Stand-up comedian Dylan Mandlsohn said he would much rather be successful through hard work rather than luck.

‘I think a lot of people go to Los Angeles, thinking the big prize is going to be there, without having to put a superhuman effort into it,” said Mandlsohn, who moved to Los Angeles from his hometown of Toronto three years ago. “I honestly believe that work ethic is the new talent.”

Mandlsohn is opening for fellow comedian Craig Robinson at 7 p.m. Saturday in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium.

“Craig and I have never performed together before,” Mandlsoh said. “This will be our first time working together.”

Mandlsohn began doing comedy more than 11 years ago, and has been performing full-time for eight years.

“I’ve been doing comedy since I was 17,” Mandlsohn said. “I was doing comedy while I was at university. I would be on the road, writing ten-page papers on hotel scratch pads.”

He studied to become a teacher, and teaches as a substitute when in Toronto.

Mandlsohn described his comedy as controversial, without being vulgar or unintelligent.

“I do talk about religion, I talk about education. I talk about relationships and sex, without being shocking,” Mandlsohn said. “I like to be smart, and have a point of view. I think when people watch me, they can understand where I’m coming from.”

Mandlsohn performs at a variety of venues, and said he will soon perform at a wedding reception for the first time, and is also booked to perform at a strip club for the first time.

However, he said he most enjoys performing for college audiences.

“I just turned 29 years old, I have two university degrees,” Mandlsohn said. “I know the experience, I know what they’re going through. It’s still somewhat of the same peer group.”

Mandlsohn said he also enjoys performing in Michigan, and considers the state a fertile ground for up-and-coming comedians.

“I think it’s the one state in America with the most amount of comedy opportunities, as far as performing,” Mandlsohn said. “(It has) the most amount of comedy clubs in one state, or at least that was the case a few years ago. It’s mainly a blue-collared state, so these guys have gone through suffering, compared to performing to a bunch of rich people who can’t really identify as much.”

For more information on Mandlsohn and his comedy, visit dylancomic.com.

E-mail the author: Brad Canze