He’s been on one of the most beloved American comedy series’ of all time. 

He was a semifinalist on Last Comic Standing.

He has performed for David Letterman, Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham” showcase and more recently, the Arsenio Hall Show. 

And on Saturday, Sacramento comic Mike E. Winfield – who now calls Hollywood home – will be in Manteca headlining yet another Pretending to Care (PTC) comedy show at The Pub. It’s the first time that Winfield has performed in the Central Valley.

“We got lucky on this one,” said Anthony Krayenhagen – who will, ironically, be headlining Laughs Unlimited in Sacramento this weekend. “He had a weekend open up a while back in Sac and we asked and after some encouragement, he agreed to play Manteca.”

Winfield had a recurring role as Wes – the new warehouse guy – on NBC’s “The Office” during its 2011 season. The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) credits him at appearing in two episodes, and his big hair and friendly demeanor immediately makes him stand out on screen among the hard-hitting ensemble cast. 

He had tapped Krayenhagen and his PTC co-host Chris Teicheira to open for him when performing at Sacramento’s famed Crest Theater. He will now target an entirely new audience that has been treated to a fair amount of national comedy talent over the last two years – a steady stream of which has flowed through the low-ceiling longue at Isadore’s and graced the back patio of The Pub during the summer months. 

Getting to work with a rising star, Teicheira said, with such obvious talent was a great way to soak up some of his knowledge and extend the network that, in this case, will end up benefitting Manteca residents searching for the big-city experience in their own backyard. 

“Anthony and I were both maybe a year or two in and the booker asked us if we’d open for Mike,” he said. “They didn’t have to twist our arms. We both did pretty well and Mike took notice and we’ve both been asked by him to open on the occasions he appears in Nor-Cal. Now he’s coming here.”

The doors to the outdoor venue will open at 8 p.m. with the show starting promptly at 8:30 p.m. – the $10 tickets will be available at the door. Bar owner Tony Coit, Teicheira said, wanted to remind people that the bar will be open at 10 a.m. and that he’d be willing to tell a joke or two or free prior to the start of the show. 

The cost alone – easily a $40 show in San Francisco plus the cost of gas, parking and dinner – is something that Teicheira hopes most Manteca residents will take notice of. 

“I haven’t had a comic leave a Manteca show without commenting about how much fun they’ve had,” Teicheira said. “Word of mouth among comics is how I’m getting these top notch comics here, so kudos to Manteca.”

Cheryl “The Soccer Mom” Anderson and Stephen Furey will serve as Winfield’s opening acts.