Legendary comedian Bill Cosby's newest special, "Far From Finished," premiered this past weekend, and it was everything I hoped it would be.
This is going to be the least subjective review ever, so bear with me.
Cosby hasn't released a special in three decades, so this is a big deal. I was worried that Cosby's age and his safe, classical comedy would negatively affect his new special, but boy was I wrong. While "Far From Finished," doesn't quite hit the heights of Cosby's other works, it is still hilarious and shows that Cosby isn't ready to give up yet.
Let's get the negatives out of the way first so I can gush about seeing one of my favorite comedians return to the stage. Cosby has always had a particular brand of humor, one predicated on family-friendly, but still funny, material. Though most of it still works, some of it feels a little dated in this special, particularly a bit about finding a girl who will "drink beer" and "watch sports" with you. It's still a funny bit because of Cosby's delivery, but coming from any other comedian I think it would've failed.
OK, on to the good stuff. The best bit in the special is an extended story about Cosby trying to sneak some chocolate chip cookies while out to dinner with his wife. It showcases all of Cosby's trademark talents: his facial expressions, his impeccable timing, and his ability to make the mundane funny. Cosby is the only comedian who could pull off a bit like this and he does it marvelously. Every Cosby fan knows that he's at his best when talking about snacks, and this is yet another addition to his pantheon of cake and cookie based comedy.
Here's a short preview of the cookie bit, but you really need to see the whole thing. It's a thing of beauty.
Side note: this cookie bit is also one of the few in the special that feature a lot of movement from Cosby. For the most part, he is seated in the middle of the stage. It doesn't really negatively impact the special though, because Cosby is so naturally funny.
"Far From Finished" also features quite a bit of crowd work, which is rare for a special of this size and ceremony. Cosby asks the audience to finish punchlines regularly, and it works very well.
Most of the material is about Cosby and his wife, and though this is well-trodden territory for Cosby, it's all fresh and new. Cosby is a true master of stand-up, and "Far From Finished" is no exception.
In the end, you're probably going to enjoy this special more if you are a fan of Cosby like I am. But then again, who isn't a fan of Cosby?
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
"My Girlfriend's Boyfriend"
I have never seen a special with more serious, dramatic moments than Mike Birbiglia's "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend." These moments, however, are almost always punctuated by Birbiglia's unique and hilarious punchlines. Birbiglia's newest special is an honest, heartbreaking, and hilarious journey through his personal relationships.
"My Girlfriend's Boyfriend" was released through Netflix Comedy, much like Marc Maron's special, 'Thinky Pain." The two specials actually have a lot in common. Both are intensely personal and feature long stories rather than short, punchy jokes. Both comedians display their insecurities by spilling their guts on stage. But Birbiglia's special is much more energetic and has a greater focus on the audience than Maron's.
Birbiglia has always been less of a traditional stand-up and more of long-form storyteller with a penchant for hilarious phrasing. His last special, "What I Should Have Said Was Nothing," was a hilarious collection of stories about Birbiglia's childhood and early stand-up career.
There are moments in this special where you are not going to be laughing. Some of Birbiglia's stories border on depressing, and there were times where I was shocked he was able to pull this off in a comedy special. I know that sounds weird, and you're probably wondering why you would ever want to watch this, but Birbiglia does pull it off and it's wonderful. He has a unique talent to punctuate dramatic, sometimes uncomfortably honest stories with a hilariously phrased, perfectly timed punchline.
This is much more like a one-man stage show than a comedy special. Birbiglia jumps back and forth between stories of his formative romantic experiences (first kiss, dating a "bad girl") and stories of his relationship with his wife, Jenny. Birbiglia always uses big transitional moments, sometimes dour and slowly delivered, sometimes funny and yelled out, to signal a shift between stories.
The comedic highlight of the special is Birbiglia's story about taking a girl on a carnival ride called The Scrambler. It's a pretty predictable bit (we all know what happens when you combine greasy carnival food with high-powered machinery) but Birbiglia tells it in an exciting, engaging way.
The great strength of this special is Birbiglia's use of the stage. He has a ton of energy, using the whole stage to act out his stories (and not in a hackish way like Dane Cook). He even leaves the stage at one point to draw attention to an audience member in his bare feet, which has to be one of the strangest audience interactions I have ever seen. Later, the lights dim as Birbiglia is spotlit during one of the special's most dramatic moments. He's not just performing on the stage- he's using it as another tool in his storytelling arsenal.
"My Girlfriend's Boyfriend" is more than a comedy special, but it is funny enough that I can recommend to fans of stand-up. Really though, I think Birbiglia's latest show has some important things to say about love and relationships that most people will enjoy.
Check out this preview of the special, which is available on Netflix or for pre-order here.
"My Girlfriend's Boyfriend" was released through Netflix Comedy, much like Marc Maron's special, 'Thinky Pain." The two specials actually have a lot in common. Both are intensely personal and feature long stories rather than short, punchy jokes. Both comedians display their insecurities by spilling their guts on stage. But Birbiglia's special is much more energetic and has a greater focus on the audience than Maron's.
Birbiglia has always been less of a traditional stand-up and more of long-form storyteller with a penchant for hilarious phrasing. His last special, "What I Should Have Said Was Nothing," was a hilarious collection of stories about Birbiglia's childhood and early stand-up career.
There are moments in this special where you are not going to be laughing. Some of Birbiglia's stories border on depressing, and there were times where I was shocked he was able to pull this off in a comedy special. I know that sounds weird, and you're probably wondering why you would ever want to watch this, but Birbiglia does pull it off and it's wonderful. He has a unique talent to punctuate dramatic, sometimes uncomfortably honest stories with a hilariously phrased, perfectly timed punchline.
This is much more like a one-man stage show than a comedy special. Birbiglia jumps back and forth between stories of his formative romantic experiences (first kiss, dating a "bad girl") and stories of his relationship with his wife, Jenny. Birbiglia always uses big transitional moments, sometimes dour and slowly delivered, sometimes funny and yelled out, to signal a shift between stories.
The comedic highlight of the special is Birbiglia's story about taking a girl on a carnival ride called The Scrambler. It's a pretty predictable bit (we all know what happens when you combine greasy carnival food with high-powered machinery) but Birbiglia tells it in an exciting, engaging way.
The great strength of this special is Birbiglia's use of the stage. He has a ton of energy, using the whole stage to act out his stories (and not in a hackish way like Dane Cook). He even leaves the stage at one point to draw attention to an audience member in his bare feet, which has to be one of the strangest audience interactions I have ever seen. Later, the lights dim as Birbiglia is spotlit during one of the special's most dramatic moments. He's not just performing on the stage- he's using it as another tool in his storytelling arsenal.
"My Girlfriend's Boyfriend" is more than a comedy special, but it is funny enough that I can recommend to fans of stand-up. Really though, I think Birbiglia's latest show has some important things to say about love and relationships that most people will enjoy.
Check out this preview of the special, which is available on Netflix or for pre-order here.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Bill Cosby returns to the stage
Bill Cosby's first comedy special in 30 years, "Far From Finished," will premiere on Comedy Central on Sunday, Nov. 23.
Ok, now that the lede is out of the way, holy heck am I excited for this. As you know, "To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With" is my favorite album of all time. Though Cosby's been touring consistently over the past few years (I still haven't seen him...I need to fix that) he has not released a new special in what seems like a million years.
Check out this preview of the new special:
OK, I do have a few thoughts.
With Cosby seated in the middle of the stage, this looks more like sit-down comedy than stand-up. It's understandable since Cosby is 76 years old, but he still seems to have the same energy and timing that made him a legend. Besides, I would watch a special where Cosby lies down behind a curtain if it meant I got to hear him do new bits.
Does anybody do faces better than Cosby? Just look at the expressions he throws out in that video. I don't know if anyone is better at making you laugh without saying a single word. I lost it at the 1:34 mark of the video. That may be the funniest face in comedy history.
Ok, now that the lede is out of the way, holy heck am I excited for this. As you know, "To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With" is my favorite album of all time. Though Cosby's been touring consistently over the past few years (I still haven't seen him...I need to fix that) he has not released a new special in what seems like a million years.
Check out this preview of the new special:
OK, I do have a few thoughts.
With Cosby seated in the middle of the stage, this looks more like sit-down comedy than stand-up. It's understandable since Cosby is 76 years old, but he still seems to have the same energy and timing that made him a legend. Besides, I would watch a special where Cosby lies down behind a curtain if it meant I got to hear him do new bits.
He does bring up a really interesting challenge in this bit. In today's world, where a lot of comedy is based on shock value and who can be the most vulgar, is there still an audience for Cosby's family-friendly clean comedy? I think so, since obviously I will be watching, but I think people who are just being introduced to Cosby will not appreciate this special as much as die-hard fans. People who got into comedy through guys like Louis CK may see Cosby as too safe or boring. They're wrong, but I think some people will have that reaction to the special.
Regardless, I will be watching this special with my best Cosby sweater on and a pudding in my hand. "Far From Finished" airs at 7 pm Central time on Saturday, Nov. 23.
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