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Cover image credit: Thumbnail: YouTube · Bill Engvall

15° Off Cool

Bill Engvall

Comedy Central · 2007 · 60 min

A Blue Collar comic confronts the domestic indignities of middle age.

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Bill Engvall knows exactly who his audience is and what they expect. Filmed just as the Blue Collar Comedy Tour juggernaut was winding down, 15° Off Cool captures a comic comfortably in his pocket. He leans into the domestic reality of middle age, building a set around the realization that he is no longer remotely cool. The material focuses on standard dad grievances, like hiding out in the garage to avoid household chores and the tactical disadvantage of trying to win an argument with your wife while completely naked.

Shot at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas, the special debuted on Comedy Central in early 2007 before its audio release topped the Billboard comedy chart. Engvall was operating at peak commercial visibility, having just wrapped the final Blue Collar film and preparing for the launch of his self-titled TBS sitcom. The rest of the hour covers familiar territory, targeting NASCAR, fast food, and the physical realities of getting older.

The set list

4 bits
  1. The closer (spoiler). Show it

    Ride with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds closer

    Relounts his celebrity flight in an Air Force F-16 fighter jet, highlighting his humorous lack of cool in high-intensity situations.

  2. Arguing with wives and the Honey-Do list

    Explains retreating to his garage to escape chores and warns single men that guys will never win an argument with their wives.

  3. Ionic Breeze air fresheners

    Pokes gentle fun at domestic products and everyday household gadgets.

  4. Free range chickens

    Humorous observational storytelling about food trends and chickens.

How it plays

Tone
Gentle, self-deprecating, and relatable.
On stage
An 'any man's every man' with an easy-going charm, coming across like a friend sitting around swapping stories over a couple of beers while retaining an innate sense of wonder.
Pace
Relaxed and conversational, delivered with his native Texas drawl.
About
Domestic bewilderment, Husband and wife dynamics, Household chores, Getting older

What the critics said

Praised for staying fresh and funny by keeping his sense of wonder toward everyday life and perfecting the relatable, conversational storytelling persona without relying on old catchphrases.

In the room: Appreciative Austin crowd.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: allmusic.com, piglix.com, tv.apple.com, qobuz.com, trageser.com, imdb.com, thefutoncritic.com, en.wikipedia.org, billengvall.com.

Backstory

Filmed while hosting CMT's Country Fried Home Videos and starring in the feature film Delta Farce, marking a show featuring all-new material.

Details

Released
Taped
The Paramount Theatre, Austin
Runtime
60 min
Where
Comedy Central
Director
C.B. Harding
Honors
Ranked #1 on Billboard's Comedy ChartDebuted on the Billboard 200 albums chart
Topics
Before
Here's Your Christmas Album (2005)
After
Aged and Confused (2009)

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