New York City comedian Eric Neumann has developed a unique approach to stand-up, weaving spontaneous phone calls with his mother into his performances. The 39-year-old comic, originally from Queens, now living in Hudson Yards, uses his mother Paula's unfiltered and often overprotective commentary as a significant part of his act.
The bit originated organically when Paula Neumann called him during a performance at the New York Comedy Club. "I was like, 'Hello?' She was like, 'Eric, I'm mad at your brother,' and the crowd started laughing," Neumann recalled. Initially attempting to dismiss the call, he found that the audience's reaction to his mother's interjections was a potent source of humor.
Neumann began intentionally putting his mother on speakerphone for the final 10 minutes of his sets. He noted that these mother-son exchanges sometimes became the most memorable part of his performance for the audience. "They'd be like, 'Oh my God, That mom phone call!' And I'd be like, 'Well, what about me as a solo artist for 45 minutes before that?'"
Paula Neumann, 77, who lives in Brooklyn Heights, acknowledges her role as an overprotective mother, stating, "I have been a little bit of an overprotective mother all these years, and follow him around, not physically, but phone wise. Thank God for the cell phone."
Their onstage collaborations extend to discussions about family and dating. Neumann, who is currently single, mentioned that his mother also tries to help him find a partner from the audience. "Well, you know, it's a known thing, he's 39, I want him to get married already, settle down. It's enough running around," Paula said. "And he dates young girls, too young for him."
Neumann, a regular at the Comedy Cellar, described his technique of placing his mother in social situations over the phone to elicit humorous responses. "I'd be like, 'Mom, there's a couple in the audience whose been together 10 years, but they're not married.' And her old-school brain cannot comprehend any of that. So she'd be like, 'Oh my God, get a move on it, guys!'"
Neumann's comedy special-documentary, "Call Your Mom," premiered on The Roku Channel on Monday. The pair hopes their act encourages viewers to connect with their own mothers. "If we can get people to watch and go, 'I have to call my mom,' and then you catch up with your mom for an hour over the phone, that I consider a huge win," Neumann said.