When Augie Tulba promises on stage that he aims to own his just-launched weekly stand-up gig at the Sheraton Waikiki's Esprit Lounge for at least the better part of a decade, you want to believe him.

That's because it's clear from the moment he takes that stage that the uber-funny Wai'anae-raised comedian, popular morning radio jock and all-around-decent guy just wants to please everyone. If everyone busts a gut laughing in the process? All the better.

Take his wife, please, for whom Tulba begrudgingly played good husband by shelling out $400 for front-row tickets to Celine Dion's glittering Las Vegas ego-fest: "All I was thinking at the time is, 'This better come with one lap dance!' "

Or Tulba's vow to offer all future Honolulu visitors a real-life tour of his hometown, skipping the airport shell leis and hukilau real locals would never be caught dead wearing or attending: "I'd wanna take 'em right into traffic on H-1. ... Then I'd take 'em to A'ala Park." Next stop? A whirlwind Leeward Coast meet-and-greet with "Nanakuli transvestites" and "Ma'ili car strippers."

Tulba's third Wednesday evening "Hawaiian Style Comedy Show" a couple weeks back attracted a mixed-age standing-room-only crowd, heavy on locals and an encouraging smattering of visitors. Pacing the intimate Esprit stage as if channeling memories of his locally famous sold-out 2004 Hawai'i Theatre gig, Tulba let loose witticisms with rapid-fire precision and confidence, cracking up an audience already audibly primed to love anything he did before he even started.

Tulba busted on residents, visitors, his family, local love of Las Vegas and even bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman, among other topics, with equal relish. Referencing "Cops" and potential Mainlander first impressions of Hawai'i gleaned from watching too much "Dog the Bounty Hunter," Tulba observed: "We went from cops chasing rednecks to one redneck chasing locals."

There were the occasional snapshots of what life was like growing up in the Tulba household. Apparently, inventively cheap Christmas presents and sneaking the entire brood into drive-in movies utilizing lots of blankets were the norm.

Tulba's giddy eagerness to point out his remarkably game mom and dad in the audience after said jokes? Priceless.

Bonus points to Tulba, as well, for mining the depths of local pop culture and identity by regularly chiding a couple of audience members at one table for their resemblance to tire merchant Lex Brodie and deceased jewelry merchant Conrad "Connie" Conrad.

The Esprit was just cozy enough to offer much of the audience good views of the stage for the hourlong show. A single-show-a-week schedule and excellent word-of-mouth should guarantee Tulba a packed house for some time.

"Come back to Waikiki!" Tulba encouraged the audience before leaving the stage.

Keep the jokes funny and always evolving, and that won't be a problem, Augie T.

Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com.