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Tom Papa returns to Steamboat with ‘Grateful Bread’ tour as part of Strings’ comedy lineup

Tom Papa's comedy focuses on bringing people together with humorous takes on family and contemporary topics in life.
Courtesy Photo

Comedian Tom Papa’s last performance in Steamboat left him with two lasting impressions.

“The people were lovely, and they gave me lots of free baked goods,” he joked.

Known for relatable and family-based humor, as well as a grounded perspective, comedian Tom Papa is marking the beginnings of his new “Grateful Bread” tour, by returning to Steamboat Springs with a Thursday performance at the Strings Music Pavilion.



Tom Papa will be performing on Jan. 30 at the Strings Music Pavilion.
Courtesy Photo

The show will start at 7 p.m.

His performance is part of a dedicated effort of the administration of Strings to expand their performance offerings while also supporting local, grassroots efforts to invigorate the comedy scene in the Yampa Valley.  



“We really want to help support elevating stand-up comedy in the valley,” said Strings Director of Programs Katie Carroll. “Steamboat Comedy does such great work and we want to keep building that audience and to diversify our programming.”

Papa’s passion for comedy was sparked in middle school.

“I was always funny, but in seventh grade, I realized that it was actually a job that grown-ups could have when I heard Steve Martin and George Carlin’s albums,” he said. “I realized, ‘Oh, this is something I could actually just do’.”

Inspired by the comedy greats of the time, Papa began watching and learning from anywhere that he could, including “The Tonight Show” and televised comedians.

After graduating college, Papa decided “to work toward it” and stepped onto the stage for the first time. His childhood comic heroes and their unique styles, including Carlin’s thought-provoking observations on society and Bill Cosby’s family-centered humor, played a role in the formation of his own comedic approaches and content.

“I gravitated toward comics who were cleaner, smarter and hopeful,” he noted.

For Papa, comedy lies in creating an authentic connection between his life and the lives of the audience, as he builds on collectively shared experiences throughout his routine. His perspective of self, and his ability to morph that into relatable content for his audience, has evolved as his life has progressed. 

“I’ve been doing this for 30 years,” he explained. “Through that 30 years, my life has changed, and my comedy has changed.”

His goal, however, has always been to be “as funny as possible” and to make people “laugh harder than ever.” The current focus of Papa’s material is family, which for him includes his children, who have recently moved out of the house, as well as his wife and their two dogs.

For Papa, comedy is more than a form of entertainment — it is a way to make the lives of people better. 

“At its best, comedy makes you feel less alone,” he said. “Whether it’s satire or storytelling, comedy helps make sense of the world and reminds you that someone else sees it the way you do.”

Papa enjoys performing in Colorado, noting that audiences in the state have an interesting blend of optimism and realism. 

“There’s enough sunshine for them to be happy and looking for fun, and there’s also enough bad weather that makes them a little jaded and cynical, so you put that combination, and you get great audiences,” he said.

The upcoming Steamboat Springs performance is part of his “Grateful Bread” tour, named as a nod to his popular podcast “Breaking Bread.” The tour will also include a stop at Aspen’s Wheeler Opera House. 

“It’ll be a nice little winter wonderland this weekend,” he said.

Comedian Andy Fiori, and his “grizzly bear” appearance, will add contrast to their performance in Steamboat. His “bachelor lifestyle” material provides a contrast to Papa’s family-based approach to making the audience laugh.

“He’s funny, people love him, and he doesn’t look like me,” Papa joked.

Papa also hosts the podcast “Breaking Bread with Tom Papa,” featuring insightful and funny conversations with guests such as Matt Damon. He also co-hosts the popular radio show “What a Joke With Papa and Fortune” on Sirius XM with comedian Fortune Feimster.

For more information, visit tompapa.com. For tickets to his performance at Strings Music Pavilion on Thursday, visit stringsmusicfestival.com/event/tom-papa/.

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