Skip to content
Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy
Cover image credit: Thumbnail: YouTube · Paul Virzi

Reasonable Man

Paul Virzi

YouTube · 2024 · 59 min

An anxious everyman rants about young pilots and married life.

Watch on YouTube(opens in a new tab)

or watch it free on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Paul Virzi takes the stage with the nervous energy of an anxious suburban father who is deeply suspicious of the modern world. He wants to know why today’s airline pilots look young enough to still be studying for their driver’s permit, and why a trip to the doctor feels like a personal confrontation with a scale. Releasing his third hour independently on YouTube after previous stints with Comedy Central and Netflix, Virzi skips corporate red tape in favor of a straightforward, loose set recorded at The Den Theatre in Chicago.

The performance leans heavily into domestic life, covering the exhaustion of arguing with his wife, why she will never be like Taylor Swift, and his own Italian-American background. He also finds time to complain about Hollywood casting tropes and the designs of new Barbies, cementing his role as the exasperated everyman with a distinct Northeast edge.

The set list

5 bits

  1. Watching political extremists melt down on election day

    Details his plan to visit Central Park with two hot dogs and a Diet Coke to observe far-right and far-left 'lunatics' drop to their knees and scream at the sky.

  2. Italian representation and discrimination in Hollywood

    Argues that Italians are the most discriminated group in Hollywood, noting non-Italian actors voicing Mario and Luigi in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and the absence of Italian wizards at Hogwarts in Harry Potter.

  3. The losing battle of arguing with women

    Offers brutally honest, candid observations on the frustrations of relationship arguments.

  4. Frustration with a younger generation of pilots

    Examines everyday annoyances and unease regarding young commercial airline pilots.

  5. Cultural commentary on new Barbies

    Delivers humorous takes on the recent surge in popularity and iterations of Barbie.

How it plays

Tone
Candid, sharply funny, raw, and anything-goes.
On stage
Brutally honest, expert storyteller, unfiltered and unshackled.
About
Arguing with women, Italian stereotypes in Hollywood, New Barbies, Frustration with young pilots, Election day and political extremism

What the critics said

Praised as Virzi's funniest and most accomplished effort yet, highlighting his expert storytelling and ability to find humor across both sides of the political aisle.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: imdb.com, 800poundgorillamedia.com, watchwhatwhere.com, weownthelaughs.com, withtreyelling.com, paulvirzi.com.

Backstory

Virzi chose a grassroots, independent self-release on YouTube to bypass network constraints, cable providers, and industry red tape following the conclusion of his 'Level Up' stand-up tour.

Details

Released
Taped
The Den Theatre, Chicago
Runtime
59 min
Where
YouTube
Director
James Webb, Jason Katz
Topics
Before
Nocturnal Admissions (2022)

More from Paul Virzi

If you liked this