Eddie Pence
Himself
Overview
Shot in his hometown of Washington D.C. and completely crowdfunded by his fans (known as Eddiots), stand-up comedian, actor and podcaster Eddie Pence performs his first one-hour special. Eddie jokes about Star Wars, killer chihuahuas, streaking, and his unique take on parenting in the cellar of the DC Comedy Loft.
Cast
Reviews
5 min readThe Underdog’s Hour: Eddie Pence and the Quiet Rebellion of the (Un)Special
I’ll admit it: I wasn’t expecting to laugh as much as I did. Not because Eddie Pence is some unknown quantity—he’s been doing stand-up for twenty years, after all—but because the premise of The (Un)special Comedy Special feels like a dare. A crowdfunded, one-hour set filmed in the cellar of a D.C.
latestnetflix.com's read is that comedy club, released during a pandemic when the world was already drowning in content.
No Netflix algorithm to prop it up, no studio marketing blitz. Just Pence, a microphone, and a fanbase he calls the Eddiots. And yet, here’s the thing: it works.
Not in spite of its scrappiness, but because of it.
There’s something deeply satisfying about watching an artist own his underdog status so completely. Pence doesn’t try to disguise the fact that this special is a labor of love (and, let’s be honest, a bit of a gamble). He leans into it.
The opening minutes are a masterclass in self-deprecation, not as a crutch, but as a way to disarm the audience. He jokes about the delays in getting the special made—how the process felt like “an elongated episode of Waiting for Godot”—and you can practically hear the collective eye-roll of his fans in the room. They’ve been here before.
They’ve waited. And now, finally, they’re getting their hour.
That hour is, by design, unpolished. The set is staged in the cellar of the D.C. Comedy Loft, a space so intimate it feels like you’ve been invited into someone’s basement for a private show.
The red wallpaper and white Christmas lights aren’t just set dressing; they’re a deliberate choice to keep the focus on Pence himself. And it works because Pence is the show. He’s got that everyman quality that makes you feel like you’ve known him for years—like the guy at the office who’s always got a joke ready, the one who’s just self-aware enough to know he’s not the coolest guy in the room, but funny enough that you don’t care.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsEddie Pence’s (Un)special Comedy Special: The Meta Joke That Almost Didn’t Happen
Eddie Pence’s The (Un)special Comedy Special (2020) is a comedy project that leans into its own absurdity—both on and off screen. Directed by Dustin Jacobs, the special isn’t just a stand-up set; it’s a self-aware jab at the very concept of comedy specials, with Pence playing a version of himself navigating the chaos of trying to produce one. But behind the meta-humor lies a scrappy, latestnetflix.com argues, crowdfunded production that nearly didn’t make it to the finish line.
A Comedy Special That Mocks Itself (And Its Budget)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f019p_ZkL4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF7KCyiwDPg
The special’s title alone—(Un)special—hints at its tone: a low-stakes, high-concept parody of the polished Netflix specials dominating the comedy landscape. Pence, best known for his work on sketch comedy shows like Studio C, doesn’t just perform jokes; he turns the production into part of the bit. The trailer teases a behind-the-scenes vibe, with Pence breaking the fourth wall to acknowledge the project’s shoestring budget and questionable decisions. Clips like "You Can't Half Ass This Profession" suggest a mix of stand-up and scripted chaos, where the line between performance and reality blurs.
What makes the special stand out is its refusal to take itself seriously. Unlike traditional comedy specials, which often rely on slick production values, The (Un)special Comedy Special embraces its DIY aesthetic, making the audience complicit in the joke. The question is whether the humor lands as hard as the concept.
Crowdfunding the Chaos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9FsS8A8Q8I
One of the most intriguing aspects of the special is how it came together—or almost didn’t. A fundraising commercial for the project suggests Pence and his team turned to fans to finance the production, a move that aligns with the special’s underdog ethos. The commercial itself is part of the bit, framing the special as a last-ditch effort to salvage a career gone off the rails. Whether this was a genuine funding push or another layer of the joke remains unclear, but it adds to the special’s meta-narrative.
The lack of traditional studio backing might explain why the special hasn’t gained widespread attention. While it’s listed on Rotten Tomatoes 
, there’s no critical consensus or audience score, leaving its reception a mystery. Without major distribution, The (Un)special Comedy Special exists in a niche space—appealing to fans of Pence’s work but flying under the radar for most comedy viewers.
The Pence Brand: From Sketch Comedy to Self-Deprecation
Pence’s career has largely been defined by ensemble work, particularly on Studio C, where he was a cast member for years. The (Un)special Comedy Special marks a shift toward solo material, though it retains the sketch-like energy of his past work. The special’s humor seems to thrive on self-deprecation, with Pence playing a version of himself who’s equal parts confident and clueless.
Interestingly, the SERP results also mention Tori Pence , another comedian with a similar name (and a connection to Studio C). While the two aren’t related, the confusion highlights how Eddie Pence’s brand is still finding its footing outside of ensemble comedy. The (Un)special Comedy Special feels like an experiment—one that either cements his voice or fades into the background of his larger career.
The Verdict: A Cult Favorite or a Forgotten Experiment?
With no major reviews or buzz, The (Un)special Comedy Special remains a curiosity rather than a breakout. Its meta-humor and crowdfunded origins make it an interesting footnote in the world of comedy specials, but without wider distribution or critical validation, it’s hard to gauge its impact.
For fans of Pence’s work, the special might be a fun, if uneven, extension of his brand. For everyone else, it’s a reminder that not every comedy experiment lands—and that’s part of the joke.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.