Working at a comedy club, stand-up comedian Scott Wyler is assured that people who come to see him want to laugh.

When he does his act on cruise ships, it is much harder to grab someone's attention. People of all ages can wander into his performance space, and they are not necessarily interested in what he's doing.

But Wyler, calling by satellite telephone from a ship in the Caribbean, said he has learned not to complain out loud about his lot in life.

"It's hard to get sympathy when you tell them, 'I'm bored, running around the Caribbean for 10 weeks,'" said Wyler, who performs May 8 at Primary Health Network's "Laughter is the Best Medicine" fund-raiser.

Wyler, 42, had a more traditional career in stand-up in mind when he started stepping up to the microphone at amateur nights.

The Cleveland native was studying for his master's in business administration in the late '80s at the University of Michigan when the comedy boom was under way.

"There were comedy clubs all over and I thought I could make a living at it," he said.

He made a great start by beating out 250 other comics to win the National Association of Comedy Club Owner's 1990 Standup Comedy Contest in Atlantic City.

Shortly afterward, the comedy boom went bust and hasn't recovered. There are fewer places to play and the money isn't that great, said Wyler, who is technically homeless and keeps his stuff with his parents in Cleveland.

Wyler has found a niche by playing cruise ships. The money is better and more consistent.

Employed by Princess Cruise Lines, Wyler will be at sea 45 weeks this year, he said.

"I'm probably going to be on a ship all summer out of Alaska," said Wyler, who has appeared on "A&E's An Evening at the Improv" and "Comedy on the Road."

Wyler likes to add topical humor to his act, but admits it's hard to keep up on current events when you're out to sea.

It's been a tough time for comedians who like to use topical subjects in their acts, anyway. With the war in Iraq dominating the headlines and many people's thoughts, Wyler is having trouble coming up with jokes.

"It's kind of an unfunny world, right now," he said.

"About the only thing I've found (funny) is the Iraqi information minister," said Wyler, interviewed while the war still was in full swing. "They'll be carrying him off and he'll be saying, 'They're not close.' "

His only other joke that is related concerns his comparison of Presidents Bush and Clinton.

"Bush is a warmonger and Clinton is a whoremonger," he said.

While Wyler is striking out with topical humor, he doesn't have problems coming up with enough material to fill an evening. Referring to himself as a monologist, he also discusses sports, families, school, work and relationships.

"Relationships have really worked well," he said. "I think it's really the best subject. Everyone is in some kind of relationship, or has had a relationship."

Wyler tries to add one new element to his act a week, but the framework of his presentation doesn't change.

"Some of the jokes I've done for years and years because they work well," he said. "Some jokes are born and others die out."

Wyler said he's weighing what jokes to tell for the benefit gig.

"I have a few doctor jokes," he said. "I don't know if they'll like them."

Tom Wilson, a West Middlesex Area High School teacher and standup comic, will open the 8 p.m. show, which Sam Bellich will host. The event raises money for PHN's transportation and pharmacy programs for people who are medically underserved. Tickets: (724) 342-3002, Ext. 208.