On the second Sunday of every month, Downtown Joe’s American Grill and Brewhouse serves up big-city comedy along with the burgers and beer.

Beginning at 9:30 p.m., Napa comic James Fluty hosts an evening of stand-up humor from some of the Bay Area’s leading — and up-and-coming — talents.

“The headliners are basically the future generation of comics,” says Fluty, who also books the performers for each month’s show. “They’re the best of the best in San Francisco.”

The opening acts, Fluty continues, are “rising stars who are probably going to get sitcoms someday.”

On Jan. 13, they’ll include former Napan Caitlin Gill, who is “advancing in the standup scene right now,” Fluty says, along with insult comic Kaseem Bentley, who “just goes right into the crowd and starts talking to people.”

This month’s headliner is Brent Weinbach, whose credits include an Andy Kaufman Award, appearances at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and a stint hosting MTV’s “Room 401.”

“He’s definitely one of the bigger names in San Francisco now,” says Fluty, who calls Weinbach’s humor “strange” and describes his style as “sort of a mix of Steven Wright, Steve Martin and Mitch Hedberg.”

Weinbach himself lists Harpo Marx, Rowan Atkinson and Joe Frank as the leading influences on his character-driven comedy.

Nightclub humor can be “blue”

Fluty books all the comics for Second Sunday, and as master of ceremonies also entertains the audience with his own humor.

He tones it down, though, from the full-throttle style of his San Francisco nightclub appearances:

“I don’t want to anger a crowd and then bring up another comic,” he explains. “It would be wrong to go, ‘This is why all your beliefs are wrong. Here’s Brent Weinbach!’”

Still, Fluty makes it clear that a lot of his jokes are “definitely blue.” Although the restaurant is open to all ages, Second Sunday is not for children or those who object to four-letter words.

“We’ve definitely had some people who didn’t know comedy was going on and then walked out,” he says.

Now, “I remind everyone beforehand that there’s going to be more Richard Pryors than Bob Hopes up there.”

As for his own humor: “At times I’m edgy,” Fluty says. “I do try and bring up topics.”

Other times, “it’s just goofiness.”

Almost 25 — his birthday is next month — Fluty attended Napa High School, the Napa Valley Adult School and Napa Valley College before striking out on his own as a writer and comic.

“I didn’t want to go into debt going to college, and I decided any job I got through college I wouldn’t enjoy anyway,” he says.

Fluty worked some San Francisco clubs and a regular comedy night in Vallejo before deciding to focus on developing an audience in his hometown.

Though the Second Sunday Comedy Night got off to “sort of a rocky start,” he says it’s become increasingly well-attended:

“People are starting to see I bring in consistently really good comics.”

San Francisco comics are interested in working at Downtown Joe’s, Fluty continues, because there are so few stand-up venues in the North Bay.

Entertainment in Napa, he says, is “usually really expensive and catered to tourism.

“Some underground comedy scene seemed like a good idea.”

There is no cover charge for the Second Sunday Comedy Night at Downtown Joe’s; for more information, call 258-2337 or visit www.downtownjoes.com.

Second Sunday Comedy Night

Featuring Brent Weinbach, Caitlin Gill, Kaseem Bentley and host James Fluty

Jan. 13, 9:30 p.m., no cover

Downtown Joe’s

902 Main Street, Napa

Table reservations and information: 258-2337