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I’ve never written a review about comedy before, in part because comedy is SO subjective. I don’t even know if what I’m writing here is a review of the show (that’s easy: Amazing), the comedians (what a lineup!), or comedy in general.
I strongly believe that comedians do more than make us laugh–they are a vital part of society. They highlight absurdities, putting them into words and analogies that help us process life and even prompt change.
I’ve been watching comedy since I was hiding in pillow forts sneaking Benny Hill and Johnny Carson on a black-and-white TV. In my teens, I could not stop watching—over and over and over again—the VHS tape “Classic Comedy Teams” hosted by Steve Allen. (I watched it recently and that shit’s still funny; I don’t know how it could possibly only have 3 1/2 stars on Amazon.) Anyway, I watched all the standup I could get my eyes on.
When I started attending comedy shows, it was George Carlin, JJ Walker, and I forget who else. Then it was Patrice O’Neal (who heckled my guffaw at Caroline’s), Wanda Sykes, Jim Gaffigan, Patton Oswald, random comics at comedy clubs, etc. I have tickets to see Nate Bargatze next month, Sebastian Maniscalco in November, Fran Liebowitz in February, and Paula Poundstone in March. I love live standup and witty commentary.
I enjoy a wide range of material, though my tolerance for some topics has admittedly waned (if it was ever there). (Like seriously, HOW the FUCK does anyone find pedophilia funny?). I prefer when comedians make you both think and laugh; comedians who are self-deprecating; and slapstick (slip on a banana peel and I will be too doubled over to help you up, and I’m probably not sorry about it unless you’re dead, and even then, don’t expect me to get through your funeral with a straight face).
My two favorite sit-coms of all time are Golden Girls and Soap. More recently, I like the dark humor of shows like Barry and Why Women Kill; the feel-good Ted Lasso; and the snarky Schitt’s Creek.
What I don’t love: screaming (I mean, beyond regular Italian/Philly loudness), raunchiness (I don’t want to listen to “pussy” over and over again), or political extremes in any direction.
NYC STILL RISING AFTER 20 YEARS: A COMEDY CELEBRATION
First off: Some people were like “Why would you go see jokes about 9/11?” This wasn’t comedy about 9/11; it was a celebration of New York City continually rising in spite of 9/11. Throughout the night, firefighters and first responders were lauded and New York was hyped up for the resilient city it is. It was basically “Fuck yeah, we’re New York, we can overcome anything, and we can still laugh.”
I bought these tickets trusting the judgment of a man who lobbies the hell out of the government on behalf of victims of 9/11 (Jon Stewart) and a man who was a boy when his father was killed on 9/11 because firefighters run in when everyone else is running out (Pete Davidson). My faith in them was not misplaced.
When you watch 4+ hours straight of comedy, things get jumbled, so bear in mind that I’m basing this on memory! (Though I don’t drink, so at least my memory is sober.)
This is not organized in order of appearance. Note: there are no jokes/material shared here.
JOHN MULANEY: His was the penultimate act, but for me he’s #1. (I look forward to getting to see him do a full show at some point.) When he came out on stage, the crowd went bananas. His performance was en pointe, beginning to end. The set revolved around his addiction/rehab. I appreciate people who expose themselves to that degree and can laugh about it (and in this case, be a part of normalizing talking about addiction, but I digress). I don’t think there’s a single thing I didn’t laugh at. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I was doubled over, slapping the chair in front of me, and just uncontrollably guffawing. I probably looked like a circus seal. John Mulaney turned me into a circus seal.
JON STEWART: I’ll do him next since he was one of the hosts/organizers. I was really excited to see him live. I thoroughly enjoyed it because he’s self-deprecating and witty, not raunchy. I prefer when he gets thoughtfully political, which he wasn’t here, but that wasn’t the overall tone of this night, so I wasn’t surprised or disappointed.
PETE DAVIDSON: Pete hosted as well, but he didn’t perform so much as tell a couple funny stories. The bigger pleasure was watching all the love for him for his father’s sacrifice (though Pete looked awkward as hell when they really showered it on him at the end). I teared up multiple times. He‘s a strange bird, but he seems to have a really good heart. I like him. I’d pay to see him if he had a full polished act.
WANDA SYKES: I’ve always liked Wanda and I still quote some of her older material. This set was safe but consistently funny. I was not at all disappointed—Wanda Sykes gave me Wanda Sykes, and I love her for it.
AMY SCHUMER: Amy was funny and current. I remember really digging Amy when she first appeared on the scene with relatable jokes about the bedroom life of 20/30-somethings, but then it got meh because I didn’t feel like she pushed herself into new territory enough—like she’s still untapped (irony possibly unintended?). But she had more than just slutty jokes at this show, and I’m here for it.
MICHAEL CHÉ: I personally have such mixed feelings about Michael Ché. His Black Lives Matter routine c. 2016 was nothing short of genius. I have shared the shit out of that clip for years, to try to get fellow White people on board with BLM. That bit is for-real-for-real a perfect example of the kind of comedy that can change the world. But I can’t get on board with transphobic punchlines, so I soured on him. Take away that aspect of his comedy, and he’s a funny guy; he gave me some laughs during this performance. I hope he’ll someday go back to being a positive force in civil rights instead of a negative one.
TOM SEGURA: His set had me guffawing, up until his last joke. I don’t get why people find pedophilia jokes funny. I hate that it was the last joke I was left with, too—not a joke that fell in the middle so he could bring me back around. Still, the rest of the performance was hilarious. For a short set, he had a good range of jokes. (And even when he’s not making me laugh, it’s hard to dislike the face he makes.)
COLIN JOST: I think I laughed at 80% of his material, maybe more. I like his delivery.
COLIN QUINN: First I have to say that just seeing some of these old-school comedians was a joy. To watch Colin Quinn come on stage and to hear his distinct voice was, in itself, great. But I forget the act entirely. That might not be indicative of poor content—we drove 4 hours to the show, watched the show for over 4 hours, and then drove 4 hours home the same night. I don’t remember everything. However, that means there wasn’t one single amazing, memorable punchline. But…it also means there probably wasn’t anything that turned me off. I just know it was great to see him on stage, but uneventful.
JAY PHAROAH: Funny jokes, funny guy, decent impressions, relevant, I’d pay to see him.
BILL BURR: I was clearly in the minority in the stadium, as I’m not a fan—I’m just not a fan of his utter disgust toward feminism. For the majority of his set, I didn’t crack a smile. *That said*, the skilled comedian that he is, he highlighted something about feminism related to where women’s eyes and money go, something I’d never thought about, so that was worthwhile. He brought up something else that was interesting, too. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but his abortion bit was insightful and legit funny—I share the conflict he depicted and I was absolutely dying at an analogy he made. You can’t really argue that he doesn’t have mad comedic skillz. Still, I think he’s overall a jackass (and I’m exactly the kind of person he’d expect to say that, and he’d probably tell me to fuck off, and I’m cool with that and would probably run around giddily telling the world that Bill Burr told me to fuck off).
DAVE ATTELL: Unfortunately, I had to pee during his set. Apparently, he played the recorder, and I’m super bummed about missing it, and I don’t know why that is, seeing as the recorder is the worst instrument I’ve ever been subject to. I just know it had to have been funny. He got a laugh that was so big I could hear it from the bathroom. *sigh*
JIMMY FALLON: Jimmy’s performance was the most benign; someone (Jon? Pete?) called Jimmy and his act wholesome. It was on-brand: safe entertainment, not belly laughs. It was nice to see him live, though, and I’m glad he was there.
SAM JAY: Okay, for me personally, she was by far the worst act—actually, the only truly bad act. I don’t know if I laughed once, but I definitely cringed a few times. I don’t like hating on comedians, but damn, I wish she’d at least peppered her loud, angry raunchiness with something substantive. I gained nothing in life during her time on stage. There is *no way* I would pay to see her. I’ve seen a few not-awful clips of her standup, but this was all awful.
DAVE CHAPPELLE: I was sooooo stoked to see Chappelle, despite having mixed feelings about him these days. Chappelle is super insightful and makes you think, and he can be funny as shit. However, he came out pretty trashed and was scattered. In fact, CHRIS ROCK, who wasn’t on the bill, was propping him up (not physically—figuratively). It was fun to watch them riff, but I was bummed to get a Chappelle that wasn’t on top of his game. Also, he made a couple cringey jokes, which he’s done lately, so I’m not as much a fan as I used to be. OH–one super eventful thing happened during his set: he caught a guy who had his phone out, which was prohibited. We all (those of us who aren’t assholes, at least) had our phones locked in these little pouches. Chappelle roasted the guy on his way out and then gave a companion a talking-to as well. The guy was taken away by bodyguards who were going to erase the phone and eject him. Speaking of which, Chappelle’s bodyguard had a surprise act that I really enjoyed.
CHRIS ROCK: Not hilarious, but it was great to see him. That’s the thing about this show: it was great just being there with all these comedy legends under one roof. It was surreal and just plain special.
WOMAN OPENING AFTER INTERMISSION: I really wish I knew who this was to give her credit for being funny. She had an edgy joke that worked.
It was cool to see other unexpected guests, like Steve Buscemi. I also enjoyed the video played beforehand with clips from comedians and stars who couldn’t be there.
It was an unforgettable night. I don’t know if I want it to be aired in the future–I kinda like it being exclusive!
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