Contrary to internet rumours, comedian Louie Anderson is not dead.

And of all the places to be found alive, Anderson is spending part of his Las Vegas afterlife preparing for a comedy special at Rumor’s Restaurant and Comedy Club.

“When you’re working on new material you want a place that you can really work out and do the stuff that makes comedy so great. You need that intimacy in a club setting, but also great audiences. There are great audiences in Winnipeg.”

Over the years Anderson extended his comedy to best-selling books, a stint hosting Family Feud and even a Saturday morning cartoon. In a phone interview, Anderson is pleased to mimic his whining Life with Louie characters. His new routine will still have family anecdotes, mixed in with slippery condiments.

“It’s about being over 50, families and butter. On the great prairies where we’re all from, you gotta have butter. Butter gets you through life. Literally, it might even help you fit through doorways at some point.”

The comedian’s show runs Aug. 18–20, and Anderson assures Winnipeg he’s far from dead.

“I’m in the practice of putting this great new special together and I feel like a young comic again. I feel like inventing and creating like I did when I was starting out.”