Tim Meadows, headlining Spokane Comedy Club this weekend, says audiences ‘don’t actually know me’

Like many successful character actors, Tim Meadows doesn’t get the chance to deliver much stand-up. Meadows, who was a member of the “Saturday Night Live” cast from 1991-2000, is an in-demand thespian. Meadows, 62, has been a recurring character on the ABC sitcom “The Goldbergs” since 2013 and a regular on its spinoff, “Schooled.”

Meadows’ film credits include “Trainwreck,” “Mean Girls,” “The Ladies Man,” “Grown Ups 2” and “Chasing Ghosts.”

“It’s good to be busy,” Meadows said while calling from his Detroit home. “I’m fortunate to have so much work, but I am thrilled to have a window right now to do stand-up.

“I talk about a lot of stuff. People know me from doing different shows, but they don’t actually know me. I talk about being a divorced father, and I do conceptual comedy bits. I do stand-up for fun. I like to keep it fresh for myself, and I like to challenge myself. I could be relaxing, but I would rather go on the road and do stand-up.”

Meadows, who will headline Friday and Saturday at Spokane Comedy Club, isn’t used to taking it easy. The cerebral comic often gets up before dawn while getting ready to go to work.

“It’s not glamorous rising at 5 a.m., but I do it often,” Meadows said. “There are mornings when I get up for ‘The Goldbergs’ or ‘Schooled’ and work all day and when I wake up and I’m like, ‘Oh, God, I hate this,’ and I remind myself that I’m doing exactly what I always wanted to do. I get to work on a national TV show for a network. Then I have a first-class ticket to do stand-up in which I do my own material. What am I complaining about?”

Meadows particularly enjoys playing the principal on “The Goldbergs” and “Schooled” due to his relationship with “The Goldbergs” producer and creator Adam Goldberg.

“I love working with Adam since he writes so well for me,” Meadows said. “He’s such a talented, driven guy. I love working with the entire cast.”

The former “Not Ready for Prime Time Player” looks back fondly on his “SNL” days.

“I had so many laughs in the writers office with writers like Harper Steele,” Meadows said. “I had a blast with Chris Farley, Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell. When you did a sketch with Will, anything could happen.”

Unlike many of his peers, Meadows lives a long way from Hollywood.

“I love being here,” Meadows said. “I grew up in this area. I have family here. I go to (Detroit) Pistons games. This is home to me. I’m on the road often enough. I’ll be out there soon, but I have to have a place to come home to, and this is it.”