For Dan Rosenberg, performing stand-up comedy is an addiction. He likens comedy to a drug, saying it is something he just can't go without.

Tonight at 7:30 p.m., the Beaver Falls native will get his fix performing at The Funny Bone, where he first dabbled with comedy on open mic nights.

While at Blackhawk High School, he would drive between the two clubs which offered open mic on alternating nights.

"I was lucky that the Funny Bone had two locations: Monroeville and Station Square," Rosenberg said.

Today Rosenberg co-owns The Comedy District club in Santa Monica, Calif. He opened the club with the intention of cutting back on touring so he can spend more time with his family.

"I've been very lucky that I have a great wife who understands," said Rosenberg. "I was doing comedy when we met."

And now that he has a 7-month-old son, Rosenberg said he believes he has finally found his voice.

"Once you've experienced childbirth or getting married, there are a lot more things to talk about than when you just got out of school." He adds that he likes to keep his routine clean in the case his parents should be in the audience.

"I aim for funny. That's my number one goal," Rosenberg said.

Rosenberg said he looks forward to performing in Pittsburgh again. He enjoys making the certain jokes that make sense here and not anywhere else.

"When no one is laughing, you can always say, 'Go Steelers' and the audience reacts." Rosenberg carries Pittsburgh with him. When in LA, if he hears someone say 'yinz', he said he stops and asks "what part of Pittsburgh are you from?"

He also pointed out that one of his inspirations, local celebrity Donnie Iris, is recognized in LA. He said when he hears one of Iris' songs on the radio, he'll tell people, "He played at my prom!"

Rosenberg also said he remembers when he was in sixth grade and went to the dome at the community college to see Iris play.

"I knew I wanted to perform, but I couldn't sing, so that's how I got into comedy." Rosenberg still marvels at Iris' success.

"He was the local who kind of made it."

As for his comedic inspiration, Rosenberg credits his parents.

"My mom will call me with things and say, 'I did something funny today and I know it will make me look stupid, but you should use it.'"

However, Rosenberg said his most formative years in comedy were spent teaching a traffic class in Orlando, Fla.

"In Florida, they let comedians teach traffic school, so it's not boring," Rosenberg joked. "I taught for two years - 400 classes. That was like my master's in comedy." Rosenberg was certified as a traffic instructor, but delivered the lessons with comedy to Floridians who received speeding tickets and opted to take a class instead of paying the fine.

"That's like 1600 hours of training, doing standup for people who actually don't really want to be there and without alcohol." Rosenberg met the co-owner of his comedy club at the traffic school.

While in Orlando, Rosenberg opened his first comedy club across from Universal Studios. Rosenberg said he loves radio and recalled his first big break when he was a guest on the WDVE morning show with Jim Krenn.

"In Pittsburgh, getting on the WDVE morning show was like getting on 'The Tonight Show'," Rosenberg said. He said he first met Krenn when he was a host at The Funny Bone. Rosenberg and his comic partner at the time, Eric Schiemer, were scheduled to perform. Schiemer couldn't make it, and Rosenberg had to go solo. Despite being nervous about performing solo, he did well. Krenn took notice and invited Rosenberg on the show.

Rosenberg said he and Schiemer still keep in touch. They've known each other since high school orientation where they were the only guys in eighth grade choir.

Looking back, Rosenberg said he always needed his comedy fix even though pursuing a performing career was a bit scary at times.

"I was afraid. I would have started right out of high school if I could've. I was so afraid," Rosenberg said. "It was the only thing I've ever felt that comfortable doing - other than sleeping, lots and lots of sleeping."