Ilana Glazer “The Planet Is Burning” Review/ Summary
In “The Planet Is Burning,” Ilana Glazer speaks to her people and her core audience. If that isn’t you, I can’t necessarily say she’ll win you over.
Live Performance
The Degenerates: Ms. Pat – Review/ Summary
Within 19 minutes, you get a real and raw taste of who Ms. Pat is, and she makes it clear her story can’t be surmised in a short set.
Live In Front of a Studio Audience: “All In The Family” and “Good Times” – Recap, Review (with Spoilers)
With a change in one-half of the shows, and no crossing over, is the newest entry of Live In Front Of A Studio Audience as good as the first?
Ronny Chieng: Asian Comedian Destroys America (2019) – Review, Spoilers (with Spoilers)
While it takes Chieng to warm up a little longer than it should, once he sets up the jokes for the latter half, it is all smooth sailing.
Michelle Wolf: Joke Show – Review, Summary (with Spoilers)
In Joke Show, Wolf reminds you, while Netflix may have canceled her show, it wasn’t because she wasn’t funny but the format didn’t work.
A Family Reunion Christmas – Review, Recap (with Spoilers)
In the Family Reunion Christmas special, Jackée Harry guests stars, and the children are given a lesson on privilege.
Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
There is quite a bit of growth from Haddish since She Ready, and it leads to Black Mitzvah feeling like her first true special.
Iliza Shlesinger: Unveiled – Review, Summary (with Spoilers)
Being married and a stand up comic, especially a female one, isn’t a common thing, so Iliza Shlesinger takes advantage of this to break down how strange weddings are.
The Little Mermaid Live! – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
While an odd choice, considering they are making a film version within the next few years, The Little Mermaid Live is acceptable but far from remarkable.
Megan Thee Stallion P.I.: Hottieween – Review, Summary (with Spoilers)
In the comical horror series, Hottieween, rapper Megan Thee Stallion taps into her love of horror and pays homage to the great Black heroines of yesteryear.
Arsenio Hall: Smart & Classy – Review, Summary (with Spoilers)
Smart & Classy, due to references like the Menendez Brothers, can either be seen as for Gen X and above, or having a bit of dated material.
Jenny Slate: Stage Fright – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Part manic stand up special, as well as reflective documentary, Jenny Slate: Stage Fright gives you both the performer and the person who had to live life to write the jokes.
Deon Cole: Cole Hearted – Review/Summary (with Spoilers)
Deon Cole’s Cole Hearted is the first special, in a long time, that is not only funny but quotable as hell.
Nikki Glaser: Bangin’ (2019) – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
As long as you like the idea of strictly hearing sex jokes for an hour, you’ll enjoy Nikki Glaser: Bangin’.
Mo Gilligan: Momentum (2019) – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Mo Gilligan: Momentum is unlike most comedy specials you may have seen before and makes Gilligan someone you have to keep a watch on.
Jeff Dunham: Beside Himself – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
After a slow start, showing you why Dunham uses puppets to get a laugh, things kick into high gear in Beside Himself.
Dave Chappelle: Epilogue – The Punchline – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
In Epilogue: The Punchline, Dave shares a few celebrity encounter stories, does Q&A with the audience and talks about a chat with a trans person named Daphne.
Dave Chappelle: Sticks and Stones – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
In “Sticks & Stones” Chappelle reaches peak “I Do Not Give A F***” as he delves into Michael Jackson, the LGBTQ community, and more.
Whitney Cummings: Can I Touch It? – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
“Whitney Cummings: Can I Touch It?” has interesting thoughts in it, but you’ll forget most of them once the sex robot is brought out.
Marina Franklin: Single Black Female – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Marina Franklin: Single Black Female is a solid hour of material from a conversational comedian who will definitely push you to check what else she has out there.
Aziz Ansari: Right Now – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Aziz Ansari: Right Now brings us a more mature Aziz, reminiscent of Dave Chappelle’s The Bird Revelation, but still presenting the manic persona many have come to love.
Pares Ratliff: I Hate People – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Pares Ratliff: I Hate People is a new comedy special from an interesting new comic, who offers a few chuckles.
Mike Epps: Only One Mike – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Mike Epps: Only One Mike continues Netflix line of comedy tapings which may get a few chuckles out of you, but certainly aren’t specials.
Adam DeVine: Best Time of Our Lives – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
While a bit all over the place, with little in terms of an arching narrative, Devine’s high energy saves Adam DeVine: Best Time of Our Lives.
Wanda Sykes: Not Normal – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Once Sykes gets past the obligatory Trump commentary, she finds a really good groove. But does she make this feel like a special?
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons” – Recap, Review (with Spoilers)
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons,” brings on the nostalgia and, for the most part, revives the spirit of the source material.
Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé – Summary, Review
Every legendary artist has that performance which summarizes all they were and the epitome of who and what they are. For Beyoncé it was Beychella.
Kevin Hart: Irresponsible – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Kevin Hart: Irresponsible brings about all you expect from the comedian, and for longtime fans that might be a problem.
Amy Schumer: Growing – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
You might be surprised that, after The Leather Special, Schumer has a new comedy special that *gasps* is actually quite funny.
Jimmy Carr: The Best of Ultimate Gold Greatest Hits (2019) – Recap, Review (with Spoilers)
Jimmy Carr: The Best of Ultimate Gold Greatest Hits will have you questioning how bad of a person you are for laughing at his offensive material.
Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, is more so is the Otis Williams story, but that doesn’t take away from the nostalgia.
Leaving Neverland (2019) – Part 2 | Recap, Review (with Spoilers)
Part 2 of Leaving Neverland doesn’t present a smoking gun as much as tries to appeal to its audience’s emotions after wearing you down for roughly 4 hours.
Leaving Neverland (2019) – Part 1 | Recap, Review (with Spoilers)
With the past coming to roost for so many celebrities, I expected the worst. However, all we got was a shoddy hit piece given legitimacy by HBO.
Kim Possible (2019) – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
This modernized version of Kim Possible could grow on you, but many of the jokes, and changes, including Kim being made insecure, may turn off older fans.
Ken Jeong: You Complete Me, Ho (2019) – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
You Complete Me, Ho is an autobiographical comedy special noting the highs and lows of comedienne Ken Jeong from being a doctor to Crazy Rich Asians.
Kevin Hart’s Guide To Black History – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Kevin Hart’s Guide To Black History feels like a potentially classic edu-tainment program like what used to come out steadily in the 90s and early 00s.
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias: One Show Fits All – Summary/ Review (with Spoilers)
One Show Fits All gives you everything and more. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, hear wonderfully told stories, and will seriously be tempted to see Gabriel Iglesias live.
Rent: Live – Summary/ Review (with Spoilers)
RENT: Live does occasionally stumble, and may not live up to expectations, but you can see an effort made to honor the spirit of the musical.
I Be Knowin’ – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
I Be Knowin’ is a “Best Of” collection for fans of Amanda Seales, but that is what makes this special the perfect entry point for when you introduce her to people.