TAMMY PESCATELLI

I can’t believe it, but we’re getting Tammy Pescatelli up here. This will be her first time ever performing in our room and it’s long overdue. She will perform with Rawle D. Lewis this week at the Improv.

Most probably know Tammy from “Last Comic Standing” in the second season, when she was one of the Top 5 finalists. Her last one-hour special, “Finding the Funny,” was released in an exclusive deal with Netflix and reached No. 3 on iTunes. Her reality series, “A Stand Up Mother,” (which she co-created, executive produced, wrote and starred in) on the WEtv network documented her life as she balanced her family and her growing career — with a lot of laughs.

Tammy has no shortage when it comes to her source of material growing up in a large, crazy, Italian family outside of Cleveland. She went on to marry into an even larger, crazier, Italian family. Tammy has a little boy that she named after her husband ’just to prepare for Alzheimer’s.”

When people ask her, “Where do you get your material?,” she replies, “I wake up!”

After her showing on “Last Comic Standing,” things took off for Pescatelli’s career. She appeared on a slew of television shows, performing coast to coast, solidifying her as one of the sharpest women in the comedy world. She was chosen by Jenny McCarthy to be part of her “Dirty, Sexy Funny” comedy special that aired on Epix and has been touring around the country with “Dirty, Sexy, Funny.” She was recently on “The View.” She also appeared on Howard Stern.

I think this is Tammy’s first time performing up here in the High Sierra and definitely her first time in our room. I understand why she hasn’t had time to get up here — with her insane schedule. She won “Comedy Central‘s 2010 Stand-Up Showdown” and appeared as a guest on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” several times. She was part of Fuel TV’s Redbull Roast for professional wakeboarder Parxx Bonifay, on BRAVO TV’s “Rocco’s Dinner Party,” CBS’s “The Talk,” Nickeloden’s “NICK Mom’s Night Out,” TVGuide’s “Stand-up in Stilettos,” The Artie Lange show, Opie and Anthony, NBC‘s “Last Comic Standing: The Best of the Best,” Comedy Central‘s “The World Stands Up, The Bonnie Hunt Show,” “TBS‘s Evening at the Laugh Factory,” “Last Call with Carson Daly,” and “Comics Unleashed.” Wow.

Tammy has made more than 100-plus appearances on “talking head” shows on VH1, CMT, MTV, E!, A&E, REELS and has performed on USO Comedy tours entertaining our troops all over the world.

If that wasn’t enough, Tammy gave the gambling pros a run for their money in the poker department when she participated in the GSN poker series “Poker Royale: Comedians vs. Pros.” She finished in second place after beating all of the comedians and all of the pros but one. Hey Harveys, you should get her up here during your next poker tournament!

RAWLE D. LEWIS

Also making his first appearance here in Tahoe is Rawle D. Lewis. He is not just a comedian, but also an actor and director known for being in the movies, “Cool Runnings,” K-PAX” and on the television shows “Life in Pieces,” “Malcolm and Eddie,” “Where I Live” and “Angel of Death.” He was born on the island of Trinidad, and by the time he was in high school moved to Los Angeles —starting his comedy at the age of 17.

His big break came in part because of his Jamaican accent, which got him the role of Junior Bevil in the 1992 movie, “Cool Runnings.” I saw that movie and had no idea he was a comedian because I only saw him as an actor. Then again, that was before I even started doing stand up.

I have been following him on social media and liked his Tweet from last week that said, “I have conquered my fear of death; but my fear of life, I’m still working on that.” Nice. Spoken like a true comedian.

Both newbies, Tammy and Lewis are here at the Improv Lake Tahoe through Sept. 25.

Howie Nave is the MC at the Improv at Harveys. The comedy club is inside Harveys Lake Tahoe. Shows begin at 9 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and tickets are $25 plus fees, except Saturdays. Tickets are $30 on Saturdays. The Improv is dark on Mondays and Tuesdays. Must be 21 or older to attend. More information is available by calling 775-586-6266.