Ali Wong: Single Lady

This is just not funny. I have enjoyed watching Ali's videos in the past, but this is just painful. Not funny at all. She seems to be very bitter and not very happy. This doesn't make for good comic material. It seems like very lazy writing. She goes on and about men, using them, disrespecting them and expecting them to be a certain way. If she was a man and she did the same spiel it would create a huge uproar. She may be a millionaire, but she should probably work on her investments and forget about comedy. Well, spacing doesn't work so I am going to use up the last bit with just a bunch of garbage. Kind of like the show.

I don't really know what to say broadly beyond saying that this is fine, but not as funny as the previous Ali Wong specials I remember watching. She really just sticks to the one topic the entire time, and I'm always down for the concept album equivalent of a standup special, but this one wore out its welcome at a point.

It's just about getting back into the dating scene after a divorce and going through some short-term relationships. On and on and on. I'd complain if a male comedian did the same and just talked about dates with women for an hour nonstop.

I also don't find comedians - regardless of gender - bragging about wealth very appealing because I don't like hearing anyone bragging about wealth. I don't like the idea that it should be something one's proud of, let alone people saying it and then expecting cheers or laughs. Anyway, there were some decently funny parts for sure, and it's entertaining enough, but also a bit underwhelming.

The only interesting observation I can really offer concerns wondering whether this is a standup special with product placement? She references My Octopus Teacher, The Last Airbender, and Squid Game, which are all available on Netflix, and this special is on Netflix. So it makes me wonder. I don't really want to think about Netflix being a brand while I'm watching standup, but it could also be a coincidence. There are references to non-Netflix properties, too, admittedly (like E. T and Ferris Bueller's Day Off).

When I stumble upon this 2024 Netflix comedy special from Ali Wong, I needed no persuasion to sit down and watch it.

While I do find Ali Wong to be a good comedian, I have to say that I found this 2024 comedy special to be a bit generic. It was primarily below the belt material, and that just feels so 1990s. Yeah, I do actually prefer comedy with an intellectual twist to it. Comedy should be more than genitalia and sex jokes. And there was a bit too much of self-glorification, as to her being an Emmy winner and her riches, that was just a tad too tacky and corny, as if she is so much more than everyone else because she is on TV.

Ali Wong does have great on-screen charisma and presence, as she has in each of her shows. She feels very much naturally at home on the screen, and she sets up her jokes nicely and delivers them equally nicely as well.

Watchable for sure, but the contents of the jokes were just not particularly impressive. I like comedy to be more than below the belt jokes. And this was basically almost just an hour of Ali Wong talking about how many men she has been with since her divorce, and how she perceives sex as a very casual thing.

"Ali Wong: Single Lady" was really a disappointing performance in my opinion and she doesn't really portray herself in a good way here.

My rating of "Ali Wong: Single Lady" lands on a four out of ten stars.

Ali Wong's latest Netflix special unfortunately falls short of expectations, presenting a series of crude jokes that feel more like a reliance on shock value than genuine humor. As a 40-year-old woman with a child, I found the constant focus on sexual themes not only tiresome but also disheartening.

It seems as if Wong, despite her talent, leans heavily on sex jokes, which can be seen as a limiting representation of women in comedy. This approach feels outdated and misogynistic, perpetuating the stereotype that female comedians can only discuss their bodies or sexual experiences.

While I appreciate all forms of comedy, it's frustrating when women comedians fail to explore a broader range of topics. Comedy should reflect diverse experiences, and I believe that a good comedian can connect with audiences on various levels beyond sexual innuendo.

Wong has the potential to do better, and I hope to see her embrace a wider array of subjects in the future. This special was a missed opportunity to showcase her talents in a more empowering and nuanced way.

As a longtime fan of Ali Wong, I enjoyed her previous Netflix specials, "Baby Cobra", "Hard Knock Wife", and "Don Wong", and her award-winning performance in the black comedy "Beef" with Steven Yeun. She's always excelled at balancing raunchy humor with biting social commentary and while I love some vulgarity as much as anyone when it serves a larger comedic goal, her latest special, "Single Lady", feels like a missed opportunity. Exploring post-divorce life and re-entry into the dating world has potential, but the material becomes repetitive quickly. After initial laughs at her escapades, we felt like we were being hit over the head with the same punchline again and again. That said, Wong's stage presence remains undeniable; she's as brash, unapologetic, and charismatic as ever, commanding attention with bold delivery and great comic timing. However, lazy writing and lack of fresher material results in fewer chuckles and chortles than I expected, and it's missing the sharpness and originality that made her previous specials so captivating.