Don't call Alonzo Bodden the next Clay Aiken. Though he came in second to John Heffron on NBC's reality competition “Last Comic Standing,” Bodden isn't fond of Aiken comparisons.

“That's a little shaky,’’ he says. “God bless Clay, but that whole ‘Is he straight, is he gay thing’ I could live without. But success-wise, it's a beautiful thing.’’

And success-wise, the jet-mechanic- turned-standup-comic is on top of the world.

“I was actually aiming for second the whole time,’’ he says. “I saw what happened to the guys who did it last year. The exposure was huge. Ralphie (May) came in second and he's rich now!”

Since appearing on the NBC series, Bodden says he gets recognized everywhere.

“I had my first dinner (interrupted) to take a picture, which was cool,’’ he says. “The guy at Starbuck’s recognized me and gave me a free pound of coffee. Any time you're getting free stuff, you're moving up the food chain.’’

In addition to receiving love from fans, Bodden says he received support from his former cast members when he made it to the final three.

“I think the biggest compliment is the other comedians voting for me,’’ he says. “They're in the business and they know. Not that America doesn't, but it's a little bigger coming from my peers. (Show host) Jay Mohr endorsing me — that was big.’’

Although he says he enjoyed his time in the castle-style pad that he shared with 10 fellow comedians, Bodden compares the experience to a white- collar prison.

“We never got word from the outside,’’ says Bodden, who shared a room with Todd Glass and Gary Gulman. “No television. No newspapers. No phone calls. No Internet. We didn't know what was going on at the bottom of the hill.’’

Bodden says that one night, he and Heffron became so antsy that they decided to construct a raft.

“We ran around the house grabbing these decorative bamboo poles,’’ he says, laughing. “Neither one of us knew how to tie a knot so we kept making knots in this rope and eventually we took the yoga mats and attached them to the bamboo.

‘‘We made our raft and floated the garden gnome that Tammy (Pescatelli) loved across the pool. That was about the funniest thing and they didn't show any of that on the show.’’

Bodden returned to TV Monday with the premiere of the third season of “Last Comic Standing,’’ which pits the first- and second-season casts against each other.

“I plan to be first in season three,’’ Bodden says.

In addition to “Last Comic Standing 3,’’ Bodden says he has a role in “The Onion,’’ a film that features several sketch comedy scenes and will debut in November.

“It's my first movie role that is funny,’’ he says. “But my dream movie role is a bad guy with a sense of humor. I would love to be the hit man that makes you laugh before I take you out.’’

"I'm Still Standing Tour"
With: Alonzo Bodden, Gary Gulman, Jay London
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, 8 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday
Where: Tempe Improv, 930 E. University Drive
How much: $19-$22
Info: