Comedian Bill Engvall switches subjects from raising family to getting older

By Jerry Fink

Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Chris Morris

Aging may depress some people, but comedian Bill Engvall has found the humor in the process — and a way to make a buck or two from it.

“My whole career has been made with me talking about my kids, raising a family,” Engvall, 52, says from his Los Angeles home. “Now, my wife and I are empty-nesters.”

He examines the experience in a new album and DVD, “Aged and Confused,” shot at the Vic Theater in Chicago and first seen as a Comedy Central special on Nov. 22.

“This album was really fun because it’s just dealing with us getting older and being alone together,” says Engvall, whose 23-year-old daughter and 18-year-old son are away at college.

“There’s a whole adjustment period. As I was telling a friend, my name is the only name that gets called out loud in this house now, and I’ve begun to develop a hearing problem.”

He finds himself doing things he never dreamed of doing.

“My wife, Gail, drug me to a Renaissance fair,” Engvall says. “I’ve never been to a Renaissance fair, but now after being at one for an hour I know why Romeo and Juliet killed each other.”

Almost two years ago Engvall became the first headliner to perform at Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere Theatre at Treasure Island.

“Now I do my act in tights from a trapeze,” he says.

He will be at TI Thursday and Friday and Dec. 10 and 11 while the National Finals Rodeo is in town.

Engvall may be best known for being one of the quartet of comedians from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, along with Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy.

White and Larry will also be in town for the NFR; White at the Mirage Friday and Saturday and Dec. 11 and 12, and Larry at Mandalay Bay on Dec. 12.

Foxworthy won’t be here, but he will join Engvall and Dan Whitney (Larry’s real name) sometime next year for a non-blue-collar comedy tour.

“Ron won’t be on it,” Engvall says. “He’s gone out to do his own thing, and we’re cool with that. This little tour is just going to be three guys going out who enjoy each other’s company and enjoy doing standup.”

Engvall has more time to tour now that his two television shows have been canceled. “Country Fried Videos” lasted five years on CMT and “The Bill Engvall Show” lasted three seasons on TBS.

“I got the double whammy,” he says.

He says “Country Fried Videos” was the most successful show CMT ever had, and one of the cheapest to produce.

“Why they’re not doing more is beyond me, but I don’t run networks,” Engvall says.

Instead of licking his wounds he’s working on developing a new sitcom for another network.

“They know I can carry a show now so I’m hoping by next fall to have something on the air,” he says.

Even if it doesn’t happen, Engvall isn’t too concerned.

“I’m getting to that age that I wouldn’t mind slowing down a bit,” he says. “I think I’m just going to put it on cruise control for a while and see what happens.”