Burnham is very self-aware, of his image as the nerdy theatre kid who was once picked on in school, and of someone for whom fame came quickly. And he uses all of that in his show.
He’s unapologetic about using voices, and he’s more than willing to detour around his material to play off the crowd. Those tactics make Scovel a unique talent, but it’s fair to say they might not make him the proper type of comic to record a one-off show.
Comedian feels less like an after-the-fact collection of MP3s, and more like the actual comedy show it is—vibrant, alive and waiting to be experienced.
There is some genuine heartbreak here amongst the jokes, and an earnestness that could be deadly if handled poorly. But Shillue can and does handle it, and it’s a shame there’s only one album left to go.
Cauvin is skilled at finding unique ways into tired subjects, as well as eliciting sympathy, or at the very least, compassion. What’s distinct about his persona is that it’s equally angry and intimate.
Stanhope is smart, and he takes risks in his material guaranteed to alienate a good number of potential fans. Could he be funny without doing that? Sure. But we’d be missing out.
Tole fares best when focusing on life’s intimate, cringe-worthy moments–most of which involve sexual embarrassment and end with a breathless, reference-heavy rant. But even then it feels diluted by his reliance on profanity.
You Will Die finds DeRosa looking outward more frequently, taking the same cynical, critical eye that he’s so deftly used to make light of his own flaws and using it to point out what plagues society at large.
His choices, meanderings and resolutions accurately mirror the narratives woven into (and from) every individual life. The journeys boil down to the baby steps, the process, the setting and accomplishing of goals that bring about the small victories and the dramatic revelations.
There was a visible struggle going on that bonded him to his audience, and let him get away with saying more outrageous things about sex and politics. Whether it was calculated or not doesn’t matter
Moments aren’t immaculately constructed, memorized verbatim “bits,” but rather unique vehicles that showcase Braunohler’s equally unique perspective.
Editorial Director: Julie Seabaugh
Editorial Assistant: Daniel Berkowitz
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