So if you missed him at Bumbershoot, or didnt get enough of the guy during those shows, Patton Oswalt now returns to a much bigger, grander stage. Though, no matter that he supplied the starring voice in Pixars hit Ratatouille, he remains a very unassuming, underdog sort of comicone more accustomed to playing cretins on Reno 911!. Or obsessive losers, like the football-crazed nebbish in Big Fan, which opens today at the Varsity. At 40, now married and a parent, Oswalt organized the successful Comedians of Comedy tour and is still associated with the alt-comedy movement of the 90s. But hes no slacker; with a résumé that includes The King of Queens and Steven Soderberghs The Informant! (opening today), hes often dissed the whole indie rock shoegazer shtick. He has no patience for those, in comedy or music, who pretend they dont want to be on stage. He worked hard to get his name on the marquee; and his fans appreciate the effort. BRIAN MILLER
Fri., Sept. 18, 8 p.m., 2009
