Most people would probably agree that the superlative section of their high school yearbook was more a popularity contest than a valid prediction of the future. But the Carlsbad High class of '97 was spot on when they voted Matt Balaker class clown.

An investment officer by day, the UCLA graduate has been performing stand-up for more than six years. He credits his parents for instilling in him a love of comedy.

"My mom and dad would always tape 'An Evening at the Improv' when I was a little kid," Balaker said. "It was .. my bedtime so they'd review it and make sure there wasn't anything inappropriate. Then when I got home from school I'd watch it.

"My dad was a big Rodney Dangerfield fan. Rodney used to host young comedian specials on HBO so we'd watch those together. It was really my parents. They were fans so I was lucky in that I could see a fair amount of stand-ups."

Turning an assignment into a performance whenever possible, Balaker said he enjoyed the attention he received from his classmates. "At Magnolia (Elementary), we had to do Say No To Drugs skits for D.A.R.E. and it was fun," he said. "I did a lot of skits when I could for English class, and I got to make a speech at graduation. That was my first big audience."

Balaker took his comedy one step further during his sophomore year in college. He decided to take some time off and move to New York, where he interned on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." He and a co-worker dared each other to perform during an open mic night at a local club.

"I got there late so I was last to go," Balaker said. "I remember thinking, 'It's my first time doing stand-up and I'm already headlining.'

"There were a few people there, and I thought they were going to hang on to my every word. They really couldn't have cared less. But I did it. It was such a rush. I got some laughs — or some people paid attention, which was a moral victory," he said.

Not long after, Balaker returned to UCLA, but not to the stage. "I was afraid to do it again," he said. Then, during his senior year, he decided to give it another try.

"It was time to get back on the horse," he said. "It was horrible. But I got the love back." Since then, Balaker has been performing at least two or three times a week in Los Angeles and San Diego. In his travels, he received some valuable advice from comedienne Lisa Lampanelli.

"She said, 'Just do what you enjoy and more than anything else, keep at it,'" Balaker said. "I realized, like any job, the more work you put into it, the more you'll get out." With that in mind, Balaker continued performing and eventually began producing his own show. His headliners have included veteran performers such as "Last Comic Standing" winner Alonzo Bodden, Joe Rogan from "Fear Factor" and Greg Fitzsimmons.

"It was so rewarding to have a show where these people I watched growing up were now coming to do a show that I was running, and I could perform with them," said Balaker, who now has his own advice for amateur stand-ups.

"Not every joke's going to be good," he said. "I've had plenty of bad stuff. And that's not a problem. You learn more from that than from the good shows. But if you can't handle rejection, it's the worst thing to do."

As for his style of comedy, "One person described it as the thinking man's Andrew Dice Clay," Balaker said. "But Dice has been able to make millions and I'm lucky to get $15 a show, so I don't know if that's a great comparison. I think it's a mixture of silly and dry, and I'd like to say somewhat cerebral — though a lot of it initially was from girls I dated or who didn't want to date me."

Balaker currently produces "Ballgame's [Laugh Lounge]" twice monthly at Red Rock in Hollywood. As often as possible, he performs locally, where "the crowds are great," he said. "They tend to really support comedy." He will be appearing Aug. 8 at The Comedy Palace, 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Visit www.thecomedypalace.com for details.

With a mortgage and bills to pay, Balaker said he will continue his day job in the financial world. But comedy will always be his outlet. "This keeps me balanced," he said. "It's sort of a bizarre addiction. It's probably something, for better or worse, I'll never be able to stop. I just hope people will want to listen."