My first encounter with standup
comic Bert Kreischer was just last year.
I was browsing through Youtube, watching clips of Brad Williams –
another standup comic I only learned of last year – when I stumbled upon a clip
where he guested and did a short set on a Comedy Central show (forgot what). Right off the bat, he made himself a novelty to
me by doing his set shirtless – exposing his chunky dad bod, beer belly and
all. Apparently, that’s his shtick. He’s usually like that in his performances. It would have been cheap if he wasn’t funny,
which he is, as I found at watching that clip.
Afterward, I proceeded to look into more of his work, and I was
surprised to learn that the movie National
Lampoon’s Van Wilder (really enjoyed that movie, by the way) was inspired
by his real-life exploits in college, and the character of Van Wilder (played
by Ryan Reynolds) was based on him. I
then checked out his old specials The
Machine and Secret Time.
Based on those two specials, I
found Bert Kreischer hilarious, but not exactly outstanding. His material isn’t the intellectual kind, and
doesn’t consistently hit a high note.
Still, he’s very entertaining. He
occasionally laughs at his own jokes, and while this habit can prove
disadvantageous to other comedians, it works for him as he has an infectious
laugh and an evidently genuine spirit for having fun. He enjoys himself, and thus, his audience
enjoys with him. This aspect really
helps him in storytelling, which is definitely his greatest strength as a
comedian. In fact, his anecdote about the
time he became friends with the Russian mafia and became known as “The Machine”
during a school trip is sublime. No
matter how many times you watch it, it remains funny and entertaining every single
time.
However, he has yet to match the
high bar that “The Machine” story set.
He hasn’t yet delivered a yarn that’s as side-splitting and compelling
as that. And this remains the case with
his 2020 Netflix special, Hey Big Boy.
If I have to be honest, I think
his Netflix special prior to it, Secret
Time, is better. Nevertheless, it’s
a riot. He has notable bits about his
wife, his daughters, his pets, buying and owning a gun, and his daily interactions
with a black Starbucks barista.
There are, however, some parts where
you feel like you’re waiting for the punchline to happen, only to discover that
it was actually delivered already (this includes the finale). However, those bits aren’t necessarily duds
when, as usual of him, he’s managed to keep every second of his delivery
amusing and engaging.
Thus, Hey Big Boy proves to be an overall fun time, especially for
those who already dig Bert Kreischer.
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