian Sinbad performs at McCurdy’s in Sarasota."