▁John ▁C andy ▁along ▁with ▁Bill ▁Mah er , ▁Pa ula ▁P ound stone , ▁and ▁the ▁Ama zing ▁John athan . ▁ ▁He ▁worked ▁at ▁the ▁Com edy ▁Store ▁while ▁in ▁LA , ▁also ▁doing ▁travel ing ▁stand - up ▁in ▁San ▁Jose , ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁Detroit , ▁Kansas ▁City ▁and ▁Min ne apolis . ▁H od g son ▁left ▁stand - up ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁cit ing ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁a ▁cre ative ▁s abb at ical , ▁and ▁moved ▁back ▁to ▁Min ne apolis . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁- ▁H od g son ' s ▁' o fficial ' ▁return ▁to ▁comedy ▁- ▁he ▁built ▁and ▁sold ▁sculpt ures , ▁worked ▁at ▁a ▁T - sh irt ▁factory , ▁designed ▁to ys , ▁and ▁began ▁design ing ▁and ▁building ▁props ▁( including ▁rob ots ) ▁for ▁other ▁com ed ians . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁he ▁co - w rote ▁an ▁H BO ▁special ▁with ▁Jerry ▁Se inf eld . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁considered ▁for ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Wo ody ▁Bo yd ▁in ▁Cheers . ▁He ▁met ▁Jim ▁Mall on ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁and ▁Mall on ▁became ▁production ▁manager ▁at ▁the ▁St . ▁Paul ▁U H F ▁station ▁K T MA ▁Channel ▁ 2 3 ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁H od g son ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁choice ▁to ▁port ray ▁" Ph ilo " ▁in ▁the