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Kyle Kinane Nails It Once Again with Dirt Nap

By Clare Martin  |  March 4, 2024 | 1:57pm
Photo by Darin Kamnetz
Comedy Reviews Kyle Kinane
Kyle Kinane Nails It Once Again with Dirt Nap

Kyle Kinane has a way with words. This is hardly the first time I’ve written that, and there is something so comforting about his consistent eloquence. Just last year, Kinane put out his special Shocks and Struts, which easily made our list of the 20 best comedy specials of 2023, and now he’s blessing us yet again with a new and excellent hour: Dirt Nap, which was taped at Minneapolis’ Acme Comedy Club.

As far as comics go, Kinane is one of the last you’d picture in the suburbs. With his grizzled beard and earring and general dive bar vibe, it’s easier to envision Kinane on the road embracing van life (and he often does—as his new run of live shows declares, “It’s Not a Tour, It’s The Job”). And yet, he found himself in a commuter town near Portland, Ore. as the pandemic descended. In Dirt Nap, Kinane mines plenty of comedy out of this strange juxtaposition, imagining how suspicious his white picket fence neighbors must be as he hands out full-size candy bars and cries in his car. Kinane conjures up these scenes with rich language stuffed full of similes, bringing color even to the beige, T.G.I. Friday-filled burbs. 

Kinane tackles politics, too, in his own singular, skewed way. He calls for understanding, but also digs into the irony of conservatives at Yellowstone National Park. He’ll criticize America’s military, but not in the way you expect. The bait-and-switch is a classic comedic tool that can be dull in the wrong hands, yet Kinane wields it with ease and ingenuity. 

Longtime fans of Kinane’s work will be delighted to know that he wanders off on gloriously odd tangents just like always, and these digressions remain as hilarious as ever. He blurs the line separating asides and callbacks as only he can—I’d go into more detail, but I don’t want to spoil anything. Needless to say, the structure of the special is effortlessly impressive. Nothing feels forced, and yet Kinane has crafted a robust hour that is clearly the work of a masterful comedian.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the perceptive direction by stand-up legend Bobcat Goldthwait. With him at the helm, the camera is kinetic, adding a dynamism to Kinane’s precise physical comedy. This is far from Goldthwait’s first time directing a fellow comedian’s special—he’s done so for Patton Oswalt, Hari Kondabolu, Cameron Esposito, and plenty of others—and his expertise shows. 

Kinane’s reliability as a comedian should never be mistaken for tedium or unoriginality. He’s always a delight, and even if it’s through familiar avenues, at its core his comedy is fresh. You’ll laugh, you’ll contemplate, you’ll forget about your troubles for a spell—and most importantly, keep laughing. With Kinane you know what you’re getting, in the best way possible.

Dirt Nap is out now via 800 Pound Gorilla.

Clare Martin is a cemetery enthusiast and Paste’s assistant comedy editor. Go harass her on Twitter @theclaremartin.

 
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