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Regular People

Theo Von

Netflix · 2021 · 62 min

A popular podcaster brings his surreal Southern stories to Nashville.

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Theo Von built a massive audience on his podcast This Past Weekend by acting as a kind of high-weirdness southern oracle, spinning off-the-cuff, bizarre stories about oddball neighbors and fictionalized childhood acquaintances. For his 2021 Netflix special, Regular People, he tries to translate that highly specific, front-porch-philosopher vibe into a scripted, high-energy stage act.

Filmed at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, the hour features Von leaning heavily into the eccentricities of his upbringing in Covington, Louisiana. He touches on classic topics like his signature mullet, regional methods for avoiding work, and matchmaking misadventures in his hometown. Some of the most memorable stretches are pure, dark absurdism, like a bit about an acquaintance who died in a ditch fire because people kept throwing him back in, or a cousin who was bitten by a gay man.

The transition from the loose, conversational rhythm of podcasting to a tightly structured stand-up set proved polarizing. While fans of his surreal Southern persona welcomed the return—marking his first filmed special since 2016’s No Offense—others felt his frantic pacing and physical bouncing on stage didn’t quite capture the relaxed, deadpan charm that makes his internet presence work. It stands as a document of a highly successful internet personality trying to fit his round, improvisational peg into the square hole of a structured theater performance.

The set list

4 bits

  1. Gert

    Recounting a childhood acquaintance who had no arms yet managed to fight and choke out anyone in town who challenged him.

  2. Drinking at the Ramada with Dairy

    Drinking alcohol at the local Ramada with a friend who had Down syndrome, courtesy of the inn's night manager.

  3. Father's age and the funeral suit

    Exploring the domestic dynamic of his father having him at age 70, including wearing a Beetlejuice costume as his first suit to a funeral at age nine.

  4. The closer (spoiler). Show it

    Mother's radio perm and matchmaking with Big Charlie closer

    His mother winning a perm on the radio, prompting a young Theo to attempt playing matchmaker between her and a chair salesman.

How it plays

Tone
Absurd, irreverent, goofy, and no-filter.
On stage
Southern-charmed, envelope-pushing character who plays dumb, absurd, and self-deprecating.
Pace
Animated pacing back and forth across the stage, pausing mid-hour to directly acknowledge and thank the audience.
About
Small-town Louisiana life, Childhood friends, Family dynamics and aging parents, Avoiding work

What the critics said

Decider recommended to 'Stream It', noting that focusing on his Louisiana upbringing and small-town roots paid off with a sharper, more endearing comedic voice.

In the room: Supportive live crowd at the Ryman thanked directly by Von for adhering to COVID-19 health protocols.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: media.netflix.com, broadwayworld.com, bbfc.co.uk, decider.com, letterboxd.com, imdb.com, rottentomatoes.com, en.wikipedia.org.

Backstory

Filmed in August 2021 amid COVID-19 safety measures, reflecting Von's sobriety, life since his 2016 special 'No Offense', and deep roots growing up in small-town Louisiana.

Details

Released
Taped
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville
Runtime
62 min
Where
Netflix
Director
Lloyd Stanton and Paul Toogood
Topics
Before
No Offense (2016)

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