Aspen hosts comedian Pete Holmes for one night only

Fans of stand-up comedy can catch Pete Holmes for his “Here and Now Tour” when he takes the stage for one night only at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, at the Wheeler Opera House, 330 E. Main St.

“We’re thrilled to continue the tradition of great comedy at the Wheeler with Pete Holmes. Pete is special for how he combines personal, tender reflections with silly, high-energy stand-up. It will surely be a terrific show,” Executive Director Mike Harrington said.

The Ojai-based comedian has been performing stand-up for more than 25 years. For his upcoming Aspen show, Holmes will be sharing a new hour of material, which will eventually go into another special.

“I think people are enjoying it more than any other hour I have ever done. I’m very excited about bringing it to Aspen, which is such a beautiful place. I’m very fortunate my job allows me to go to places like this, and I’m thrilled to be coming back,” Holmes said. 

Holmes is married and the father of a 7-year-old daughter, so his material is inspired by everything from being a dad to the meaning of life. 

Holmes released his latest comedy special, “Silly Silly Fun Boy,” in March 2026. Distributed by 800 Pound Gorilla Media, the special premiered on YouTube and is available on Prime Video. He’s also known for a semi-autobiographical comedy series, HBO’s “Crashing,” which he created, wrote and starred in. The Judd Apatow-produced series ran for three seasons from 2017 to 2019 and drew from Holmes’ life.

In addition to touring, he hosted “The Pete Holmes Show” on TBS from 2013 to 2014 and has been behind the mic on the long-running podcast, “You Made It Weird,” since 2011.

“I look at it this way: in my professional life, stand-up is sort of like my wife, and then you have affairs with other things,” Holmes jokes, explaining that it is ultimately about finding the right container for your ideas.

He’s also branching into children’s books, publishing “Spells to Cast on Your Parents” for young readers ages 3 to 7. The interactive book features a snarky dragon named Jesse with the reader acting as the narrator. The book is available for pre-order and is set to hit bookstores Sept. 1.

He’s also the author of a best-selling spiritual memoir “Comedy Sex God.”

Opening for the show is Matt McCarthy. He’s a comedian, actor, writer and podcaster living in Los Angeles and best known for his large TikTok following and appearances on Conan. McCarthy played the recurring role of ‘Carl’ on the CBS sitcom “How We Roll,” as well as appearing as ‘Sid’ in the horror-thriller 2025 film “Companion.” He has hosted the podcast “We Watch Wrestling” and “VHS Tapes are Magic.”

“He and I have been touring together for almost 3 years now. He’s one of my best friends,” Holmes said. “He’s a deeply funny person.”

Holmes added, “More than even trying to make people laugh, I want to connect with people. The more we are on our devices, the more we’re cut off. People come to stand up because they are missing the human connection. The jokes are an excuse to connect, and everybody just wants to feel like they can relax and enjoy a night together. I’m not trying to shock people.”

Although looking forward to Aspen’s stunning setting, Holmes wondered about the altitude. 

“There’s a good chance I might pass out due to the lack of oxygen, so people should come out for that,” he joked.

The show is geared toward a grown-up audience. For more information and tickets, visit wheeleroperahouse.com/event/pete-holmes-the-pete-here-now-tour.