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Promotional art for Dandelion
Cover image credit: Promotional image via Prime Video

Dandelion

David Spade

Prime Video · 2025 · 59 min

An hour of low-stakes complaining and self-deprecating storytelling from David Spade.

At 60 years old, David Spade is still leaning into his classic persona of the self-deprecating, slightly aggrieved guy who gets pushed around by life, as exemplified by his title bit about a real-life altercation at a McDonald’s that proved he’s far more of a delicate dandelion than a tough guy. It is a style of comedy that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, finding comfort in the low-stakes annoyances of modern life, like the absolute rage of not getting a thank-you wave after letting someone merge in traffic. He also rants about a heavy, corded microphone throwing out his clavicle on stage, mocking his tech setup in a way that aligns perfectly with his old-school, analog exasperation.

Filmed at the Paramount Theatre in Denver, Colorado, in October 2024 and released on Prime Video in May 2025, the hour represents his first stand-up special since 2022’s Nothing Personal. At this point in his career, he had transitioned into the elder-statesman status of late-90s comedy, spending his time co-hosting the popular Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey and preparing to release the film Busboys with Theo Von. Rather than trying to update his act for contemporary political discourse, Spade leans heavily into the kind of classic, low-friction premises that defined his early career. He takes aim at charity auctions, the ever-shifting landscape of online adult entertainment, and the cultural ubiquity of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. His physical comedy shines during a story about his childhood in Arizona, where he claims his resemblance to a tanned Macaulay Culkin made him an easy target for odd encounters.

The set list

4 bits

  1. Working with a long wired microphone on stage at the Denver venue.

    Pauses in the opening minutes to quip that Jeff Bezos bought a fifth private jet but bought Spade's microphone off a Black Friday deal.

  2. Attending a charity auction hosted by Sean Penn to benefit Haiti.

    Recounts his insecurity causing him to bid far beyond his means, leading him to joke about texting to see if Grown Ups 3 is happening to cover the cost.

  3. The 2023 Titan submersible implosion and billionaires seeking extreme danger.

    Questions why billionaires want to go to Mars or the bottom of the ocean, noting that as a rich guy himself, he finds plenty of things to do on the surface of the planet like visiting The Cheesecake Factory or The Grove.

  4. Receiving unusual Christmas presents from his brother and getting few holiday cards.

    Reflects personally on his brother never knowing what gift to get him, leading to strange surprises.

How it plays

Tone
Dry, sarcastic, cynical, and self-effacing.
On stage
Sardonic, sarcastic, laid-back, dry, and self-deprecating, projecting an admitted privilege and a low-key, meek demeanor.
Pace
Conversational, wandering, and relaxed with a low-energy tempo, punctuated by rambling tangents.
About
air travel and flying hassles, charity auctions and celebrity wealth, evolution of internet pornography, awkward medical procedures and massages, dated pop culture events, billionaires and extreme tourism

What the critics said

Met with lukewarm to critical reviews; critics noted that while Spade's trademark sardonic persona and personal stories still offer occasional wit, much of the observational material felt lazy, rambling, and overly reliant on dated cultural references.

In the room: Mixed reception, with some fans praising his familiar laid-back charm and sharp one-liners, while others felt the material was unpolished and underdeveloped for a theater taping.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: bbfc.co.uk, press.amazonmgmstudios.com, decider.com, rottentomatoes.com, letterboxd.com, whats-on-prime.co.uk, imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, primevideo.com.

Backstory

David Spade's first stand-up special for Prime Video, following a 2022 Netflix special (Nothing Personal) and the success of his SNL retrospective podcast Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey.

Details

Released
Taped
Paramount Theatre, Denver
Runtime
59 min
Where
Prime Video
Director
David Spade
Topics
Before
Nothing Personal (2022)

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