Abhiroop Das
Co-created by Bert Kreischer, Andrew Mogel, and Jarrad Paul, ‘Free Bert’ steps into the daily life of Bert Kreischer, a waning comedian who has grown frustrated with his own legacy, particularly one of ripping his shirt off at the start of every routine. However, having repeated the same trick for years, Bert grows scared of change, and instead tries the next best thing: align himself with the interests of his social circle. The Kreischers are often isolated from the larger Beverly Hills community, full to the brim with wealthy families and an ever-narrowing clique. With his daughter’s reputation at the Barklidge Academy on the line, he vows to do anything necessary to earn the trust of the many, even if it means chipping away at everything that makes him special.
In this rollercoaster of thrills, anxieties, and mostly humor, Bert finds the lines between his comedian and family-man personas blurring, until what is left is a completely fractured identity. Whether he gives in to the sway of a trio comprised of rich, powerful dads, however, ultimately determines the future of his comedy, and by extension, the very expression of his heart and soul.
Free Bert Fictionalizes Bert Kreischer’s Identity Crisis About His Brand of Comedy
‘Free Bert’ presents a dramatized rendition of Bert Kreischer’s lived experiences, with the famed comedian playing himself. In his own words to CBC Mornings, the show is a “fictionalized version, heightened, and it’s much more compact.” While Bert did indicate that some portions of the story are partially taken from his real-life tidbits, the larger season-wide narrative is intended to be a hand-crafted, bingeable experience that reflects urban family life. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, he explained that the premise for the show emerged at a dark point in his life, shortly after he left the Travel Channel. Faced with an identity crisis, Bert began questioning the very style of comedy he had come to master over the years, which specifically involved a dramatic ripping off of his shirt.
Bert’s shirt rip-off move continues to be the most iconic move in his comedic toolkit, but by that point, he began considering trying something new and more experimental. A turning point came during his performance at a private party, where he was recalled being paid $25,000 just for taking his shirt off and on a number of times, and performing his famous 2016 routine, known as ‘The Machine.’ While Bert agreed to the offer, the incident left him shaken, and ultimately went on to become the basis for the opening scene of ‘Free Bert.’ However, the scene-by-scene developments of the show only partially reference real life, and at the heart of it all lies Bert’s exploration of himself and his comedic legacy.
An Altered Version of Bert Kreischer’s Real Family is Featured in the Show
Apart from Bert, the show also retains the names of his family, including his wife, LeeAnn Kreischer, as well as his two children, Georgia and Ila Kreischer. However, apart from their names and certain biographical details, the characters maintain a degree of separation from real life, with feature actors stepping into the roles. Reportedly, Bert’s children initially did not want their names, personality traits, and other details to be associated with the show, but that changed when Bert showed them clips from the show. The blend of complex emotions and pure comedy seemingly struck a chord with the real-life Georgia and Ila, following which they were fully on board with the production.
Still, there are some major differences in how Bert’s children are portrayed on-screen versus how they are in real life. The biggest is possibly the use of foul language in the show. While the child characters in ‘Free Bert’ have no qualms dropping f-bombs in conversations with their parents, Bert confirmed that this is not the case in real life. Both Bert and LeeAnn, whom he described as an old school parent, were also inspired by their personal experiences at their daughter’s school, where they endured social prejudices and the many effects of the wealth gap in real time. Thus, it makes sense that much of the show is centered around school shenanigans and how class relations both inform and are informed by such events.
The use of therapy as a narrative device is one of the many features that make ‘Free Bert’ stand out as a story, and once again, it is not without a real-life precedent. While talking to The Hollywood Reporter, Bert explained that he and LeeAnn are in couples therapy, which has helped them emotionally decompress. During one of these sessions, he was reportedly asked by his therapist about the reason he goes shirtless, and in many ways, his Netflix show appears to be an extended exploration of the same. “I stand by the fact that I made a stupid decision (to take my shirt off) 15 years ago in Dayton, Ohio,” he said, before adding, “By the time I got to the Showtime special I did, I was uncomfortable putting a shirt on, and then I went viral, and it just sticks with you.” Still, Bert has maintained that he loves being shirtless, and that part of his routine is unlikely to go away anytime soon.
Read More: Where is Free Bert Filmed? All Shooting Locations
