Perhaps best known as Danny Tanner on the family sitcom "Full House," Bob Saget is nothing like the obsessively clean, fatherly character that made him famous. His G-rated family jokes as host of "America's Funniest Home Videos" are not telling of his off-screen personality either. In fact, his new career, doing risqué standup comedy, is a shock to those who are familiar with Saget's soft television reputation.
"I'm not a neat freak, but I like things in order," Saget said. "Otherwise I'm nothing like [Danny Tanner]. I'm an R-rated guy."
Saget added that he talks to young people like he's their age because of his own atypical college career.
"I was a film student at Temple University," he said. "All I did was make movies all the time -- I didn't have much of a college life. I worked, and I took all the money I had from work to go out with my girlfriend and make movies."
Saget's little-known directing career took off when he earned the Student Academy Award for his documentary, "Through Adam's Eyes," in 1977. He later directed "Dirty Work" (1998) starring Norm Macdonald, according to the Internet Movie Database.
It only took Saget three days in graduate school at the University of Southern California to decide that standup comedy -- not directing -- had "opened its doors."
Saget then began touring at rock 'n' roll venues, with groups such as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and supported himself for many years with his comedy act.
In 1987, Saget's comedy career was interrupted when he began working for the show that made Danny Tanner a household name. Ignoring those who ridicule the eight-season family sitcom, Saget said he knows it was a success.
"I would have liked to have done it differently and more unscripted, but I did the best I could," he said. "When someone has a show that runs that long, people are dumb to criticize."
Asked which episode of "Full House" was his favorite, Saget replied, "The last one -- because I got to stop doing it."
He added that the episode with the Beach Boys was a lot of fun, and he said he enjoyed his time with the members of the "Full House" cast, who attracted plenty of mainstream attention from 1987 to 1995.
"The thing that I loved about it was that we all were really good friends on 'Full House' -- we have dinner whenever we can," he said. "I loved my kids, and we got to hug all the time."
Saget overlapped his "Full House" stint with "America's Funniest Home Videos," which he hosted for seven seasons. That show and CNN were the "top shows coming out of America" for a while in terms of international attention, according to Saget.
Saget, now 47, said he "just can't stop performing." He was recently honored for his comedy by Harvard University with induction as an honorary member into the Harvard Lampoon. He also spends much of his time raising money for research on scleroderma, a tissue disease.
Following his comedy act tonight at the Charlottesville Performing Arts Center, Saget will head to New York to perform at comedian Dave Chappelle's new comedy club. He'll then begin touring -- not clubs, but colleges -- with his 17-year-old daughter. Balancing his risqué comedy with his role as a supportive father doesn't seem to be a huge obstacle for Saget.
"That's the weird duality of my crazy life," he said. "My kids love my standup."
Though Saget resembles Tanner in his dedication to his family (and in number of daughters -- three), he said the likelihood of his return to family television is low.
"I just can't do those characters [anymore], 'cause I want to be funny," he said. "That's one thing I'm really confident about is that I'm funny."
Expecting a form of his cuddly television personality to take the stage, some members of Saget's audiences are stunned with his lewd jokes.
"People's mouths drop, but once they're over the initial shock, they really just have a good time," he said.
Second-year Engineering student Jesse Hayden said he is thrilled about Saget's visit and his new reputation.
"I got excited because I had heard before that he was really raunchy, and I think U.Va. needs more raunch," Hayden said.
First-year College student Tim Mein added that he is "shocked and excited" about Saget's visit. Other students are thrilled to revisit a character that was a big part of their younger years.
"It's like reconnecting with your childhood to go see him," first-year College student Lauren McCain said.
Saget said he welcomes the younger crowd, as he understands the nostalgic connection they have to him.
Despite fliers around Grounds publicizing some negative sentiments, including allegations that Bob Saget dislikes kittens and loves Stalin, Saget said he has found college audiences receptive to his humor.
"I just love college audiences," he said. "People grew up watching me."
Saget said his new show, set to air on the WB, features him and college-age kids "just hanging out and talking dumb." The working title of the show is "The BS Show." Ironically, as Saget pointed out, B.S. are his initials.
Saget had a few words of advice for those who want to follow in his footsteps.
"Do it because you really love it," he said. "Try to get your own voice out in your work as soon as possible. Do it not because you want to be rich or because you want to be a good star -- you're an idiot if you just want to be famous."
Despite the fact that Danny Tanner "rarely had the jokes" on "Full House" and the fact that some people never realized that Tanner was not his "own voice," Saget insisted that he has the last laugh.
"I've got the Olsens' home number, and you don't," he said.
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