STAND UP TUESDAYS: Kevin Nealon

Stand-Up Tuesdays is a weekly comedy spotlight written by the wonderfully talented Angie Frissore. Covering both known and unknown comics, Stand-up Tuesdays is your new source for all things funny.

This week, Angie puts a spotlight on Kevin Nealon’s comedy career. If you or your comedy troupe would like to be featured on Stand-Up Tuesdays, please email utgjames@gmail.com.

Kevin Nealon’s new Showtime special, “Whelmed…But Not Overly”, is a mildly painful journey through the comedian’s pseudo-misogynistic and wildly unfocused mind as he takes the listener through a fast-paced, frantic hour of comedy.

Having been a fan of Nealon’s for years and growing up with him as the face of SNL’s “Weekend Update”, my initial hope for the comedian-turned-actor’s newest recording quickly waned as I was presented with an aging, whining man who relies on misplaced one-liners and racist wordplay.

“I remember the first time I went skiing – I didn’t know anything about it. I didn’t know that they label the trails for difficulties – black diamonds, greens and blues,” Nealon states. “I’m driving through the mountains of Colorado, and I pull into this convenience store. I said to the guy behind the counter, ‘Hey, what’s the best mountain to go skiing at around here?’ He looked at me right in the eyes, and he goes, ‘You know what? I like Copper Mountain, but a lot of people don’t like to go there because they’re afraid of all the blacks.’”

Here’s where things start to unravel, however, as Nealon simply can’t leave well enough alone and continues on describing the apparent racist conversation well beyond the point of humor. We get it, Kevin – he’s talking about trails, and you’re confused.

It doesn’t get much better as Nealon’s set progresses, as he points out the differences between men and women vomiting (because, of course, every woman hops right on the scale after being violently ill). Nealon continues on to bring up out-dated topics such as the Mayans (spoiler alert! The world did not end!) and what can only be described as aging man problems: “According to my pill box today is F.”

Overall, I expected more from Kevin Nealon – a man who has had me in stitches for over twenty years of my life – but his new special simply does not deliver. “Whelmed…But Not Overly” is surely to leave fans widely underwhelmed and wishing for the kinder days of Nealon’s acting abilities.

“Whelmed…But Not Overly” is available today via Amazon.com and iTunes.

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