Hecklers—those stage-side disrupters who unwelcomely intervene in a live performance with their questions, comments or criticisms—are usually a comedian's worst nightmare. But for his first HBO stand-up special, English comic James Acaster is actually "relinquishing control of his set and accepting a healthy dose of audience interference–aka heckling.”
Premiering tonight, November 23, at 10pm Eastern Time on HBO, James Acaster: Hecklers Welcome sees the titular comic gives up control of his set and embrace audience participation as he explores his "love/hate" relationship with stand-up. (Along with previous comedy specials Repertoire and Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999, Acaster is known for co-hosting the food podcast Off Menu and the panel show Hypothetical.)
Per the "house rules" of the Hecklers Welcome special, as detailed in the trailer, "James Acaster "cannot get annoyed at the audience if they; heckle, talk amongst themselves, go on their phones or are quieter than he would like." In short, the comedian has to accept whatever happens.
"With his wiry observational eye and incomparable wit, Acaster shares hilarious on-the-fly meta-analysis of his own material, along with stories from his childhood that spurred him to pursue a career in comedy — from his participation in his grandmother’s spinning wheel workshop at school to his impersonation of Prince Charles at age six," reads the official description of the special. "In front of an obliging audience at the Royal & Derngate theatre in Northampton, England, Acaster unleashes his infectious energy as he delves into what initially drew him to the stage and what keeps him there."
To tune into James Acaster: Hecklers Welcome tonight, you're going to need access to HBO. Thankfully, the channel is available with most cable TV subscriptions. However, if you've cut the cord, you can watch live simulcasts of HBO channels via several live TV streaming service options, including Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream. You also have access to HBO programming, including Acaster's new comedy special, through the network's streaming platform, Max.
Check out the official trailer for James Acaster: Hecklers Welcome before tuning into the premiere of the new comedy special tonight at 10pm ET on HBO.
