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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy
Cover image credit: Thumbnail: YouTube · 800 Pound Gorilla Media

Make Joke from Face

Nick Swardson

YouTube · 2024 · 45 min

A loose, low-budget club hour full of potty humor.

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Nick Swardson’s return to the stand-up stage after a nine-year absence is exactly what his fans expect: a parade of bodily function anecdotes, physical bits, and name-dropping. Taped at the San Jose Improv in California, Swardson bypasses the polished, high-gloss production values of major streaming platforms for a loose, intimate set released directly to YouTube. He remains comfortably in his lane, avoiding politics or personal evolution in favor of stories about hanging out with his 90-year-old grandmother and her elderly friends.

Between Swardson’s high-energy physical comedy and his classic self-deprecation, the hour offers plenty of his trademark absurdity. He tells stories about his childhood, explains what not to do when suffering from diarrhea, and recalls run-ins with the police. The set also features his memories of playing Terry on Reno 911! and personal, affectionate stories about his late friend and mentor Norm Macdonald.

The set list

6 bits

  1. What not to do about diarrhea

    Life advice framed through personal bodily mishap stories.

  2. Riding in helicopters

    Misadventures and comedic anxiety during helicopter flights.

  3. Run-ins with the police

    Recounting awkward encounters with law enforcement.

  4. Playing Terry on Reno 911!

    Behind-the-scenes memories and reflections on his famous recurring television character.

  5. Cherished moments with friends and the late Norm Macdonald

    Personal reflections and comedic memories involving close colleagues and legendary comedian friends.

  6. Growing older and living through your 40s

    Observational humor concerning the physical and mental realities of aging.

How it plays

Tone
Silly, self-deprecating, and heavily centered on toilet humor and bodily fluids.
On stage
Casual, goofy, and laid-back, performing in a backwards baseball cap and short basketball shorts with unpretentious, silly energy.
Pace
Laid-back narrative delivery combined with animated physical humor and off-the-cuff quips.
About
aging and being in your 40s, toilet humor and bodily fluids, acting roles and Hollywood memories, encounters with law enforcement, friendships and misadventures

What the critics said

Received mixed-to-positive responses from reviewers, who highlighted Swardson's storytelling ability and physical comedy while noting the material remains firmly rooted in his trademark juvenile bodily fluid humor.

In the room: Energetic club crowd response with strong engagement from longtime fans.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: starsalert.com, pro.imdb.com, imdb.com, clicker.com, letterboxd.com, 800poundgorillamedia.com, deadline.com, primevideo.com.

Backstory

Swardson returns to the stage with his birthday drawing near, preparing for his subsequent 'Toilet Head' tour.

Details

Released
Taped
San Jose Improv
Runtime
45 min
Where
YouTube
Director
Edwin Licona and Adolfo Nowak
Topics
Before
Comedians of the World (2019)
After
Toilet Head (2026)

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