Theo Von is one of those rare people who exudes charisma. You don’t know why or how, but somehow, everything he says is funny, and you can’t help but smile whenever he speaks.
Von has utilized his charisma to reach a widespread audience, recently touring over a dozen cities, and has established his career as a professional class clown. He has gone viral online and been featured on major podcasts like the Joe Rogan Experience, garnering millions of views.
Von has carefully cultivated his image as an unabashedly honest — if a little ignorant — country boy with a heart of gold, a million-dollar smile and a majestic mullet. He uses his unique personality and upbringing in his comedy, with many of his jokes consisting of personal anecdotes, opinions and experiences.
During his show at State Farm Center on Nov. 15, a part of his “Return of the Rat Tour,” he effectively energized the audience but struggled to maintain focus on his jokes during his set.
The two opening comedians, Lee Campbell and Amir K, did a good job hyping up the crowd and personally engaged with them multiple times. Audience members sitting in the front rows participated directly, with all three comedians asking certain audience members questions or making comedic observations about their appearances.
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At one point, a particularly muscular man was called out while sitting in one of the front rows, where he took off his shirt to flex in front of the cameras, to the crowd’s delight.
Von’s humor is certainly edgy, and he is not afraid to joke about sensitive topics like 9/11, his experience in special education or suicide. However, his humor never felt mean-spirited, and all of his jokes came across as coming from a place of love rather than hate. However, people who are uncomfortable with darker humor will likely not find Von appealing and might find him offensive.
Despite the frequent laughs and high energy of the audience, Von struggled heavily with transitioning between jokes. At times, his storytelling became unfocused and repetitive when he lingered on minor details.
He also had a few weaker jokes, which went on for far too long. In particular, one segment about an incredibly short childhood friend felt underdeveloped and could have been cut entirely.
His interactions with the audience were also a mixed bag, which was expected due to the random nature of calling on strangers. One conversation he had with an audience member who worked as a roofer led to an unremarkable and relatively boring conversation about Von’s previous work as a floorer’s apprentice.
As a comedian, Von thrives when he can display his naturally charismatic personality while telling stories and having conversations. However, his reliance on his charisma and character does, at times, not make up for his weaker jokes and overall lack of focus.
While Von brought in laughs from the audience, it is clear that he still has room to improve his routine with stronger and more concise writing.
