Happy New Year’s. It’s 2020 now and I’ve now watched quite a few of what critics call the best stand-up comedy specials that were on Netflix in 2019. Here’s my favorites in order of preference, first being the best, with just a few words on each:
Hasan Minhaj, Homecoming King — Davis, California’s own Hasan Minhaj filmed his special in Davis, who does that? It is hilarious, funny, touching, deep. Really looking at the racism he faced growing up and at the steep racism tax that immigrants pay in America
John Mulaney,New in Town & The Comeback Kid. For sheer quantity of sidesplitting laughs frequently at no one’s expense but John Mulaney, these two specials are sheer joy and fun. Bonus points: you can watch them with your family and not cringe at any sexual descriptions or language. He is not particularly making us think and he is a standard issue white guy, but he plays with and against both those things beautifully. Frequently mistaken for gay, but not. Frequently mistaken for a nerd, but not. And funny down to his toes. I look forward to his third special also on Netflix which I haven’t seen yet.
Aziz Ansari,Right Now In this special, directed by Spike Jonz, Aziz simultaneously rehabilitates his comedy career and takes it to a new level of insight. I’ve been waiting for a while for someone to question whether we have to hate art we once loved after we come to deplore and condemn the artist for his actions. I had no idea that that someone would turn out to be Aziz Ansari.
Ali Wong, Baby Cobra. The friend that recommended this to me said “Sara, this woman is HILARIOUS but so sexually graphic that even you won’t be able to handle it.” Putting aside for a second why anyone would imagine a perfectly respectable minister like myself would be comfortable with sexually explicit comedy, let me say that she was right. It was profoundly filthy material. Bluer than blue. I DID regret watching it with my daughter. But I did not regret watching it, sides still hurting from laughter.
Mike Birbiglia, My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend. For some reason I keep deciding that Mike Birbiglia is NOT as funny as he is. Some of these specials I’m reviewing tend toward more story-telling. Others, like Wong and Mulaney, tend toward the old school tight pack sets of jokes building on each other. Birbiglia somehow combines both. It feels like more like a story than a set of jokes but somehow it is bam bam funny like a tight set.
Ellen DeGeneris,Relatable. I watched the special before the Twitterverse skewered her for hanging out at a ballgame with war criminal George W. Bush. Even pre-skewering, I didn’t especially want to like this special. Her regular show is so lightweight. And she seems to do nothing at all to earn her place in fame. Yet, the special reaffirms Ellen as America’s Lesbian Sweetheart. Someone once said find the thing that you do that is so easy for you that you don’t even value it and that’s the thing that will make you your millions, not hard work. Ellen found that herself and she makes it look so easy its almost impossible to value it. But value it we do. She is so goddamn likeable you can’t help but grin ear to ear for most of the special. How many other hours of your life would you like to feel like that? I can see why she thinks we would forgive her no matter who she hang out with.
Trevor Noah, Son of Patricia. I love Trevor Noah. I love the Daily Show and I love his imitation of you know who so when I tucked into the sofa for this one, I KNEW I was in for a treat. Turns out I was right, but not like the specials above. It’s worth watching. He has good stories, memorable laughs and explores important theme like stupid things white people like to do that he doesn’t and how South Africa has bested America at racism, but the show has neither the vulnerability and insight of Gadsby, Minhaj and Ansari, the tight tight sets of Mulaney, Wong and Birbiglia, or the effortless experience of hanging out with Ellen DeGeneris.
