In and out like a ninja
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We all like comedy, at least anyone who is worth talking to does. If someone tells you they don’t listen to standup, I’d suggest you make a quick escape from the conversation, they may enjoy torturing small animals. I’m no different…meaning I like standup, not the little animals bit.
Since Hannibal writes about his young kid head banging music, I figured why don’t I branch out and write about something I enjoy…standup comedy. We don’t only have to write about blind shit around here, even if some people think we should, they are wrong and can wait for the next article I write that pisses everyone off.
Why?
Ever since I was a kid I’ve been looking for and consuming standup. Then along came podcasts, a platform tailor-made for comedians, and so many of them have been killing it. A lot of big comics have their own podcast, and they are very open about their process from writing to performing on stage. My view on comedy has changed and been refined, simply because I’ve listened to so many different comedians talk about their process. How they go from an idea to a well crafted bit on stage was something I never thought of before. Since I heard about the process from the comedians I personally enjoyed, It isn’t only about laughing anymore, but also understanding why, and appreciating what that one person is doing to bring me along. Since I consume everything I can, I figured why not write about it on this here blog. When I watch a special I’ll review it, and hopefully others can find some comedians they’ll enjoy as well. I’ll probably only be reviewing specials from comedians I’m interested in, but who knows where this series will end up going.
Mark Normand: Out To Lunch
Release date: May 12, 2020
Released on: YouTube
Price: Free
Length: 53:58
Description: “In Mark’s third comedy hour he covers it all: Drinking, anxiety, gays, naughty words, trans, race & the ladies. I don’t know if he’s right about any of it but he is completely out to lunch.”
The comedy scene has recently been changed with the self-marketing of Andrew Schulz, an up and coming New York comedian. He has been releasing bits, and clips of his comedy on YouTube, and because of this has completely blown up. He is a big proponent of bypassing the gatekeepers, and putting comedy right into the hands of us, the consumer. Due to the success of Schulz, other comedians have done the same. Mark Normand is the latest to do this, and it has been a success. At the time of this review it has over 1.6 million views on YouTube, and has been well received.
My Thoughts
This hour is everything you would want out of a New York comic. It follows the classic and much enjoyed format of setup punchline. He is a great east coast comedian, but with some fun word play, interesting societal takes, and curve balls you wouldn’t expect to see coming. Personally I enjoy both a story teller like you’d expect from a Las Angeles comic, but I also enjoy the rapid fire set serve from a New York comic.
Normand is so fast with his jokes. To paraphrase him, he wants to get in and out before you realize he’s there. I’ve heard him on podcasts plenty, and he’s always one of my favorite guests on anyone’s show. More often than not a great guest doesn’t perform the same on stage. They need a second person to play off of and to banter with. Normand does not suffer from this, his standup is even funnier than his podcast appearances, and that is pretty remarkable.
One of the things that should happen after listening to a east coast comedian is walking away remembering the jokes. Because they aren’t story-centric, the jokes tend to stick with you. This is very much the case for Out To Lunch. Normand’s goofy and unique delivery adds to anything he says, and his frankness on personal and societal issues are the icing on the cake. The worst thing I could ever do is write down one of his jokes and take the context and soul out of it, so go listen to it and you’ll understand exactly what I mean when he talks about me toing animals, and one night stands. These are the two bits and jokes that stuck with me the most, but for everyone it will be different.
He does talk a lot about general issues in society, political correctness, and the differences between men and women. Nothing that hasn’t been talked about before, but with his own take and great quick hitting jokes that you will remember after watching. Anyone can bitch about issues in the world, but only a good comedian can make you view something a different way while making you laugh the whole time. This is the mark of a good comic. You may not agree with something he says, but if you have a sense of humor you can’t help but laugh at it.
He does touch on some things that some people may find offensive, but as I’ve always said. Offense is taken not given. If you have the mental bandwidth to get offended at something a comedian says on stage, I’d say comedy just isn’t your thing. Nothing in the special is offensive to be offensive, it is comedy and topics come up that are more loaded than others. Everything is done to make you laugh, and everyone is treated equally which is the most important thing.
This was much more than I expected, and I’d fully encourage anyone who is a fan of standup to check this special out. It will cost you nothing, and you’ll have a new comedian to be a fan of.
Rating
8.75 / 10
This special made me laugh quite a bit, and that’s really the most important part. The delivery adds to the writing, and overall it was very enjoyable. Some jokes hit better than others, but that is to be expected as everyone has their own things they find funny. Overall I really enjoyed it and it lived up to my expectations which was a bit surprising. I’d definitely suggest everyone go listen to it, and laugh a little, we could all use it nowadays.
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