Watching Ron White perform this past Saturday (as mentioned in my 2026 Memorial weekend blog post) was relaxing and pretty funny. It was also significant in that it had been a long time since I attended a show featuring a superstar of comedy. The last time I watched an a-list comedian in-person was more than 16 years ago when I attended a Gabriel Iglesias show in Missoula.

My dad and I inside Northern Quest shortly before hitting up the outdoor venue for the Ron White show.

Between those two shows I have seen scrappy comedians try to make a name for themselves on cruise ships, amusement parks, and other venues.

But whether I was watching a comedy titan or someone trying to breakthrough, one thought would enter my head: comedians are truly some of the best public speakers around.

When someone doing stand-up takes the stage, there is no lectern or buffer separating them from the audience. Instead, they are given a mic and told to go. From there they must engage and connect with the audience in a way that produces a very specific response—laughter. Talk about pressure!

Comedians talk for an extended period of time while telling countless jokes that are embedded within numerous stories. You see, that’s probably the top talent that any comedian must possess: an absolute gift for storytelling.

As I watched Ron White deliver his approximately hour-long set, I observed with complete respect how he could effortlessly tell one story and transition to the next one, all while having the audience in laughing fits. But perhaps what impressed me most was how he improvised when a car alarm went off in the nearby parking garage. As the sound of the blaring horn dragged on for about a minute (which seemed like an eternity), White was able to crack jokes about the nature of live comedy shows and bad timing.

A look from our seats at the Ron White show. It took place on Saturday, May 23, at Northern Quest.

He removed any doubt that his set was simply an automatic, memorized speech that couldn’t be altered or disturbed. White’s ability to tell a new story when something beyond his control interjected itself into his current story was fascinating. Although his vulgar sense of humor may not have resonated with me most of the night, his talent earned my respect.

Shoutout to all the comedians out there. If you have any secrets about how you do it, I would love to hear them. Don’t Blink.