ASIAN MOM, MEXICAN KIDS is a stand-up comedy special performed by Rob Schneider in the year 2020. It is a prime example of old-school comedy. Schneider shares a series of anecdotes and commentary to deliver a set on the struggles faced by him, especially in his middle age.
KEY FEATURES
Among the standout elements of the special, the one that keeps the audience hooked is the nagging of different characters—including his mother, his daughters, and his wife—with Schneider’s voice modulation building the conflict, yet keeping it engaging and hilarious while maintaining a poker face.
Schneider uses his strong observation skills to talk about the psychology of men and their pig potential.
The chemistry with his Mexican wife and jokes revolving around his relationship with her is another key aspect of the show.
Although the most underrated element of the show was the musicians in the background—especially Takeru Saito, the pianist—his subtle presence added a unique charm to the show.
PERFORMANCES BREAKDOWN
Schneider began his set with certain contrasting jokes about various physiological changes that occur in middle age and gives his commentary on it. He talks about his struggles with his Mexican wife and mimics her in a Mexican accent, followed by his struggles around parenthood with his young daughters, who are good with two languages.
The exaggerated jokes around his allergies make the audience laugh hysterically, while the probability that he might have violated someone makes the audience uncomfortable, yet chuckle.
Schneider talks about his racial identity and how his Filipino mother was always tough on him. He goes from how Chinese people are actually capitalists and not communists, and how they can extract profit from almost everything—ranging from the world’s biggest festivals and the world’s biggest tragedies to little day-to-day life activities.
The set is followed by how Korean barbecue is lazy and takes the audience to a hypothetical scenario of how lazy the Korean brothels would be.
Moving on, he talks about how men and women think about relationships and sex in polar opposite ways. He goes from how men behave in a relationship to how men treat two different kinds of women differently. Some parts of it build the chaos neatly, while others fail to deliver the humour.
Although the musicians do a wonderful job, and Schneider’s play with his voice keeps the audience engaged.
The final bit of the special revolves around a few anecdotes—how his daughter had a nightmare, how he had an argument with his wife, and how he did some stupid things under the influence of a substance.
Schneider mimicking his wife’s accent was the highlight of this part.
There was a special musical performance by Rob Schneider and his daughter Elle King in the end, and they were joined by his family after the show ended.
STRENGTHS
Schneider has put all his life experience into creating a special that will make you laugh, chuckle, and sometimes feel uncomfortable by pushing the boundaries.
His hold on his own character and different kinds of accents is another key factor. Whether it is the shift in tone while building a conflict or the use of Spanish words while talking in English, it is another noteworthy factor.
WEAKNESSES
There is nothing new that the audience might not have heard or joked about. The jokes are repetitive and based on stereotypes that you might’ve heard multiple times.
There is a pacing issue with the show as well. It feels slow, and sometimes it feels flat as well.
FINAL VERDICT
If you are looking for something fun yet slightly edgy to watch while hanging out with friends or even alone, it is definitely something you should consider. It is available on Netflix to stream.