Sweeney, "The Character King," an aging local standup comic, is offered the opportunity to appear on a national TV show based in Los Angeles. The sole stipulation is that Sweeney must exclude all regionally referenced material from his act, the most prominent of which is his portrayal of his colorful Boston "characters," which have been a defining feature of his home field success. Sweeney makes the difficult decision to discontinue performing the characters. To his surprise, however, the figures "resurrect" and desire vengeance; they attempt to assassinate Sweeney.