By Morgan James
Comedian Bill Engvall, best known for being one third of the enormously successful Blue Collar Comedy troup alongside Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy, will be performing in the Coachella Valley on Saturday November 19th, 2016 at Spotlight 29 Casino. With a new comedy special out “Just Sell Him For Parts,” a dramatic role in a crime thriller “The Neighbor,” a weekly podcast “My Two Cents with Bill Engvall,” and a holiday movie “Wish for Christmas,” Engvall still manages to find time to see his fans on tour and spend time with his family. An impressive resume including well known sitcom “The Bill Engvall Show” in which he starred in and executive produced for three seasons on TBS, hosting popular game show “Lingo” on Game Show Network, plus finishing as a finalist and audience favorite on season seventeen of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. While Bill admits that he is pleased with all he has accomplished in his entertainment career so far, the goal oriented funny man is hoping to pursue more dramatic roles in the future. I spoke with this stellar star to get the low down on his upcoming Spotlight 29 show and discover his feelings on all of these exciting career developments.
I asked Bill first what brings him to the Coachella Valley at Spotlight 29 Casino- is this a specific tour or is this a single special visit. Bill laughs and replies, “I am always touring! I have been on tour since 1984!” He continues to explain that he is proud to be promoting his new comedy special “Just Sell Him For Parts,” this time around however, boasting “I have a lot of fresh material there. I think people will really like it. I have performed at Spotlight 29 before and it is a great venue. I am happy to be coming back.” I asked Engvall if the current election ever plays into his routine as he is known to comment on and make light of everyday occurrences, and also if he’d be sharing a bit of his new comedy special material. “No I don’t touch the election subject,” he states with a sigh, “I stick to good old, every day, family friendly comedy. I have some great material for this upcoming show and I will throw in a few bits from ‘Just Sell Him For Parts,’ but I definitely won’t be giving it all away!”
If you’re a fan of Bill Engvall already, or if you become one after his show, the popular comedian hosts a weekly podcast “My Two Cents with Bill Engvall” with PodcastOne. A trendy medium currently, podcasts allow an easy way for an audience to plug in to the lives of celebrities, news people, etc. When I asked what subjects are discussed on his Podcast, Bill explains “We talk about all sorts of things and hosts a number of guests which is fun. My wife has a segment where we discuss and answer questions from the point of view of a couple married for 35 years. It’s a good time.”
Another endeavor of the multi-talented comedy artist has been acting. Proving he is truly a well- rounded entertainer and no stranger to film and television, Engvall has appeared and starred in a number of both including television series, “The Golden Palace” and “Hawthorne,” plus films “Bait Shop” and even “Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!.” Bill most recently wrapped a faith-based holiday film in which he plays Santa Claus called “Wish for Christmas,” a touching comedy which just came out November 1st. In contrast to the light-hearted Santa Claus role, the diverse actor completely surprised fans as he recently wrapped an intensely psychological role as the bad guy in crime-thriller “The Neighbor” out September 6th. Critics are raving about Engvall’s performance in the dark film as he scares with “quiet discomfort.” “I am used to playing the comedic sitcom dad and I really wanted to stretch myself by playing a more dramatic role,” Engvall explains, “I am fortunate to have gotten to do pretty much everything that I have wanted to do in my career so far. So now I am looking for different things. I like to get people talking and I really hope to continue taking on roles like this that stretch me as an actor and expose me to a broader audience. It is all fun. I am grateful.”
Don’t miss Bill Engvall at Spotlight 29 Casino on November 19th in Coachella and be sure to pick up his latest comedy special “Just Sell Him For Parts.”
