Since then, the Florida Atlantic University grad has been a finalist on Last Comic Standing's fourth season on NBC and performed on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham. Schultz, 33, will be at the Improv in Coconut Grove on Wednesday to perform in the semifinals for the fest's third annual talent search. Contestants hail from Nashville, Tampa and South Florida.

Schultz, who is working to get a half-hour special on Comedy Central, says his experiences on Comedy Central and Last Comic Standing were "amazing for my career. The exposure was amazing." And while the reality show was stressful, Schultz used it to his advantage. "I had an epiphany and realized I was going to get out there and do my best."

Schultz has some savvy advice for comics just getting started.

"Get out of the business," he laughed. "No, seriously, the best advice I can give is to get on stage as much as possible. Forget about TV and just get on stage. Nothing beats it."

But the need for political correctness (see Michael Richards) doesn't make things easy for comics these days. Or does it? Schultz has created one character, Skippy Greene, he describes as an old-school Catskills comic who is "incredibly politically incorrect." "My thought is, if it's funny, if there's a joke behind it, then say it,'' he says. "If it's just for shock value, well, that's another story."

The South Beach Comedy Festival's So You Think You're Funny semifinals take place at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $10. Finalists will perform during the festival on Jan. 18 at the Colony Theater, where the winner will be announced. Tickets to that show are $20 and available through Ticketmaster. Schultz will also perform at the festival on the Lincoln Road stage on Jan. 19.

For more information, go to www.southbeachcomedyfestival.com.