by Kacie Fuller
Anybody who’s somebody in the comedy podcasting realm knows of the McElroy brothers. I’ve been listening to them on and off since middle school, not to flaunt my own credentials. And so it was particularly surreal to see them in person at the Uptown Theater in Kansas City mere feet away as they turned audience questions, alchemy like, into wisdom.
I’ve reviewed podcast live shows before, and by plural “shows” I mean one other, and I think it’s so interesting to see how it translates from audio to visual. A podcast live show is not something many folks would consider as a viable thing in the first place, let alone an enjoyable experience. But the McElroys are no rookies when it comes to this sort of thing and it shows, it’s been a long time since I’ve laughed so hard my sides hurt. It was the type of side busting pain that has only previously occurred in my life in high school, when I had a Monster energy drink addiction and my liver was crying for help. For a moment I thought I was having a medical emergency, but then I realized they’re just that funny.
My Brother My Brother and Me (MBMBAM) is a talk show, comedy, “advice” podcast that began its run all the way back in 2010. Hosted by three brothers, Griffin, Travis, and Justin McElroy, the podcast has seen huge success. This is due to the brothers dynamic and special brand of comedy that never seems to run out of content with its current-event based segments and internet forum-fueled advice column. The McElroy’s also host a live-play D&D podcast turned graphic novel The Adventure Zone with their father Clint McElroy that tours alongside MBMBAM. From podcasts about cereal to video games to Paul Blart the McElroys host a large breadth of other series both as podcasts and through Youtube videos that populates their catalog of content. They’ve got a wide variety of credits among the creative industry as a whole, and so it’s no surprise why they’ve become beloved members of a sizable corner of the pop-culture sphere.
So they’re obviously professionals. Which means that when you sit down to a McElroy live show you can absolutely rest easy knowing that despite the simple set up of a desk and some chairs you will be receiving a full experience. Any moment from the walk-out introduction to their tour manager Paul setting out their water is utilized to be fun for the audience. Not in a scripted, forced type of way, but in an extremely candid way that feels so much like a crew who is genuinely having a great time and less like a rehearsed show just going through the motions.
The trio has been doing this for a while now and so they seem to have the timing of when to move on from a segment down to a science, without leaving it feeling unfinished or abrupt but not so long that it feels like the proverbial horse has been beaten. The show feels full and hearty without being overwhelming, like a good soup. With both fan-favorite segments like Munch Squad and live-show exclusive content, you’re given familiarity and iconic parts of the show’s brand with new content you wouldn’t have been able to enjoy otherwise. This makes it worth it for both a seasoned listener and someone brand new to attend the show.
Their comedy is observational and quick witted, as they riff and build off one another. Often the humor comes in their unique cadence, sentences that catch you off guard with their choice of words and unique perspective on whatever topic may be presented to them. Unfortunately, it is often a concern of folks that enjoy comedy that the show they are attending is going to contain jokes at others expense, derogatory or otherwise. This is not the case with a McElroy show, all are safe and welcome to attend. It’s respectful and clever without needing to rely on that type of humor, though pure thought or language can not be promised. This is the bare minimum of course, but I feel it’s important to note since this may not always be the case in the comedy realm.
If you’re not sure if it’s for you just pick any one of their hundreds of episodes on your preferred podcasting service, after you’ve realized it’s really good go buy yourself a ticket so that you may hoot and holler with a crowd. There’s only so many ways I can write “It’s such a great time please go see them” without sounding repetitive or making up more metaphors to get my point across.
At the end of the day, I recommend both listening to the podcast and catching a show if you can make it to one. They tour for both My Brother My Brother and Me, and their D&D podcast The Adventure Zone, both live shows you can attend without prior knowledge. I enthusiastically look forward to seeing them next time they pass through the area.
Happy Listening!
P.S. I did not mention this, but the theme for the year is very fungi-related. Thus, the photo of Griffin dressed as Toad. It wasn’t important to mention as a part of the review but that feels odd to see with absolutely no context.