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Cover image credit: Thumbnail: YouTube · Nateland Entertainment

The Attractives

Mike Vecchione

YouTube · 2023 · 54 min

A veteran New York club comic brings dry misdirection to Nashville.

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Mike Vecchione has spent over two decades in New York comedy clubs perfecting an understated, joke-heavy style that relies on constant misdirection and a quiet, sleepy-eyed deadpan. In The Attractives, his debut one-hour special, he brings that deliberate pace to Nashville, playing his club-hardened New York cynicism against a polite, southern crowd at Zanies. Vecchione starts with the premise that attractive people suffered uniquely during the pandemic, then paces through a structured set covering dating younger women, gym culture, and a misguided decision to run with the bulls in Spain. Rather than leaning on high energy or physical performance, he relies on short setups and sudden left turns, including an analysis of why his girlfriend’s mortal enemy is actually his ultimate role model, and a bit arguing that crucifixion was a slight overreaction. Directed by his friend and fellow comic Nate Bargatze, the special was the flagship release for Bargatze’s Nateland Entertainment, capturing a veteran club comic putting his most polished, writerly material on the board.

The set list

5 bits

  1. A friend invites him to go running with the bulls in Spain right after the pandemic.

    Argues that 'running with' implies exercising together and that what participants are actually doing is running from the bulls, noting people should focus on prepositions.

  2. Moving in with his girlfriend from rural Indiana during the pandemic.

    Explores cultural miscommunications between his Italian American background and her Midwest upbringing, such as yelling, being raised in a barn, and the slur 'caged-free'.

  3. Blurting out IQs with his girlfriend and finding out he has a much lower IQ.

    Discusses her consolation that he has 'emotional intelligence', which he claims is completely made up by smart people so dumb people do chores like bugs and trash.

  4. Encountering a resilient bug in the bathroom.

    Tries to kill it three times and flush it down the toilet, but upon seeing it survive, admires its will to live and decides it is his role model who now lives with them.

  5. The hardships of being good-looking during the pandemic.

    Laments wearing masks because 'as attractives, we're used to being treated a certain way.'

How it plays

Tone
Sarcastic, deadpan, wry, balancing sarcasm and sincerity.
On stage
Understated delivery, uncanny calm, and deadpan affect, oscillating between playing dumb and ludicrously arrogant, with notes echoing Dave Attell's style.
Pace
Hypnotically steady cadence, slightly slower than normal speech, described by some as monotonous or slow and plodding.
About
Relationships and moving in together, Running with the bulls, Being Italian American vs. living with a partner from rural Indiana, Emotional intelligence vs. IQ, Bugs and pest control, Good looks and masks during the pandemic

What the critics said

Mixed to polarizing: Jason Zinoman praised Vecchione's hypnotically steady cadence, clever writing, and intricate callbacks, noting the special punches above its weight; conversely, a review by Funny Special criticized it as lackluster, monotonous, and slow with uninspired material.

In the room: Described as a fun-loving southern audience.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: mikevecchione.com, tv.apple.com, standupd.com, funnyspecial.wordpress.com, reportwire.org, stanforddaily.com.

Backstory

Filmed in Nashville, Tennessee, setting Vecchione's New York City comedic style against a southern audience; produced by 800 Pound Gorilla and Nateland Presents.

Details

Released
Runtime
54 min
Where
YouTube
Director
Nate Bargatze
Topics
Before
The Worst Kind of Thoughtful (2018)
After
Worst Kind of Thoughtful (2024)

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