Courtesy of Paul Virzi.
This past year, New York comic Paul Virzi wrapped up his on-going "Level Up" stand-up tour with a major homecoming show at Gramercy Theatre in New York. This show marked the end of what would be the tour for his third comedy special Reasonable Man, which premiered on the comic's YouTube channel a few weeks ago.
Having previously partnered with major networks & streamers like Comedy Central & Netflix for his first two specials, Virzi wanted to premiere his edgiest & latest special on his YouTube channel to reach his fans without the need of a network or cable provider to watch & promote it on his own terms.
For Virzi's third special, "he holds nothing back and delivers brutally honest and hilarious takes on the losing battle that is arguing with women, Italian stereotypes in Hollywood, new Barbies, and his frustration with young pilots." The new special was taped at the beginning of this year at Chicago's Den Theatre & was shot beautifully by veteran stand-up directors Jason Katz and James Webb.
After watching the new special, it's easily quick to note how on top of his game Virzi is as an expert storyteller, funny man & entertainer as his latest effort is full of his funniest jokes yet. He has this beautiful gift of finding the light in tumultuous times in life, including this year's election where he cleverly shows how entertaining it is to watch "lunatics melt down" while referring to people on the far right or far left (whom he calls lunatics).
And here, he details his people watching (or more appropriately called, "lunatic watching") plans come election day, where he'll go to Central Park and "get two hot dogs and a Diet Coke" and "watch adults drop to their knees and scream at the sky and it is going to be everything that [he'll have] ever hoped and imagined." Regardless of your political affiliation, there's humor to be found here on both sides of the totem poll making this a special all comedy fans can appreciate.
Did anyone else notice how un-Italian Mario sounded in the latest Mario Brothers film? Virzi definitely did. Another standout section in Reasonable Man is his perspective on being an Italian in Hollywood. He makes a comical case & point on how they are "the most discriminated people in Hollywood" by calling out some questionable casting choices in last year's Super Mario Bros. movie, the Harry Potter franchise or Star Wars franchise. Namely Chris Pratt & Charlie Day both cast as Mario & Luigi respectively, both not Italian actors as evidently heard in the film.
Even watching Harry Potter growing up, Virzi elaborates how he saw Black & Indian wizards at Hogwarts but not Italians. His point of view on what Italians would sound like in Hogwarts is so funny & his delivery makes it all the better.
Watch "Paul Virzi: Reasonable Man" on YouTube!
Experience Virzi's hilarious new comedy special for yourself, watch Paul Virzi: Reasonable Man now on YouTube! Check out the comedy album from his debut special, I'll Say This, available as a digital download on 800 Pound Gorilla!
