During a prolific career as one of the most ubiquitous character actors in film and television, Mary Lynn Rajskub has entertained audiences with her deadpan humor, skeptical facial expressions and droll delivery that gives the impression that she doesn’t have time for any of the BS people are bringing her way.
A key to that exasperated combination is Rajskub’s nasally Midwestern accent, a flattened vocal effect that seems to heighten her perturbance. And while Rajskub’s roots lie in the Michigan hinterlands, her comedic beginnings can be traced back to San Francisco.
“I was in art school in Detroit and painting just wasn’t really working out for me,” said Rajskub, who performs at four separate events at this year’s SF Sketchfest. “So, I moved to San Francisco and was doing really performance art comedy stuff at local coffee shops and open mic nights. There was just a really fertile comedy scene happening in San Francisco at that time. I definitely feel fortunate — it was very much the right place at the right time vibe for me.”
Through the connections she fostered in San Francisco, Rajskub landed roles in “Mr. Show with Bob and David” and “The Larry Sanders Show,” two groundbreaking comedies on HBO that helped launch the roles of countless comedians. Since appearing in those mid-90s classics, Rajskub has never been short of memorable roles, appearing in everything from bombastic action vehicles (“24,” “The Tomorrow War”) to mainstream comedies (“Veronica’s Closet,” “Road Trip”) and critical indie darlings (“Punch Drunk Love,” “Little Miss Sunshine”).
Rajskub has perfected the art of leaving a lasting impression — whether in a one-time cameo appearance, such as playing an obsessive Art Garfunkel fan in “Flight of the Conchords,” or honing a creepy recurring role, like her portrayal of the depraved “Gail the Snail” in “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
“Sometimes I do have to pause and give myself a little pat on the back for all the roles I’ve been able to play over the years,” said Rajskub. “Because I’ve always had this mentality of keeping my nose to the grindstone, looking for that next job. I’m always asking myself, ‘How can I get hired for this job?’ So to be able to put together a career with this huge variety of roles I think is a testament to that mentality — of just always looking for a role that I can play.”
For her homecoming to San Francisco, Rajskub will take part in five different performances over three days at Sketchfest, making for a busy schedule at the multi-venue event.
On Friday, Jan. 27, Rajskub will participate in “Stop Joking For 100 Years And Other Requests From My Kid (Stories of Parenting and Childhood)” alongside other comedians like Bobcat Goldthwait, Janeane Garofalo and Eugene Mirman. Later that night, she’ll take part in a showing of “Smug Shift,” the live vehicle of Moshe Kasher and Brent Weinbach that has roots in the Oakland comedy scene.
The following day, she’ll make an appearance in “The Comedy Pack,” which features various actors doing readings of the screenwriter Eugene Pack. She’ll also team up with Andy Richter and others for “Selected Shorts: Too Hot for Radio” a reenactment of tawdry news stories.
She’ll cap her marathon run with “Will You Accept This Rose,” a zany recap of the “The Bachelor” franchises hosted by self-avowed super fan Arden Myrin.
“Yeah, I don’t think I fully realized how busy I would be when I agreed to take part in all these things,” said Rajskub. “But it’s good to be talking about it now. It’s a nice reminder of all the things I have to prepare for.”
In many ways, Rajskub’s frenetic scheduling pace at Sketchfest is an ideal reflection of her enduring acting career. She’s never afraid to take on an endeavor that might be rewarding, regardless of the content or direction. And, of course, San Francisco is playing a central role again.