Skip to content
Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy
Promotional art for Nocturnal Admissions
Cover image credit:

Source

Nocturnal Admissions

Paul Virzi

Netflix · 2022 · 65 min

An East Coast comic tackles marriage, fitness goals, and true crime.

Watch it free on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Paul Virzi focuses on the minor everyday friction points of middle age, marriage, and suburban dad life, bringing a punchy East Coast club energy to his first Netflix hour. Directed by Pete Davidson, the 2022 release is built around relatable domestic annoyances, avoiding heavy political topics in favor of personal oddities and family dynamics.\n\nAt this point in his career, Virzi was already a seasoned New York club veteran, well-known for co-hosting the Anything Better? podcast with Bill Burr. This hour, filmed in the fall of 2021, marked his transition onto a major streaming platform after years of road work and club sets.\n\nMuch of the material centers on the quiet warfare of domestic life. He spends time on how his wife actively sabotages his attempts to get in shape, the creeping paranoia that comes from watching too many true crime shows, and an awkward late-night drugstore run. Other highlights include an impression of his eccentric Sicilian father, who is utterly convinced he once witnessed a UFO, and a lighthearted breakdown of why he wrote in former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning on his presidential ballot.

The set list

6 bits

  1. Netflix as TJ Maxx or Marshall's

    Mocks party small talk revolving around Netflix recommendations, comparing browsing the platform to sifting through piles of junk at discount department stores to find the good items.

  2. Sicilian father and UFOs

    Delivers impressions and embarrassing anecdotes about his Bronx-raised Sicilian father, including his father's absolute certainty that he spotted a UFO.

  3. Wife sabotaging fitness attempts and drugstore runs

    Details embarrassing accidental drugstore trips and how his wife subtly undercuts his dietary and workout resolutions.

  4. Missing Donald Trump and political chaos

    Clarifies that he misses Donald Trump solely for the sheer chaos rather than the politics, joking that he voted for former NFL quarterback Eli Manning instead of Trump or Biden.

  5. Anti-vaxxer hypocrisy

    Calls out friends hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine for their selective skepticism while willingly putting unverified illicit substances into their bodies.

  6. Appreciation of Los Angeles Cholos

    Adopts vocal impressions to express genuine comedic affection and admiration for the relaxed, distinct cadence of West Coast Cholos.

How it plays

Tone
Goofy, observational, candid, and relatable; balances accessible family comedy with occasional adult edge and raunch.
On stage
Charming, relatable 'regular guy' and 'big teddy bear' exuding quiet confidence, combining a dry wit with self-deprecating neuroses.
Pace
Easy, matter-of-fact cadence punctuated by audience interactions and delivery reminiscent of Sebastian Maniscalco, pacing the stage without overly manic physicality.
About
marriage and parenting, suburban family life, fatherly quirks and heritage, fitness goals and aging, pandemic laziness and hypocrisy, pop culture and streaming habits

What the critics said

Mixed to positive; Leisurebyte praised Virzi's easy, witty charm, relatability, and ability to keep the audience laughing, while Decider gave it a 'Skip It', finding it a competent but middle-of-the-road hour with routine observational material.

In the room: Consistently engaged, cracking up throughout the performance as Virzi worked the room and paced the stage.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: bbfc.co.uk, netflix.com, netflix.fandom.com, themoviedb.org, decider.com, leisurebyte.com, theinterrobang.com, paulvirzi.com, allthingscomedy.com.

Backstory

Filmed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic; produced by Bill Burr and Al Madrigal's All Things Comedy, with close friend Pete Davidson stepping in for his directorial debut. Virzi reflects on his suburban family life in Westchester County with his wife and two children.

Details

Released
Runtime
65 min
Where
Netflix
Director
Pete Davidson
Topics
Before
I'll Say This (2018)
After
Reasonable Man (2024)

More from Paul Virzi

If you liked this