By Julie Hinds

McClatchy Newspapers 

On his latest CD/DVD, "My Weakness Is Strong," Patton Oswalt talks about waiting for the birth of his daughter.

"I just hope that she gets my looks and personality. ...With this face and my outlook, her whole life, it'll just be a sheet cake made of victory," he says.

Comedy geeks love Oswalt because he's one of them. He's ironic, intense and passionately interested in things like comic books and science fiction. You might describe his onstage character as a self-aware nerdy guy frustrated by the absurdities that surround him.

In real life, his sheet cake of career achievements is particularly sweet at the moment.

Oswalt is getting rave reviews for his dramatic turn in "Big Fan" as a parking lot attendant obsessed with the New York Giants. The independent film was directed by "The Wrestler" screenwriter Robert Siegel.

"I'm not going to lie to you. It feels really great," says Oswalt of the kudos for his performance.

"Big Fan" is the latest highlight for Oswalt, who has a knack for getting involved with quality projects. He had a role this year in the Steven Soderbergh film "The Inforoant!" and was the voice of Remy the Rat in the 2007 hit "Ratatouille."

He has appeared on popular TV shows like "Reno 911!,""Flight of the Conchords," and "United States of Tara." And he'll be in the upcoming SyFy series "Caprica," a prequel to "Battlestar Galactica."

Many fans still cherish his role as Spence, the put-upon pal of Kevin James in "The King of Queens."

As someone who's creative with language in his comedy (in one routine, he calls KFC Famous Bowls "a failure pile in a sadness bowl"), Oswalt has a word that he prefers more than "geeky" or "fanboy" to describe someone with his interests and persona.

"I really like the word 'enthusiast,"' he says. "That's an underrated word for people who normally are called geeks."

His current enthusiasms include the new James Ellroy book and country music by classic artists such as Merle Haggard.

What does he like to do if he has a few hours free before a show? "Go somewhere and read," he says.

His weakness is strong -- and pretty smart, too.

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