'The Office,' 'Anchorman' star brings stand-up tour to Raleigh

Get ready for a side-splitting weekend in Raleigh.

Actor and comedian David Koechner, known for his roles on TV (The Office) and movies (Anchorman), is headlining at Goodnights Comedy Club Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Koechner will be performing traditional stand-up shows, in addition to one special trivia event dedicated to his "Office" character, Todd Packer.

"It's three rounds of trivia, but I also interact with Todd Packer. I do a bunch of Packerisms," Koechner said.

However, it's not just trivia; Koechner promises behind-the-scenes stories and personal anecdotes from his time on the show.

"Fans of the show will really enjoy this," Koecher said. "It's going to be a lot of fun."

Koechner is on the road with fellow comedian, Rob Mayer.

"We've toured together for over seven years," Koecher said. "His style is very different than mine, but we complement each other."

Mayer has a 30-minute solo set and the two team up for an eight-minute segment.

While in town, Koechner is also recording an episode of his new podcast, Get Me The Mayor. It features Koechner interviewing the Mayor and other interesting people in different towns. The goal of the podcast is to learn about what makes each town unique.

"Instead of the usual celebrity interviews, I'm taking a unique approach. I want to chat with the people who truly represent the heart and soul of this city, like the Mayor and other locals," Koechner said.

Koechner encourages people who want to be comedians or actors to read the book, "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell and to listen to the audiobook, "On Writing" by Stephen King.

"Number one, read Malcolm Gladwell's 'Outliers.' It tells the story of hundreds of successful people and how they achieved their success," Koecher said. "Number two, buy Stephen King's audiobook 'On Writing.' He narrates his own book, and it is delicious."

Koechner says beyond that, really, the only other thing you can do is make a decision and follow for your dreams.

"You don't worry because worry has no upside. Worry can only be a negative," Koecher said. " So forget what people will say or think and just do it."

Born in 1962 in Missouri, Koechner honed his improv skills in Chicago before landing a coveted spot on "Saturday Night Live" in the mid-90s.

While SNL provided a national platform, its roles, like Todd Packer in "The Office" and Champ Kind in the "Anchorman" films, that cemented Koechner's comedic stardom. He's also done voice acting on shows like "American Dad" and "F is for Family."

Koechner's filmography spans over 120 films and TV shows. He's appeared in comedies like "Waiting" and "Talladega Nights," dramas like "Cheap Thrills," and even family films like "The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants."

Koechner is performing live at Goodnights Comedy Club in Raleigh.