Ronny Chieng: Speakeasy

Reminiscent of Carlin & Hicks, Ronny Chieng's Speakeasy is a sharp take on life in a post-pandemic world, especially in the United States. Wielding a sardonic wit, Ronny shines a telling light on a societal illness - ignorance over information; those who vilify education, science, and take pride in their prejudices.

Warning to those who dare enter this comedic misanthrope's den, leave your egos at the door or risk insult and injury by the mirror's reflection.

I don't normally review content on IMDb, but I had to for this one. Ronny brings a worldly perspective not unlike that of Trevor Noah that I only started to cultivate after leaving the US, living abroad, and seeing things from the outside looking in. Might be harder for Americans who never leave to appreciate those aspects of the special. I came to checkout whether folks indeed took to their keyboards to review this special and I was not disappointed. And this special did not disappoint me either. 8/10 stars.

It was repetitive to a point that it was a bit annoying, I understand where he was coming from with certain jokes and such but left me feeling somewhat uneasy. Did have good jokes but felt more worn out than some of his older work.

I've been waiting for this special for weeks, and while I'm glad I watched it, I prefer his past work.

Ronny's performance is decent, but is not as harmonious, or humourous, as his previous Netflix special. To me his demeanor seems rather tense, frustrated at times, and in certain parts he's almost nervous. I laughed several times, but I also had several moments when I felt uncomfortable. I'm not easily offended, so I ultimately enjoyed the show, and I see myself watching more of Ronny's comedy specials if he releases them.

The whole time it just felt like rather than telling jokes, he was showcasing his anger toward anyone who isn't far-left. The material didn't exactly age well with the "science" either. I really enjoyed his 2019 special but this one just isn't it.