If life were fair and of course, it isn't, Dom Irrera would be headlining theaters and perhaps starring in a sitcom. Don't feel bad for the gritty, quick-witted comic. Irrera, who counts Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist, Hey Arnold and HBO specials among his credits, makes a nice living doing television and playing clubs. "Italian-American comic" is the easiest way to compartmentalize Irrera. However, the amiable performer is much more than that. Sure, he's short, round and was born in South Philadelphia. His old signature line, "bada boom, bada bing!" and such characters as "Joey Bag of Donuts," "Fruitfly" and "Weasel" were lifted from his old neighborhood. His family has often been grist for his routine as well, something he discussed in this recent phone interview. - Ed Condran

You owe a lot to your old neighborhood.

I grew up in a very funny place. Everything in my act is based on real people and places. There's too many great things from my past that I had to touch on in my act. It would be unfair to the audiences if I left that stuff out.

But it would be wrong to just label you as a goombah comic.

Absolutely. I think you have to be more than one-dimensional when you get up in front of an audience. You need to appeal to more than one group. I just can't be doing [ethnic] stuff if I want to please myself and if I want to appeal to a college crowd. I need to say whatever is on my mind and what's on there is more than just my old neighborhood.

One of the funniest things you've ever done is host Offsides on Comedy Central a few years ago. Why did Comedy Central get rid of it?

They preferred to have South Park on and characters that talk about poop. You can't fight that stuff. In TV, for the most part, funny people aren't making decisions. Usually the executives have no idea about comedy and that makes it so frustrating.

But Seinfeld was an exception. Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld had creative control and you could tell since it was funny. By the way, nice turn as the prop comic on Seinfeld.

A show like Seinfeld was the exception. If Larry and Jerry didn't get what they wanted, they would leave the show. So they went and did what they wanted and their show was funny. I also loved it because Larry brought me in and he didn't make me audition. I appreciated the fact that I didn't have to dance for a part. You usually have to jump through hoops for a part and that's a drag.

Larry David obviously really wanted you to be on the show.

Yes. Larry asked me to be on three episodes and each time I was out of town. I didn't know how great the show was then. I just thought then that these guys are old friends of mine. Who knows how long this show is going to be on the air. I had no idea I was doing myself a favor.

What part from what episode did you miss out on?

Remember the show about the barber who finds Jerry's hair? Larry wanted me to do that but I was booked to play some gig.

How hard is it to be a standup comic?

To make a living at it, it's pretty difficult. The thing is that people think anyone can be a standup comic and they can't. It's a very tough business but it's something that I love. This is what I do.

Why don't you do "bada boom, bada bing" anymore?

When The Sopranos started doing it, that was the end for me. My view was "let them have it. It's not my [intellectual property]. I got it from the streets. Besides I didn't want to be the "bada bing guy" and sell "bada bing" T-shirts. I just want to be the guy doing my thing on stage. That's all that matters to me. I'm a comic, who can do more than say "bada bing." When you're a comedian, the well should run deep. There's other things that can come out of my mouth.

You've done standup on all of the late-night shows. What's your favorite memory?

For every comic, doing The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson was the big one. I did it back in 1986 and it was huge. I've done all of the other ones and right now, nothing could be as huge as that one.

Dom Irrera: Thursday, Jan 24-Sunday, Jan. 27, Hilarities, 2035 E. 4th St., 216.241.7425.

Tickets: $18-$25.