“You guys are getting the real vulnerable Nicky K, folks,” is the perfect way to describe Nick Kroll’s new stand-up special “Little Big Boy.”

The comedian, actor, writer and producer's first stand-up special in 11 years did not disappoint fans. “Little Big Boy” had Kroll at his most relatable, personable, goofy and vulnerable.

Kroll is an important name in the comedy world; from the iconic “Kroll Show '' to his monster-hit “Big Mouth,” comedy fans are well aware of Kroll and his comedic skills.

Despite being a prolific comedian, Kroll isn’t as known for stand-up as his frequent comedy partner and friend John Mulaney.

Kroll has stated in interviews that he began to go back into stand-up at the beginning of 2020; with COVID-19 putting that plan on hold, Kroll has come out of the pandemic with a lot of new experience and, consequently, a lot of new material.

Kroll opened his set with a story that he had told through “Big Mouth” (a series that Kroll has admitted to being pseudo-autobiographical) about getting pantsed while talking to a girl he had a crush on.

While to fans of “Big Mouth,” this story may have felt tired, Kroll tied it together expertly when explaining to the audience that his silk boxers accidentally coming down with his pants in front of his crush is how he became a comedian.

Despite much of “Little Big Boy” centering around Kroll’s childhood and early adulthood, this seems to be the only story with a legitimate crossover with his work on “Big Mouth.”

The biggest topic Kroll seemingly wanted to discuss was, well, poop. A topic that Kroll seems to have expert observational skills while describing the different aspects of diarrhea.

Kroll bared very few boundaries when discussing his multiple experiences defecating in clothes, even one that eventually made him realize that his now wife and mother of his son was the one.

Kroll does tackle some more serious topics, but never wavers from his goofy and witty persona.

Talking about a break-up with his first love and the subsequent depression that followed... Kroll was particularly vulnerable in this part of the special, something fans of his may not have been used to seeing.

Along with romantic breakups, Kroll had a great bit about his hypnotherapy that he had to use to quit smoking, a bad habit he had throughout his 20s.

Kroll also had a bad habit he picked up in his 30s - snacking. To help with this vice Kroll had to utilize the same hypnotherapy methods. The hilarity of a snacking addiction was already great, but Kroll took it to the next level by playing the hypnotherapy tape he fell asleep to at night for the audience.

Kroll is known for his vocal abilities as a comic who can change his voice dramatically and with ease.

He displayed this skill throughout the entire special. He was notably imitating the voice in his head that criticizes everything he does, a voice that sounds precisely like British action star Jason Statham.

The Statham impression is overall funny but overstayed its welcome. To be fair, it takes place during the middle of the special, which sometimes feels slow.

This special was a delightful addition to Kroll’s impressive resume as a comedian. For fans of the comic, this was a fresh look at him at a new stage in his life.

Becoming a husband and a father has likely matured Kroll, but he’s still the same wacky, but clever comic audiences love.

It’s clear that Kroll is booked and busy, seeing as the sixth season of “Big Mouth” will be released later this month, and the series spin-off show “Human Resources” was also renewed for a second season.

However, it will be interesting to see if Kroll will continue ventures in stand-up comedy in the future. “Little Big Boy” has made clear that if Kroll wants to return to his roots in stand-up, he still has the humor and charisma to do so well.

Rating: 4/5

Sophia D’Ovidio is a second-year majoring in communications. To contact her, email sgd5184@psu.edu.