Review: James Adomian proves at Acme comedy show that he's more than the Mike Lindell impersonator

The comic will be performing in Minneapolis through Saturday.

February 3, 2023 at 6:09AM
Jimmy Kimmel and James Adomian (ABC/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

James Adomian had a good excuse for postponing his trip to Minneapolis. "Jimmy Kimmel Live" needed him in Los Angeles earlier this week to once again contribute his masterful impression of Mike Lindell, especially since the late-night series had the real MyPillow guy booked on Tuesday's show.

Those who showed up Thursday at Acme Comedy Co. just to see the comic's now-famous impersonation weren't disappointed. Adomian spent a chunk of his hourlong set channeling the Minnesota-based businessman and sharing anecdotes about the times they've met.

But Adomian, who turned 43 this week, has many more characters living inside of him — and that includes another well-known Minnesotan. He dissected his dead-on impression of Jesse Ventura, explaining how it's like a typical Midwest accent that has spent too much time in the oven.

One of the reasons Adomian isn't as well known as other impressionists is that he favors obscure celebrities. One of the highlights of Thursday's sold-out show was his re-imagination of a homophobic Sam Elliott being interviewed on Marc Maron's podcast.

He also did BBC narrator David Attenborough, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and the Munchkin coroner from "The Wizard of Oz." Most were terrific, although he made Tom Selleck sound a little too much like Foster Brooks.

Adomian mostly works clean, so his finishing bit, in which he describes experiences on Grindr in graphic details, was a little jarring. But since it's near the end, skittish attendees can always dart out early. Maybe they can make it home in time for "Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Adomian will continue at Acme for 7 and 9:30 p.m. shows on Friday and Saturday.

about the writer

about the writer

Neal Justin

Critic / Reporter

Neal Justin is the pop-culture critic, covering how Minnesotans spend their entertainment time. He also reviews stand-up comedy. Justin previously served as TV and music critic for the paper. He is the co-founder of JCamp, a non-profit program for high-school journalists, and works on many fronts to further diversity in newsrooms.

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