For Arnez J, the stage was the friendly skies and his open-mic audiences consisted of passengers that addressed him as “flight attendant.” The former high-school athlete rose through the comedy ranks quickly once he exchanged safety instructions for stand-up impressions, and by 1992 he had become a finalist in the Bay Area Black Comedy Competition. Now he brings his brand of physical comedy to Las Vegas several times a year.

That comedy mines the differences between men and women, races, regions and family members as he expresses himself with extreme physicality. “I tell truth comedy. It’s just cartoonish,” he said during a 2003 performance recorded for Comedy Central. He might drop to the floor to add a visual aid to a story or make faces like an animated character during his act. Considering the comedy greats he cites as influences—Red Skelton, Joan Rivers, Carol Burnett—it becomes apparent J is a torchbearer for a brand of comedy that never goes out of style.

Golden Nugget, 8 p.m. June 19, starting at $20.90 plus tax and fee, 18+. 866.946.5336