Comedian Theo Von opened up about a difficult period surrounding his latest comedy special taping, revealing how a Department of Homeland Security video and mounting paranoia significantly impacted his performance and mental state during what should have been a career milestone.
During a candid conversation on his podcast This Past Weekend with fellow comedian Andrew Santino, Von detailed the confluence of challenges that made the special taping particularly stressful. The most significant issue stemmed from a DHS video that unexpectedly used Von as what appeared to be a spokesperson, creating a wave of negative attention he hadn’t anticipated or agreed to.
“The government put out this DHS video that made me really scared,” Von explained. “It was the immigration video. They took something that had nothing to do with something else, making a joke, and then they’re like, ‘He’s our spokesperson.’ I didn’t sign up for that.”
The video generated substantial backlash online, with Von receiving considerable hate that he found genuinely frightening, especially given the timing so close to his special taping.
The situation was compounded by the Charlie Kirk incident that had occurred just weeks prior, which heightened Von’s anxiety about public appearances. “I started just getting real paranoid,” he admitted. “I started getting real paranoid at home. I was paranoid about the show, like if there could be somebody in the audience.”
Von also revealed he had made the decision to switch off his antidepressant medication before the taping, hoping to access more emotional range for his performance. “I switched off my medicine because I wanted to have a little bit more emotional storyline. I wanted to be able to connect a little bit more in some moments,” he said. “I was having trouble having any feelings because of antidepressants. It’s like you try to get a feeling and it kind of stalls out.”
The taping itself presented additional complications. Von described feeling immediately that something was wrong when his mouth became extremely dry upon taking the stage, a physical manifestation of anxiety he hadn’t experienced throughout his tour.
“I was like, ‘Oh man, something is wrong.’ I can’t go to my stool and get water right now. I just walked on stage. They’re clapping. I can’t take a break already,” he recalled.
Production issues further complicated matters, with Von noting there were “too many cooks in the kitchen” and communication problems on set. Security concerns also added to the tension, with Von having recently hired a security guard whose presence and interactions with his friends created additional awkwardness during an already stressful time.
Despite leaving the venue that night feeling the taping might have worked out, Von and his team went to a country bar and had what seemed like a positive end to the evening. However, the next morning brought a flood of negative online coverage, including a video that circulated of Von speaking with fans after the show where he was captured on camera discussing personal struggles.
“We left out of there that night and we thought, ‘Oh everything’s good. I think we got it. Let’s wait and see in the edit.’ We went out to some country bar, had a great time, and then we wake up in the morning and there was just a ton of online stuff,” Von said. He noted that he deliberately chose not to engage with most of the articles and commentary, though some still found their way to him.
The experience highlighted how bottom-feeding websites capitalize on negative stories rather than positive ones. Santino pointed out that “nobody wants to read ‘Great Time with Theo and his friends at the Country Bar.’ They want to read the drama. They want to hear the other version that makes them feel a little bit more interested and peaked.”
Von acknowledged that the special might require retaping, as they’re currently reviewing cuts to determine if they can salvage a complete performance from the two shows they filmed. “I literally yesterday they just sent me another cut. I gave them some notes on a cut. They’re sending me another cut. It might be fine. We had two good halves,” he explained.
As Von continues to review footage and determine next steps, he’s taking time off from touring to decompress and focus on his well-being, attending SEC football games and maintaining recovery meeting attendance while considering whether additional filming will be necessary to deliver the special he envisions.