Canton's Bill Burr 'never imagined' he'd be first comedian to ever perform at Fenway Park

Dana Barbuto, The Patriot Ledger
·3 min read

Canton native and die-hard Red Sox fan Bill Burr will make history later this summer when he becomes the first standup comedian to perform at Fenway Park.

The show is scheduled for Aug. 21 and tickets went on sale April 22.

Burr, 53, is a 1987 graduate of Canton High School and loves all things Boston, except for the tradition of singing "Sweet Caroline" at Fenway just before the bottom of the eighth. He often rants and rambles about the Celtics, Sox, Pats and Bruins on his popular Monday Morning Podcast. He started performing standup comedy in Boston 30 years ago.

Comedian Bill Burr, a Canton native, will perform at Fenway Park Aug. 21, 2022.
Comedian Bill Burr, a Canton native, will perform at Fenway Park Aug. 21, 2022.

“Never imagined it would lead to Fenway,” Burr said in a statement released by Live Nation. “Kind of speechless, which is rare for a big mouth like me.”

Wearing a No. 22 jersey with his name sewn on the back, Burr threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park ahead of the Blue Jays-Red Sox series opener on April 19. Afterward, he did a guest spot in the NESN booth, garnering laughs for his impression of a Derek Jeter at-bat.

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In addition to doing standup and popular podcasts, Burr has appeared in the hit television shows “Breaking Bad,” “The Mandalorian,” “New Girl” and “Reservation Dogs.” His film credits include “Stand Up Guys,” “Date Night,” “The Front Runner” and “The Heat.” He earned critical acclaim for his turn as a New York firefighter in Pete Davidson’s “King of Staten Island.” Burr also hosted "Saturday Night Live" in 2020.

The fifth and final season of his animated adult comedy “F Is for Family” is streaming on Netflix. Burr voices the main character. The show is based on his upbringing in Canton in the 1970s.

Bill Burr is a 1987 graduate of Canton High School.
Bill Burr is a 1987 graduate of Canton High School.

The father of two children, Burr recently wrapped the comedy “Old Dads,” which he co-wrote, directs and stars opposite Bobby Cannavale and Bokeem Woodbine. The comedy follows a middle-aged father and his two best friends as they come to grips with aging and parenting.

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Burr was nominated in 2021 for a Grammy Award for best comedy album for "Paper Tiger," a six-hour-long comedy special that can be streamed on Netflix. His next movie is the Morgan Freeman film “Hate to See You Go,” about a Chicago blues musician.

"SNL" host Bill Burr, a native of Canton, performs his monologue on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020.
"SNL" host Bill Burr, a native of Canton, performs his monologue on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020.

The Fenway gig is part of the actor-comedian’s “Bill Burr (Slight Return)” tour, which kicked off earlier this month in Birmingham, Alabama. Burr’s Boston show is the only New England date that has been announced. Tickets can be bought at RedSox.com/BillBurr.

Also performing at Fenway Park this summer are: Paul McCartney, Zac Brown Band, Def Leppard & Mötley Crue, Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Imagine Dragons, Aerosmith and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

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Reach Dana Barbuto at dbarbuto@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Bill Burr will be the first comedian to perform at Fenway Park