Thursday night around 9:30 Point Park freshman C.J. Toledano was sitting in the audience at the Improv laughing along with everyone else at one of his comedy heroes, Dave Chappelle.

An hour later, Toledano was on the stage doing an opening five minutes before Chappelle's second show.

What a difference 60 minutes makes.

Toledano, a comedian for all of six months, was seated right in front during the funnyman's first show. Through a little audience interaction, Chappelle discovered that Toledano was a burgeoning comic who had brought along his joke book.

Chappelle leafed through the book but didn't read them out loud, recalling painful memories of someone reading his joke book aloud on a school bus.

But what Chappelle did was give the up-and-comer a five-minute opening shot for the remainder of his Pittsburgh run, which ends today.

"I was shocked, you know. I only dream about things that big," Toledano said. "He's such a cool guy. There's really no words to say. I'm very grateful. ..."

Between the first and second shows, Chappelle, a laid-back, down-to-earth, sweetheart of a guy, gave Toledano the wisdom he'd gleaned from nearly two decades as a comedian.

"Don't worry about failing," Chappelle told the 18-year-old from Erie. "If you're nervous, tell the audience you're nervous."

An audience can relate to someone being nervous, Chappelle explained. "They'll root for you," he said.

Regular opener New York comedian Doug Saulnier, a very funny guy, did about 10 minutes before bringing on Toledano, who received a few laughs and a warm hand from the audience.

"I didn't have much material prepared," Toledano said, "so I just kind of talked to the crowd and tried to be naturally funny, and I think it worked out."