Carl Kozlowski had it all in the summer of 2000 – a beautiful fiance, his dream job as a Chicago Tribune reporter, and great gigs as a comedian at some of America’s best comedy clubs.
Then, he fell asleep. Constantly. And inappropriately. In both dangerous and embarrasing situations. For a decade.
“Asleep at the Wheel” is the story of how his unfortunate and insanely lengthy slumber caused him to be the only person in Hollywood to sleep their way out of a job. It’s a tale of embarrassing celebrity encounters including the time two-time Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank thought he was dying in the middle of an interview with her and the night John Mahoney of “Frasier” stopped his performance in one of America’s greatest plays to stare at Carl until he stopped snoring in the theater.
It’s a tale of danger, as Carl recounts his harrowing experience playing human “Frogger” while dodging cars after falling asleep at the wheel on an L.A. freeway. He also recounts his misadventures after being forced to ride the LA public transit system, including the night he was slapped in the face with his own hand and the time he was christened “Captain Save-A-Ho.”
And at some moments, it’s a touching tale of a humbled guy and his experiences enduring a week in one of America’s most notorious hospitals when a side effect of his narcolepsy nearly cost him his legs.
Ultimately, it’s a tale of triumph as doctors finally figured how to save him from sleepiness and regain his mojo. Directed by Carl’s best friend – Chicago comedy headliner and theater wizard Tim Joyce, whose misadventures with Carl are amply covered in the show – and featuring the terrific musical accompaniment of Frank Eady, “Asleep at the Wheel” is one story that will keep you wide awake, on the edge of your seat, and laughing.
