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Expect shenanigans at the Spokane Comedy Club with ‘Super Troopers’ star Jay Chandrasekhar

Actor and director Jay Chandrasekhar is introduced – in costume as “Super Troopers” character Arcot “Thorny” Ramathorn” – prior to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 18, 2018, in Fontana, Calif. (Getty Images)
Actor and director Jay Chandrasekhar is introduced – in costume as “Super Troopers” character Arcot “Thorny” Ramathorn” – prior to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 18, 2018, in Fontana, Calif. (Getty Images)
By Caitlin Miller caitlinm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5413

Did somebody say “shenanigans”?

Recognized for writing, directing and starring in the 2001 comedy film “Super Troopers” as the mustachioed Vermont Trooper Arcot “Thorny” Ramathorn, 2004’s “Club Dread” and 2006’s “Beerfest,” Jay Chandrasekhar has a long resume involving comedy, contributing to several critically acclaimed TV programs and movies.

Chandrasekhar’s career began in college when he and his college classmates established a comedy troupe that would go on to become Broken Lizard, a name under which Chandrasekhar and the others performed at various comedy clubs and at colleges across the United States until the mid-90s before the brand turned to television and feature film productions. Such productions include the cult classic “Super Troopers” and “Super Troopers 2,” the latter of which Chandrasekhar told The Spokesman-Review in 2017, during a visit to the Lilac City for a string of appearances at the Spokane Comedy Club and Auntie’s Bookstore for his new book, was “a high risk.” To fund the “Super Troopers” sequel, Broken Lizard turned to crowdsourcing, because “if nobody had funded us … the studio would look at it and say ‘You know what, guys? Nobody wants to see this movie.’ ” This comes after “Super Troopers” garnered a gross $23 million at the box office, but following its release to VHS/DVD, the film gained a cult following, bolstering a 90% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes despite its 36% Tomatometer from film critics.

For those fans of the “Super Troopers” movies and Chandrasekhar’s work, his book, “Mustache Shenanigans: Making Super Troopers and Other Adventures in Comedy,” chronicles the comedian’s life, his journey to a successful career and the history behind Broken Lizard and “Super Troopers.”

Following “Super Troopers,” Chandrasekhar went on to direct the film adaptation of the 1980s TV series “The Dukes of Hazzard” that starred Seann William Scott, Johnny Knoxville, Jessica Simpson and Burt Reynolds. TV series he’s written episodes for include “Arrested Development,” “Community,” “Psych” and “Chuck.”

“Super Troopers 3: Winter Soldiers” is in preproduction, according to IMDB.

Catch Chandrasekhar at the Comedy Club at 7 p.m. Thursday, and 7 and 9:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday.