An Evening with Chevy Chase + Screening of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Monday, Dec. 30, 7:30 p.m., $50+
Memorial Auditorium, Raleigh
There’s a classic Simpsons moment when Homer, riffling through some concert tickets, says, “Ooh, ooh, an evening with Philip Glass. Just an evening?”
The moment came to mind when the Duke Energy Center announced “An Evening with Chevy Chase,” which comes to Memorial Auditorium on December 30 (tickets just went on sale).
Look, we all know that, by all indications, Chevy Chase is not a super nice man. (Exhibit I, II, III.) But we also know that he’s good at pretending to be one. We know it from his maniacally loving portrayal of Clark Griswold in the ‘80s and ‘90s National Lampoon movies, one of which, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, has become one of the most beloved Christmas movies ever.
Yes, Chase was an original SNL player, and a giant of ‘80s comedy movies like Caddyshack and Three Amigos, and a cast member on Community, but to us, he’ll always be trapped in that attic in Christmas Vacation, wearing pink evening gloves and a fur coat, weeping over old family movies.
Thirty years after the movie’s release, Chase will be present at Memorial Auditorium, sharing stories from his career and answering audience questions around a big-screen viewing of the film. As holiday nostalgia-killers go, it could be safer (somebody get Beverly D’Angelo stat), but it could be much, much worse (imagine MaCaulay Culkin touring Home Alone).
Tickets are available online at the Duke Energy Center website, by phone at 1-800-982-2787, or at the venue’s box office.