Kill Tony 10th Anniversary Review

Below is an essay I wrote about one of my favorite podcasts.

The Power of Momentum At Live Events

The 10th Anniversary show of Kill Tony was a great example of the role momentum and scale play in live comedy. I have watched the show for about a year now, and while building a library of clips, have become pretty well versed in the back catalog/lore of the podcast. I think for anyone who is a fan of the show, this was an excellent episode. In my opinion, the main criticisms of the show are misguided, and can be boiled down to the show’s momentum and scale. 

The momentum of the show stalling halfway through can explain most criticisms fans have of the show. One of the biggest complaints was that guests Joe Rogan and Tom Segura did not contribute enough on the panel. After I literally tallied how many times they spoke and when, it was clear they were in a groove for the first half of the show then a major lull in the action came. Newly minted regular Kam Patterson followed a strong lineup of performances: Hans Kim having to fight for his regular position, two good bucket pulls in a row, crowd favorite Jared Nathan, a quickly dismissed bucket pull who didn’t want to be up there anyway, and David Lucas’s retirement. After that, the rest of the show before William Montgomery consisted of bad bucket pulls, weird cameos (Theo Von), and moments the crowd was audibly confused by (Afrodyte sitting on Joe Rogan’s lap). 

All of these moments by themselves would just be a blip in the show, but stacked on top of each other is what led to fans feeling like both guests weren’t interested. It is hard to stay active when the only performers are friends of the show (no interview) or bad bucket pulls. Tony is the host, so he has to grind out the interesting bits from the bad comedians. That responsibility does not fall on the guest. This lull in the action happening in the back half of the show also helps people forget how strong the first half went. Therefore, complaints about the guests feel slightly misguided and should be directed not only at the momentum of the show, but the scale.

A show this big is hard for anyone to perform during. Let alone open micers (and their girlfriends) who’ve been performing in small clubs their whole career. The big stage, literally, also caused multiple instances of comedians not being able to hear Tony or the guests, which led to portions of the show where jokes were stepped on or fell on deaf ears. However, the scale also provided some massive benefits. 

As an online viewer, this was the first time I can remember where we got to see an extended set from the band. This was incredible, as these are world class musicians getting to flex their talents on a bigger Kill Tony stage than normal. There was also the beautiful moment where the second comedian was so nervous due to the scale of the show that he couldn’t stop shaking his legs. The band, silently communicating with their own set of mics, played the drums to “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift as he left the stage. As great as the scale was, I think it contributed to some of the issues people prescribed as problems. 

I, however, believe that the show gave true fans everything they could’ve wanted out of such a big night. Tony clearly has heard the online backlash and uncomfortable silences during Hans Kim’s sets over the past few months. Tony was able to turn this into a win-win situation for the fans, Hans, and the show itself. By making Hans fight for his regular spot weekly, he now has added pressure and motivation to stay in the good graces of the crowd that stuck by his side when the title of regular was on the line. This adds a great element of competition to the show and allows for new comedians to vie for the coveted spot of Kill Tony regular. 

Additionally, it has been clear to fans for some time that David Lucas’s road schedule was hindering his ability to give 100% to Kill Tony every week. Repeated sets (which he had funny comebacks for online) and relying on certain roasting crutches had fans reasonably upset at the performances. It’s clear both David and Tony knew this, as David retired with honor and made way for Kam Patterson, who looks to be an incredible breath of fresh air for the show. His set and interview were the highlight of the night for me personally, and I cannot wait to get to know him as the weeks go on. 

The show ended on the most sentimental part of the night, where William Montgomery was elected into the Kill Tony Hall of Fame. Any fan who’s watched even a few episodes will realize that William is the true star of the show. The closer every week, William is the lifeblood of the show and never lets the fans leave unhappy. The 10th Anniversary was no different. Like all the pre-produced content for the show, William’s tribute video was an excellent trip down memory lane for anyone who has seen his trajectory from the flipper of Hyundai Elantras to a Kill Tony Hall of Famer. He then gave a heartfelt speech about his time on the show with his sense of humor and relentless hatred for Redban weaved throughout in a way only William can. The show reached its end on William receiving the Hall of Fame award from his parents and reiterating that he “ain't nevah gon stah” being the regular. A perfect end to a great show.

Most of the criticisms of the show, in my opinion, were misguided. This show was a great example of the role momentum and scale play in a live comedy environment, even if you’re watching on tv. The crowd also proved that funny will always be the arbiter of what a comedian can and cannot say. In a hometown Austin crowd willing to give a long leash, and with no threat of recording both online and in person, most comedians took massive risks with their jokes. Some of the more shocking lines were appropriately met with groans or silence from the crowd, yet the well crafted, clever risks paid off. In the end, Kill Tony is a show about how difficult comedy is to do. I think the 10th Anniversary perfectly encapsulated what success in such a difficult endeavor can look like.