Andrew Schulz: The Life Tour

On April 19, 2024 I saw the best stand-up comedy show I’ve personally ever been to. Andrew Schulz was in Austin, Texas at the beautiful UT Moody center for The Life Tour. His opening acts were Deric Poston (loud, blunt, hilarious!) and Mark Gagnon (incredibly funny with amazing hair!).

I didn’t know specifically what to expect from Schulz, even though I knew he was a master of wit from watching episodes of his Flagrant podcast. I had no clue however, that he would change the formula of comedy shows by incorporating emotion into his message.

Without giving too much away for those that will see Schulz on tour, and out of respect for the craft, I will avoid getting into specifics about his set, but I want to praise him for creating a true human experience.

Like a lot of comedy shows today, the audience is not allowed to photograph or record the show in order to protect jokes from getting burned, but also to encourage full immersion into the experience. Schulz’ show had the same no-phone policy, and I don’t think anyone in our audience fought against that rule.

It made the connection to the craft so much richer, and with every punchline and carefully crafted set up, the audience was in literal tears! The use of the media wall behind Schulz on stage incorporated video insight into his personal life, and it felt like you were a part of the family. I don’t doubt for one moment that this man is forever grateful to his fans for their support. His family is so proud of him as well, and the clips were so intimate, that I was swiping at tears during the introduction of the show.

Schulz was completely transparent onstage, speaking about his new status as a girl dad, and the journey he and his wife Emma went through to become parents. The subjects were raw and connected the audience on a deeper level. Concerned I would miss what Schulz had to say next, it was ill-advised to take a bathroom break. I have never been to a comedy show where I was crying at the end. And not crying from laughing too hard. The other kind. Not sadness, but emotionally raw tears. Schulz showed fans that comedy is a way to work through hard times, insecurities, and the anxieties of life. Isn’t that what comedy is meant to be used for? To limit how serious we take ourselves in the throes of adversity? Who hasn't made a joke when they were uncomfortable?

Doesn’t it feel so incredibly relieving to laugh about something that should make you cry? And maybe you did cry at first, but afterward, you could claim it as something unchangeable and find the humor in it.

Schulz perfectly illuminates comedy as the tool to move through life living with the glass half full. It might sound silly that a comedy show could be inspirational, but that’s exactly what it was. Inspirational and nothing less.

I imagine Schulz walking out to the screaming crowd of thousands of people at Moody Center also felt inspirational for him. In his recent Instagram post he writes, “Truly unreal. Every time I see the size of these arenas I’m blown away. I take none of this for granted. Thank you so much for every single one of you. What a life.”

Schulz cracked the code, and he is quickly ascending to the top as one of the greats. His parents were right, that little boy was always going to bring joy to others through his comedy. He’s exactly where he is meant to be, and that says something beautiful about the unique human experience of following your dreams.