After announcing his retirement, the comedian Bill Engvall is speaking out to blast modern comedy audiences who he feels are more eager to get offended by something than they are to actually be entertained.
We have a HUGE show for you guys tonight as a comedy icon @billengvall joins The Stingray Show AGAIN to discuss the @SugarBowlNola featuring @TexasFootball vs @UW_Football!! Bill will also discuss the reason he retired from comedy!! It all begins at 6pm on @Tide1009!! #comedy pic.twitter.com/qidGC4MIv7
— Steven Stingray Ray ⚡️🌪⚡️🌪⚡️🌪🌩⛈ (@StevenRay30) December 28, 2023
Engvall Slams Offended Comedy Audiences
While appearing on the “Stand-Up World” podcast, Engvall opened up about what he feels is the problem with comedy audiences these days, revealing that they played a role in his recent decision to retire from stand-up comedy.
“If I had to start over today, I don’t think I’d make it,” said Engvall, 66. “The audiences are different now, society has changed … it used to be that stand-up was the release valve. People came to a show to have a great time after a bad day or whatever.”
“Now, it seems like people go to shows just hoping you’re going to say something that offends them so they can be a part of the show and holler out,” he added. “I just don’t wanna do that. I just wanna do my stand-up.”
📺Today TV History: THE BILL ENGVALL SHOW Premiered 2007 @TBSNetwork w/ @billengvall #NancyTravis #JenniferLawrence @grahamPmartin @SkylerGisondo #TimMeadows @hytner About https://t.co/ZfaJ6oavwP pic.twitter.com/AzaNePO4ju
— TV Tango (@TVTango) July 17, 2021
Related: Bill Engvall, Comedian Turned Minister, Reveals What’s Wrong With Cancel Culture
Engvall Retires
This isn’t the only reason that Engvall is retiring, however, as he also wants to spend more time with his grandchildren. Engvall explained that the 2022 death of his fellow comedian Bob Saget gave him a new perspective on life and how short it really is.
“That was a big deal to me because Bobby was one of the first comics I ever worked with .. he took me under his wing. When we lost him, I thought, ‘This was not good,’ Engvall said. “I told my wife, one of my biggest fears was dying on the road.”
“The road takes years off your life,” he later added.
That being said, Engvall hasn’t completely shut the door on the idea of returning to stand-up comedy someday.
“If somebody comes up with stupid money, they’ll probably get a Bill Engvall show,” he said with a smile.
Check out this full interview in the video below.
Engvall Flees California
This comes two months after Engvall revealed that he had become the latest celebrity to flee California, packing up with his wife Gail and moving to Utah.
“We were in California for 30 years and we had a good time. We had a great time,” Engvall explained to Fox News back in November. “I always said, if you can’t find something to do in California, you’re not looking.”
Despite enjoying California in the past, Engvall had some good reasons for wanting to leave the state.
“I had accomplished everything I wanted to do in the business. And then also economically, I mean, the taxes were just becoming insane,” Engvall stated. “And so it was a combination of a lot of things. But I don’t hate California.”
“You know, there was nothing in California that we ever went, ‘Oh my God, we’ve got to get out of here.’… I still have a fondness for California,” he continued. “And like I said, if work comes, it’s probably gonna come out of LA… I still go back and do TV shows, you know, talk shows and stuff like that.”
Full Story: Christian Comedian Bill Engvall Flees California Due To ‘Insane’ Taxes – Settles In Utah
Engvall Loving Life In Utah
Engvall is loving his more relaxed life in Utah, and he has no regrets about leaving California.
“I felt more at home, if that makes sense,” he said of being in Utah. “I mean, I’m from Texas and I love Texas, but I don’t know that I could move back there… It’s got its pluses and minuses, just like every state does.”
“But I never saw Utah on our radar at all, you know,” he concluded. “But again, it was my probably narrow-mindedness, of judging what it was like. And then I got to realize, ‘Oh, it’s nothing like what I thought.’”
Finally got to walk at my graduation!!! pic.twitter.com/XNspxrSgp8
— Bill Engvall (@billengvall) October 5, 2021
While we’re sad to see Engvall retire, we’re glad to see that he seems to be in such a great place in his life right now. Please join us in saying a prayer for Engvall that he continues to enjoy retirement in the years to come!
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