In Concert

Kevin Meaney operates at a frantic pitch, treating stand-up like an unhinged musical theater audition. The centerpiece of this show is his full-stage breakdown set to a 1985 charity single. He mocks the earnestness of the track by physically inhabiting the various singers, dedicating a good chunk of time to roasting Dan Aykroyd’s confusing background appearance.

Filmed at the Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing, Minnesota, the 1991 set captures the comic during a strange transitional phase. He had just wrapped up a starring role on a canceled CBS adaptation of Uncle Buck, and returning to the stage allowed him to drop network constraints. He runs through established material, including his signature arm-waving song about not caring if the crowd likes the act. He also leans heavily into high-strung impressions of his judgmental parents, complete with his trademark “That’s not right!” catchphrase and complaints about “big pants people”.