Augie delivers his comedic punches with the finesse of a boxer (which he was in another life) and the ease of a buddy yakking away in the comfort of his living room.

He's ready for a big break — on the Mainland.

With his concert this fall at the downtown Hawai'i Theatre, Augie T (for Tulba) became the first comic to sell out the facility.

That's a remarkable accomplishment, since he's been playing conventional comedy lounges, a few showrooms and an occasional "big" gig with fellow comics.

But this is Augie solo, and clearly, he's very comfortable in his niche — local-style standup with a mix of pidgin, a measure of standard English, and lots of unpredictable lunacy.

He's not really doing anything that hasn't been done by his predecessors or mentors.

But Augie, as the most promising of the current breed of emerging comics, stands a good chance of surging through the barriers, with his quick wit and his comic timing. He makes his gags seem improvisational, off the cuff. His topics are mundane but his delivery is marvelously clever, tapping makeover shows on TV, low SAT scores, shopping at Neiman Marcus, and on a personal note, encounters with and living with a gay son.

His delivery, and precision, make the common seem deliriously fresh. Perhaps his background — Kalihi-born, Wai'anae-raised, now living in 'Ewa — contributes to his fortitude and fuels his drive. He simply glides from one sketch to another, with seamless effort and a real storyteller's zeal.

One quibble: In the context of his live performance (which we saw at the Hawai'i Theatre), Augie's take on the handicapped, specifically linked to an uncle, is outrageously funny. But he's right on the fence when he pokes fun, however gently, at others who are challenged.

The DVD extras include interviews with show-goers as well as Augie's siblings and parents; some of the comments are especially touching, particularly from Bo, Augie's son, who endorses the gay material dispensed by his dad. (Augie tests routines with Bo, his own in-house critic, before using them.) Childhood photos of Augie in his younger days add a dimension of time travel. My, how he's grown and matured, all for the better.