Greg Warren

Warren’s one of those comics who is respected by other comedians. I think it’s because of his Midwestern upbringing, which also plays into much of his act: He creates stories and characters that stay with you.

The comedian grew up in St. Louis, where his family gave him more than enough material to start him down the road of comedy. His dad was his high school wrestling coach and his mother used to make him wear ridiculous clothes and take clarinet lessons — source comedic material right there, folks.

Warren was a West Point cadet for about a year and distinguished himself by amassing an impressive tally of demerits and endless hours of marching. At the University of Missouri he studied journalism and was named an All-American wrestler. While a student, Warren won a comedy contest and was invited to perform at the local club, Déjà Vu. But he wasn’t sold on comedy yet.

After a stint pitching Pringles and Jif for the corporate giant Proctor & Gamble, Warren decided to make the move to being a full-time comedian. Soon after that he got invited to the famed Montreal Just For Laughs comedy festival. Since then he’s appeared on “The Late Late Show” and “Last Comic Standing,” where he’s built a strong fan base around the country.

His other television credits include “CMT Comedy Stage” and Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend,” where he was warmly endorsed by Wanda Sykes. Warren’s been heard nationally on radio via the syndicated “Bob and Tom Show,” where he entertained in theaters across the country with the “Friends of Bob and Tom Comedy Tour.”

His last CD, “One Star Wonder,” hit the ground running at No. 6 on iTunes’ Top Comedy Albums and he continues to attract a diverse demographic, performing on networks such as BET and appearing here at the Lake Tahoe Improv.

Mat Edgar

We have a newbie in the form of one Mat Edgar. He was the doorman at the world famous Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, which, you could say, launched his comedy career: A lot of comics down in Los Angeles use those gigs just to get their foot in the door.

Time and patience paid off: Soon Edgar was getting spots at the Store just like comedy greats including Sam Kinison and Jim Carrey. Edgar quickly hooked up with some pretty impressive acts, touring with the likes of Steve Rannazzisi, Bobby Lee, Steve Trevino and Jeff Garlin.

Much of his act stems from his upbringing with a French Italian father and a Latin mother. As a child he moved frequently along the West Coast and was exposed to a diverse surrounding — he lived in both well-to-do neighborhoods and very poor ones, exposing him to many different ethnicities and classes, which influenced his life socially and comedically. Edgar’s Tahoe debut is going to be a very positive baptism.

The Improv at Harveys takes place Wednesdays through Sundays at 9 p.m. Learn more at http://www.harveystahoe.com.