Seth Meyers is the cousin with the dry sense of humor who sits next to you at the wedding reception and keeps up a running commentary on the proceedings, providing steady laughs but never getting too acerbic. He’s the funniest dad in the bleachers at the Little League game, but he never mocks the kids; he’s way too nice for that. With eight years as the anchor of “Weekend Update” on “Saturday Night Live” followed by a decade as the host of his own late-night talk show, Meyers’ persona is that of the clever and level-headed voice of reason who sits behind the desk and sets things straight in wry and precise fashion.
We don’t necessarily think of him as a stand-up artist, but as we saw with the 2019 special “Lobby Baby” and now with “Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking” on HBO, he is a polished and comfortable pro who can deliver an hour’s worth of comfort comedy without breaking a sweat. Filmed at the Vic Theatre in Chicago, this is a no-frills special consisting of Meyers talking to the audience as if we’re all friends and we can all relate to the stories culled from his experiences as a husband and father — stories exaggerated for comedic effect, of course. There’s no footage of Meyers as he walks the streets and enters the theater, no filmed pieces cut into the show, no music or video accompaniment.
This is classic, straightforward, joke-centric material. Meyers isn’t interested in breaking new ground or making you squirm with dicey material. We�.