Fans are shredding MAGA podcaster Theo Von after he apparently “bombed” at the taping of his big Netflix special over the weekend.
One fan posted to Reddit that Von “had to pause the show to ask for the punchline several times,” while another called the performance “nerve wrecking just to watch,” and “hands down, the worst comedy show I’ve ever seen.”
🚨 BREAKING: Comedian Theo Von BOMBED his comedy show last night at the Beacon Theater in New York, NYHe was seen after the show saying “I’m having a long month, I’m trying not to take my own life”I don’t think this is a joke. This is not normal for Theo pic.twitter.com/1TuXAPmJ5V
— Algovich (@Algovich_) September 28, 2025
Yet another Redditor called the set “a failure of epic proportions,” as Vanity Fair noted in its review that Von, “a sought-out interviewer for A-list actors and musicians,” struggled through “a couple of false starts” during his taping at Manhattan’s Beacon Theatre and “seemed jittery.”
The site also highlighted the “disorganized” nature of the set as Von began by “briefly taking the stage once, abandoning the set and started over—only to pick a member of the audience to be kicked out and start over again.”
Requests for comment from Von and Netflix were not returned before publication.
Von has two previous comedy specials with Netflix, 2016’s Theo Von: No Offense and Theo Von: Regular People in 2021.
A reality TV star turned podcaster and pro-MAGA proponent, Von first rose to fame in the 2000s and has since spun his persona into stand-up. comedy Like other Joe Rogan acolytes, Von has broken with the Trump administration on some of its key initiatives, despite championing his candidacy and encouraging his millions of listeners to support the now president on the campaign trail.
Last night I went to the taping of Theo Von’s new Netflix Special at the Beacon. It was hard to watch. He seemed unrehearsed and disorganized, repeating bits multiple times clearly trying to get it right for the camera. This killed the vibe in the theater.More than that the… pic.twitter.com/LyfEiifUc3
— Andrew Court (@agbcourt) September 28, 2025
When the Department of Homeland Security used his image without permission to support its mass deportation initiatives, Von objected publicly, “Yooo DHS i didnt approve to be used in this. I know you know my address so send a check,” he replied on X. “And please take this down and please keep me out of your ‘banger’ deportation videos. When it comes to immigration my thoughts and heart are a lot more nuanced than this video allows. Bye!”
The Department later deleted its post. He’s also expressed skepticism about the administration’s handling of the Epstein files since Trump’s election. But, at the same time, Von helped pitch Trump to his large male audience during the 2024 election and then attended Trump’s inauguration as a guest along with other manosphere podcasters.
The comedian seemed to acknowledge that he was not himself during the taping. One fan captured him on video telling an audience member, “I’m having a long month, I’m trying not to take my own life.”
Von has been open about his mental health struggles throughout his rise in the podcast world and has long used his platform to address addiction, past trauma, and his own methods for coping with depression.
Yet still, his fans did not soften the blow of their disappointment after attending his shows this past weekend. Multiple posts from users who were present say some fans were so fed up with the flop show that they “walked out.” Another claimed a full “third” of the crowd followed suit.
While one fan said they didn’t believe it was that many who’d left mid-show, they agreed that most of the negative comments about the performances were “true.”
Even the most dedicated of Von’s self-declared “anti-woke” fans say the performance left much to be desired and included “stale and immature” jokes about autism and Jewish people.
“I absolutely love Theo but to me it seemed like…more than just nerves,” one wrote on Reddit. Concluded another on X, “Was there. love Theo—worst set ever.”
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