Actor and comedian Bret Ernst says he’s “done his homework,” and his humor-poking assessment of “Northwest Indiana’s relationship to Chicago,” is the equivalent of “what Jersey is New York.”

Born in New Jersey, Ernst explains his own pedigree and stage experience allows him understand the geographic rationale for audiences.

On April 8, his 7:30 p.m. debut performance at Art Theater in Hobart will confirm or dispel his comedy hypothesis about ZIP codes and suburbs orbiting major metro areas.

“I played the Chicago Improv Comedy Club in Schaumburg earlier this year in February, so I know some about the Chicago and about suburbs, and definitely I’ve done my share of traveling around,” Ernst said during a telephone interview.

“I’ve been moving around since I was a kid growing up and I went from state to state with my single mom and brothers. I probably attended 15 different schools, and as ‘the new kid,’ it was using my humor and also sports that helped me fit in.”

He said his humor also would get him in trouble, and it created the memories and material which inspired his first comedy special on YouTube which he titled “Principal’s Office,” featuring a live audience and a faux school hallway stage set design, complete with lockers, bulletin board and an ominous door clearly labeled “Principal” on a frosted glass window.

“When I did my free comedy special ‘Principal’s Office’ on YouTube in 2018, I was really one of the first comics to take control of my own content and decide how to distribute it to reach my audiences,” said Ernst, who has more than 4.2 million views for that approach to comedy specials.

“When I was in high school, I thought I wanted to one day to play football for the Dallas Cowboys, until I saw Eddie Murphy’s comedy special ‘Delirious,’ and then I knew stand-up was what I wanted to do, from seeing guys like Eddie, Andrew Dice Clay and Sam Kinison. And now 25 years later, I’m still doing what I love.”

He gained national attention in 2005 when he was one of four comedians featured in Vince Vaughn’s “Wild West Comedy Show: 30 days and 30 nights- Hollywood to the Heartland,” showcased side-by-side with Sebastian Maniscalco, John Caparulo and Ahmed Ahmed.

The following year, he was the commentator for nine episodes in 2006 for MTV’s “Wrestling Society X” and later television appearances included “The Late Late show with Craig Ferguson,” “Chelsea Lately,” “Weeds” and “Comedy Central Presents.”

“What I talk about on stage is my own life and experiences because audiences respond to the truth,” Ernst said.

“After college, I lived in Florida and then moved out to L.A. in 1996 and spent the next 20 years working at The Comedy Store,” Ernst said.

“Everyone, both established and also starting out, tries out new material at The Comedy Store in L.A. And we all know it, comedians are the blue collar equivalent for the entertainment industry.”

In 2013, he married model Kristin Kandrac with the couple dividing time and their relationship between homes in L.A. and his wife’s hometown of Fairlawn, a suburb of Akron, Ohio, which gave him the experiences which helped him to create “Domesticated Animal,” his second free comedy special on YouTube released in June 2022, recorded in Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club in Las Vegas.

His newest special, produced with Pete Davidson of “Saturday Night Live” fame, was recorded March 2 at The Stand Comedy Club in New York City and is titled “Out of the Cage,” detailing his experience of his recent divorce from wife Kandrac.

“It’s not about bashing, and we’re still on good terms,” Ernst said.

“Life happens, right? I’m still close with her family too. I was just hanging out recently with my ex-father-in-law and we all get along.”

May 2018 was another streaming success attached to Ernst’s career, with the comedian playing the supporting role of character Louie LaRusso Jr. opposite Ralph Macchio in the Netflix series “Cobra Kai.”

In 2021, Ernst moved to Las Vegas and has a residency contract at the LA Comedy Club at the Stratosphere Casino and Hotel where he performs twice a week.

“I look at it this way,” Ernst said. “There are 320 million people in America right? So even if you get 1% of those people to like you, I’d say you’re doing something right.”

Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.