Anthony Jeselnik: Bones and All

Haha jk Jeselnek, I know you paid someone to write that (winky face) - nah but for real, I apologize in advance, cause I touted your special before I had even seen it and.. yaaa - don't get me wrong, it's funny albeit a tad predictable and monotonous but that's owing to the deadpan, deliberate delivery - however the spec is less than 45 min long and let's be fair, alot of that time is eaten up with his slow paced slow talking with alot of pregnant pauses (ooops I said pregnant, I meant trans pauses). So ultimately I'm giving it a seven cause I did laugh and I did enjoy myself but 18 months? That's a lengthy time to perfect this particular 45m set - considering his sparse heretofore specials over the 20 years of entertaining.

Anthony Jeselink is so freaking hilarious. He does what he describes as Gallow comedy. He explains up front that Gallow comedy is a form of comedy where you take Subject matter that is horrifying to the point you want to cry about it, and instead make jokes with it. He does this brilliantly. He takes on every sensitive subject he can squeeze within the allotted time. His delivery method is somewhat deadpan, like Stephen Wright, but way more rude than Stephen Wright ever considered. The Netflix special is touted as being geared towards celebrating his 20 years of comedy. Twenty years? How have I missed this guy? He's brilliant.

As Norm said Jeselnik is one of the greats. He is his own and there is no one like him. But... If you know his material it doesn't really evolve or move. This time he told some stories from his own life which is rather unusual for him but the rest stays in the same structure based mostly on shock value and surprise. Many of the jokes were losing that just because it is his base line and you know where it is going. When you take look at Louis CK for example and look at his 90s stand up and then some more current specials it is such a difference in style and material it seems almost like a different comedian. For me Jeselnik needs to move a bit otherwise this might get old one day. But overall good stuff.

If you are offended, you don't get it, and he's not for you and that is ok! My dad, for example, can be a tough customer when it comes to stand up and his tolerance to irreverent jokes varies. However, Anthony grew on him as he learned to appreciate the dark and unexpectedly witty humor he brings to the table. The husband and I have been fans for all 20 years and are here for the rest to come. To put it simply, "we celebrate the guy's entire catalogue." I'm a stand up snob so I get bored easily with comics who lack creativity, leaning on self-deprecation, or profanity for its own sake. I legit laughed the whole time, but his brand of comedy is made for people like me. Remember this is Anthony Jeselnik the comedian, not the person. I've seen interviews where he explains/reminds folks that these are jokes. He makes light of the unending BS in this world in a way that gives you permission to laugh, but it doesn't make you a bad person. Nor does that qualify him as such. Loved the special, can't wait for the next one!

Disclaimer - I do NOT know Anthony Jeselnik. No one gave me anything to write this. I wish both were true.. he is hot and I have bills.

Anthony has some heavy-duty comedic chops! This act is as real as it gets. He set the tone with his "closer" opener, kept the sticky tissue hilarious, and delivered the punches perfectly. He is unapologetically genuine, and his intelligence comes through as he lets his audience in on just enough bites of information to bake their own pie. He is one of the best I've seen.

For me, stand-up is a way to digest unsavory parts of the human condition in a palatable and sometimes decadent manner. Gallows humor hits all the right sweet spots! It is refreshing, especially after the boring, lazy acts of gimmicky comics like Gervais, Ellen, Burr, Wong, Chapelle, Rogan, etc., trying so hard to be funny but staying in the superficial layer of most issues. They can't seem to get over themselves. In contrast, Anthony got down and dirty about the subjects and not himself. He knows where the nerves are and hits them in the best, most uncomfortably delightful way. I finished this stand-up special with a feeling of solidarity and not the usual bitterness that has become the norm.

As another reviewer mentioned, I wish I'd found him earlier. He might have made the last two decades a lot sweeter. I look forward to discovering more of his work.