THE comedy special of 2018, at the very least from all of the talk there’s been about it. To be completely honest, I’d never heard of Hannah Gladsby before Nanette dropped on Netflix. I’m not sure I would have watched it were it not for all the buzz. I had no idea sitting down what made it so special.
It’s really, really good. I’d so far to say it’s a must-watch.
THE BLURB:
Nanette is a stand-up comedy act written and performed by Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby, which debuted in 2017. The work includes social commentary, especially about LGBTQ issues.
WHAT WORKED:
Hannah is very, very smart, and this special is super, super tight. At least in my own casual standup comedy eyes (though I do know of many professionals out there, fellow stand ups, who seem to agree).
See, I would have started with “Hannah is very, very funny,” but at the end of the day why I liked this special so much was that it wasn’t just about being funny. It was about being articulate. It was about communicating something very, very clearly and having that message stick: we need to change the way we treat members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Hannah is a lesbian. She’s made a career out of making jokes about that, and many other events and interactions that range from uncomfortable to downright criminal. And Hannah is wrestling with that, the events themselves and the joking about them, and is asking herself a question I’m not sure I’ve seen a comedian ask on stage: should I quit? Am I helping or hurting by making jokes about these things?
And…even more importantly, what is my role in what has happened to Hannah in her life, and the lives of so many other LGBTQ+ individuals?
I laughed during this special. I laughed out loud, I laughed uncomfortably, I chuckled, I giggled. I also teared up, and I got angry, really angry. And I got thoughtful.
WHAT DIDN’T WORK:
I don’t feel qualified to judge this special in any objective way, and I hope that’s not a cop out. I know that I personally did not have anything in this special that I felt was wanting…and yeah, that’s all I have to say about that.
It lives up to the hype. It’s an incredibly personal and moving comedy special unlike any other I’ve ever seen. It opened my eyes to what it’s like to live in this world as LGBTQ+, and it made me want to personally do more to provide safety and equality to those people.
9 out of 10 – a must-see comedy special. Seriously…everyone needs to watch this special.