Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show

I have such mixed feelings about this show. On the one hand, I really appreciate Jarrod's transparency and openness. It's refreshing to see a gay person share their life so unabashedly. On the other hand, I really do not like how he seems to keep making such bad decisions and then simply laughs them off. Coming out later in life is hard, but it doesn't give one permission to treat others like crap. I hope as the show goes on that his outlook matures a bit. It seems like he's trying, but whatever he's doing isn't working. I want to just reach through the TV and say "get yourself together!" He seems very stuck in his own head so far, and I just keep cringing!

I like this guy's laid back humor but this show is really pulling back the curtain and probably not the way Jerrod anticipated. I think he is shown as a narcissist and displays jerk behavior towards his boyfriend and friends . I know he is on the rise but the diva attitude is not appealing. He sometimes comes off as downright mean. I hope he grows a bit through the experience and even watches himself in the episodes. I have watched the first few episodes and not sure I would recommend. I know comics have baggage and that's what makes them funny but I don't enjoy comics who don't seem to be tuned into others feelings when they're not performing.

But the brilliance of this show is not to necessarily hyper-fixate on Jerrod in any self-aggrandizing way. Carmichael uses this meta-styled documentary to address universal conflicts that come with being gay and colored in America.

Simply put - I don't even like Jerrod or care about his life - but to get this unique of a perspective into gay black culture has not been executed anywhere else on this level. Even if this was 100% fictional, it's still an incredible experience.

Other topics such as infidelity and religious intolerance are brought up as well, but it doesn't always resolve itself as Carmichael acknowledges that he doesn't have the solutions.

Carmichael knew that he could use his public image to therapeutically extend and relate to many viewers. I can certainly see this show helping people struggling with addiction, family issues, identity issues, etc. (Personally, having left the Pentecostal church due to its homophobia, the episodes of Jerrod with religion hit very close to home.)

And massive props to the editing and production team linking all of these episodes so richly. Even if scenes from this are staged, it's still incredibly impressive.

Highly recommend to watch if you're a minority or wanting to see something so original come out of the Black/LGBTQ+ community.

This reality TV show following Jerrod C, falls flat due to the comic's self-serving self-awareness. Instead of genuine moments, viewers endure calculated performances and manufactured pauses and a weird structure. Comedians' narcissism detracts from authenticity, leaving audiences disconnected. The balance between authenticity and entertainment is crucial. When comics prioritize ego over connection, the result is a hollow spectacle, devoid of genuine emotion. Authenticity is key; without it, the show and its subject lose its charm, leaving viewers longing for a truth that is not coming, because the self-servingly self-aware are never that fun to be around.

I don't think it's not genuine. It's too genuine and relatable, not by its content but form. Watching a reality show with this much transparency makes me feel rally uncomfortable. Perhaps if he was one of those vapid celebrities, it would be easier to watch. I can't even confront my own things from the past and they often don't let me sleep. To have all of this unfold in front of cameras is ... brave or completely insane. But, he is a standup comic. They develop thick skin if they want to last in this business. I don't think this is a mainstream kind of show. Not many will get it, but those who do, will appreciate it immensely.