PinnedMy First Foot Forward: An IntroductionFirst impressions are very difficult for me. I stumble on my words trying to talk to someone at a bar. I use sarcastic language in emails to colleagues with misunderstood sincerity. I shake hands with strangers with sweaty palms, then feel the need to over-explain why my hands were so…Personal3 min readPersonal3 min read
May 22Celeste Barber: Fine, Thanks ~ The Jester’s PrivilegeI agree, Celeste Barber. It was fine, thanks. Unlike most comedians I review, Barber’s main thrust in entertainment isn’t stand-up. Studying acting in college and going on to star in Australian TV and movies in recent years, she didn’t get into the comedy scene until after her career took off…Stand Up Comedy2 min readStand Up Comedy2 min read
May 17Hannah Gadsby: Something Special ~ The Jester’s Privilege“Hijacking a story plane and landing it on their face.” Yes, an actual quote from Hannah Gadsby, and an apt descriptor of this special as a whole. Now, if you’re even a casual fan of comedy, the name “Hannah Gadsby” may cause some hesitation, perhaps some PCSD (Post-Comedy Special Disorder)…Stand Up Comedy3 min readStand Up Comedy3 min read
May 9Leanne Morgan: I’m Every Woman ~ The Jester’s PrivilegeAnyone from the age of 48 to 63 born and raised in the south or a farming community, I need a huge favor. I need you to go to Google, type in “youtube.com,” click on the first link that pops up, then search Leanne Morgan’s name, and click on any…Stand Up Comedy3 min readStand Up Comedy3 min read
Apr 30John Mulaney: Baby J ~ The Jester’s PrivilegeLet’s get two painfully obvious things out of the way: drugs are bad, and John Mulaney is really good at stand-up. After spending a good part of the 2010’s as one of the most recognizable comedians and a 2020 quarantine period that could only be described as “YEESH,” Mulaney returns…Stand Up Comedy3 min readStand Up Comedy3 min read
Apr 24My Name Is Mo’Nique ~ The Jester’s PrivilegeJust in case you missed it the first time, they were not fucking around when they call themselves Queens of Comedy. Sommore released her special back in February, and she referenced another “Queen of Comedy” within it: Mo’Nique. While I had not heard of her stand-up career, I was admittedly…Stand Up Comedy3 min readStand Up Comedy3 min read
Apr 16Mae Martin: SAP ~ The Jester’s PrivilegeYou know that feeling of sitting down to have a conversation with somebody, and the other person says they have a good story to tell you, so you watch them go from topic to topic, anecdote to anecdote, all the while promising there’s a point to it all, only to…Stand Up Comedy3 min readStand Up Comedy3 min read
Apr 3Bert Kreischer: Razzle Dazzle ~ The Jester’s PrivilegeYou know what they say, in an almost offensively thick southern accent: if it ain’t broke, why fix it? Bert Kreischer has made an entire career of comedy off two main factors. One is him being a drunken dumbass with a heart of gold and exactly zero impulse control, and…Comedy2 min readComedy2 min read
Mar 15Chris Rock: Selective Outrage ~ The Jester’s PrivilegeLook, I don’t have to explain to you who Chris Rock is, what he’s done, or how he became famous. He’s one of the most famous active comedians in the world, and has been for quite some time. This fact isn’t lost on the producers of “Selective Outrage,” his new…Comedy4 min readComedy4 min read
Mar 6Sommore: Queen Chandelier ~ The Jester’s PrivilegeSommore has the type of career that would make one both be inspired and discouraged to become a stand-up. She’s cultivated a career of over thirty years of practically solely comedy specials and TV appearances, becoming a mainstay in multiple legendary names in comedy like Def Jam and the Apollo…Stand Up Comedy3 min readStand Up Comedy3 min read
