BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A Bethlehem native who made it to the semifinals of “America’s Got Talent” with his quirky comedy will perform at a local music podcast's year-end show at Godfrey Daniels.
Doogie Horner, who had a successful run on "America's Got Talent," then wrote successful books, will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at Godfrey Daniels, 7 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Horner will headline the fourth annual Winter WonderJam, presented by the "Your Next Favorite Band" podcast.
Tickets, at $20 general admission and $7.50 for students and children, are on sale at the Godfrey Daniels website.Your Next Favorite Band release
The show doubles as an effort to raise awareness for local shelters and food banks, including New Bethany.
Also performing will be guitarist Brett Kull and singer Ray Weston from the progressive rock band Echolyn, with singer-songwriters Katie Barbato and Ava Lef and violinist and vocalist Zoe Lemon.
Tickets, at $20 general admission and $7.50 for students and children, are on sale at the Godfrey Daniels website.
Comedy, books and more
Horner, who graduated from Northampton Area High School as Eric Horner, was working as an author and graphic designer for a Philadelphia publishing company when he auditioned for "America's Got Talent."
With his bookish, businessman appearance — thick, horn-rimmed glasses and suit — and a bushy beard and nasally, pitchy voice, he initially was jeered by a hostile New York crowd.
But he won them over, with the episode becoming an Internet sensation, and later won over the skeptical celebrity judges.
Even after viewers voted him off the show, he was brought back as a “wild card” before finally being voted off again.
He illustrated a series for Quirk Books, with titles such as “Kid Presidents,” “Kid Athletes” and “Kid Artists,” then released a book he wrote and illustrated, “Some Very Interesting Cats Perhaps You Weren’t Aware Of.”
He later released "A Die Hard Christmas," a cartoon-illustrated retelling of the hit 1988 action film "Die Hard" starring Bruce Willis.
Most recently, he is author and illustrator of "The Adventures of Invisible Boy," a graphic novel series.
Horner later moved to New York and became a full-time stand-up comic, and has released three comedy albums, "A Delicate Man," "Dad Max" and "The Bee’s Knees."
Night's other performers
Kull, a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, was a founding member of the band Echolyn, which since its 1991 founding has released 12 albums, most recently this year's "Time Silent Radio vii."
Weston is its lead vocalist and bassist.
Kull also is a member of Grey Eye Glances.
Alt-folk singer Katie Barbato also is based in Pennsylvania, as is singer-songwriter Lef. Lemon released the EP "Tailspin" in 2021.
Philip Reese, host of "Your Next Favorite Band," has said that Winter WonderJam "came together out of a hope to reflect on the various interviews from the year and invite any prior guest of the show to provide a message and a recording of a seasonal tune for the audience to enjoy."
All have been at Godfrey Daniels.
