Zane Lamprey

By Aurora Rodriguez5/17/2010

Ever wonder how people celebrate happy hour across the country? How about all around the world? Comedian Zane Lamprey has taken on the arduous task of knocking back a few drinks - sometimes a few too many - in more than 50 countries including Thailand, New Zealand and Iceland, all while documenting it for his cult Travel Channel show, Three Sheets.

Now, Lamprey, 34, has taken on the new challenge of visiting more than 50 U.S. cities on his interactive ``Drinking Made Easy'' comedy tour, which stops in Fort Lauderdale's Culture Room Wednesday.

The alcohol aficionado will investigate all things beer, wine and booze. Lamprey will also explore the drinking customs of each city he visits for his upcoming 24-episode series, Drinking Made Easy, to be shown on HDNet in September. We chatted:

What's your favorite thing about being on tour?

I love the energy. I'm trying to shoot a TV show during the day, then instead of chatting about what we shoot and relaxing, we walk right onstage and do a two-hour show. We need to figure out where I can get my sleep!

Will you be exploring the drinking customs of South Florida while in town?

Yeah, and I haven't even researched it yet, but I definitely want to check out some places. I am taking it one day at a time. . . . In Santa Fe, there was a chili beer, for example. We try to find things in each place that are made with different ingredients or that you can only get there. It's all about a place's history.

Do you have any survival skills for those seeing your comedy tour?

Anybody who knows anything about me knows the show is also a drinking game. I salute designated drivers who are having water and Coke, and anyone playing the game needs to say that they have an alternative method to get home.

Name a couple of your favorite cocktails from around the world.

As far as cocktails, I loved the pisco sour in Chile and the mojito at Nono's in Puerto Rico. In Three Sheets we try to find the best stuff, so I've had everything from a $10,000 bottle of scotch to a $200 beer.''

When you think of South Florida what comes to mind?

Miami [laughs]! I love Miami; that place is electric. . . . I think of dancing and having a good time. I try to dress like Sonny Crocket from Miami Vice when I'm down there. Give me something powder blue and I'll wear it!

What's the best hangover cure while on the road?

Today I had coffee, Diet Coke and a Halls menthol drop. I'll let you know in an hour if any of those work.