Ali Wong: Single Lady

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.

I enjoyed her other specials and her new Netflix series "Beef." I loved them and laughed so much I watched them several times with other people. I'm beyond disappointed of the new special. I couldn't even finish watching it. I got no enjoyment watching it. It was literally her talking about having sex with a bunch of men since her divorce. It started extremely raunchy and didn't have any sense of depth in her comedy. I'm not sure what audience she is trying to relate to but it was extremely disturbing to hear all her sexual desires and experiences in almost every joke. While some jokes were okay she still deviated back to being raunchy. I'm not saying she is a pervert but the skit was definitely perverted. I understand the whole single, proud, independent woman mind set but this performance is very extreme. I'm a lover of comedy and love when a comedian can incorporate some sense of depth and intellect in the humor. My opinion but this one doesn't have it. I only gave three stars because her other specials were good.

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.

This special is the female equivalent of an entire special of d*** jokes. Smart d*** jokes, but still... low-hanging fruit.

Honestly, the aim of this is off. I love Ali Wong and I want to love this special, but it's hard to watch-even cringy, at times. The amount of strange flexing and bragging trying to land as jokes is more obnoxious than funny. More manifesto than engaging.

Comedy is a matter of taste. I get that. But if you're like me, you want more from a stand-up special than shock lines and a peek into the world of a rich, successful divorcee and her sexual play-by-play of middle-aged dating. This might be what others find entertaining, but for me, it's proof that no matter how smart and well-written ones jokes are, d*** jokes are still d*** jokes an an entire special of them feels like an easy way to get laughs. It feels cheap from any comic-no matter the gender.

Both my partner and I checked out mentally about a third of the way through.

The wrap up might be the most weirdly forced ending of a standup special that I've ever seen. Like, was she trying to save herself by injecting a touch of humility and vulnerability in the last hundred yards? I don't think it works.

I left this special disappointed and confused by how I was supposed to feel. Once the shock wears off, I'm left with nothing.

I've been a long-time fan of Ali Wong's standup, so I was excited to see her latest routine. This is far and away not her best work at all. It was nothing more than an entire hour devoted to her divorce, and telling the audience (repeatedly) that she's rich and successful, and how she deserves men who can gratify her properly with oral sex. OK, fine for a short while, but move on. I'm not complaining about the raunchy humor; you expect that from Ali Wong. Just be more imaginative with it. Move on to other topics. That used to be what was appealing about Ali: her talent for observational humor. It's almost entirely missing here.