COMEDY : ‘The Guy With the Eyes’ Keeps Rolling Along

The comedy scene has been tailing off for a couple of years, but Dennis Wolfberg seems not to be noticing. He’s squeezing plenty of life from it.

The bug-eyed comic who S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-S and accents key words as if they’re being squeezed out of him to make his point has signed a deal with Castle Rock Entertainment to do a sitcom, remains in demand for concerts and special events, and just did his latest “Arsenio Hall” show (“That’s about a dozen”).

“You can never do too much national TV,” he said by phone Monday from his home on the old MGM back lot in Culver City before heading to the “Arsenio” taping. And no, he is quick to point out, he does not live in the Beaver’s old house. They’ve put in homes on the lot, where the 47-year-old comic lives with his wife of eight years, former stand-up comic Jeannie McBride, and three sons--a 6-year-old and 2-year-old twins.

“Twins are God’s way of telling you you’ve slept enough in your lives,” explained Wolfberg, who tries to schedule his life so he’s family man during the week and funnyman on the weekends.

That dual system must be working.

“My career’s really moving,” he quietly understated. “I believe I’m the top draw in the country, at least that’s what my agent and club owners are saying. I just sold out four 400-seat shows in Detroit, with prices jacked up.

“Not unlike (Jay) Leno a few years ago, I’m building a base around the country. This sitcom couldn’t have come at a better time.

“People recognize me on the street now. Not all of them know my name, though. Some come up and say, ‘Aren’t you the guy with the eyes?’ ” He paused. “Like some comedians have O-C-U-L-A-R voids.”

Wolfberg, who also sold out an 1,100-seat summer concert in Royal Oak, Mich., is known for his vocal inflection in which he spits out key words and his physical exaggerations, which include those bulging eyes.

“I owe it all to medication,” he joked, then admitted: “I really don’t know I’m doing it. It’s organic. It’s like Michael Jordan. He just naturally sticks his tongue out when he’s driving (to the basket). It’s unique, which isn’t bad. It helps to get across the humor.”

The former South Bronx sixth-grade teacher prefers to mine his humor from personal experiences, leaving the observational and topical stuff for others.

“I’m an old-fashioned storyteller; it’s personalized comedy. It behooves my audience for my life to be interesting.”

Wolfberg, who won the 1990 American Comedy Award for best male stand-up, started telling jokes full time in 1980, moving to California eight years later. His new, as-yet-untitled sitcom will be seen on the Fox Network.

“We pitched a pilot to Castle Rock and they loved it. It will be based on my experiences, tailored to my personality. We’ll begin shooting it in February or March.”

Fox, however, will decide when it airs.

“If I own the network, I put it on when I want,” Wolfberg said. “But since I don’t, I have to let them make that decision.”

This is Wolfberg’s first starring role in a sitcom, and he has no illusions about his acting skills.

“I am to acting what Ike Turner is to the women’s movement. I try, but I’m no Chuck Norris.”