Sunday Matinee: Netflix Is A Joke [Stand Up Comedy]

Hello Dear Readers! Welcome to the first ever Stand Up Comedy showcase here at Trainwreck’d Society.  Over the last couple of years, we have had the privilege of sharing some pretty amazing interviews with some of our favorite folks in the world of stand up comedy. As regular readers would notice, we tend to grab onto certain themes or genres or niche ideas, and just run wild with them. And I am personally so happy to say that stand up comedy has been one form of artistic expression that we have truly embraced as one of the best to have ever existed. And we hope to keep having these amazing performers on the site for foreseeable future.

We also understand that the world of stand up comedy is a vast and ever-expanding world to say the least. There are just SO MANY talented folks out there with their own personal styles of comedy. And for the average viewer/listener/show goer out there, it can be hard as shit to keep up. And in the end, being creatures of habit, we tend to just stick to what we know. The idea of searching out certain comedy specials or albums to hear something for the very first time can seem mentally taxing, I get it. That is why I created this list for today’s Sunday Matinee that truly makes it easy to see some absolutely hilarious comedy without leaving your comfort zone.

Now, full disclosure: Being obsessed with stand up comedy, I am one of those people who will definitely seek out different avenues to watch hilarious people. There are still so many options out there to watch stand up comedy (the best being live and in person, but some of us live in places like Mitchell, South Dakota or the East Anglian farmlands of the UK, so that can be troublesome). Whether they are finding themselves on cable networks like Showtime, Comedy Central, Amazon Prime, HBO, etc. or simply taping specials and releasing them via their own websites (i.e.: Emma Arnold, of the best out there!) or just giving them away directly to YouTube….I do recommend digging deeper into the vast “underworld” of stand up comedy.

But, hey, I get it. You can guess by the title of this post that we are discussing comedy that revolves around Netflix. The whole world has Netflix, and the whole world loves the convenience. And there seems to be a new comedy special coming out on Netflix each week, so it’s almost just too easy. I will admit, there are long stretches of time where I really almost exclusively on this subscription service to get visual laughs. And part of that is because they sometimes do it SO well! They do put out some amazing specials. Some damn fine comics have had some specials on Netflix, and I am excited to talk about them specifically with you all today.

And as a final note: I want to strongly state that THIS IS NOT A BEST OF LIST!!! I am under the firm belief that comedy is very subjective to the viewer or listener. What is funny to some may not be funny to others. While I can’t stand the recent debates about “What is a comedy special?”, I always try to keep it in my mind, that there are different comedians for different people. While I may stare blankly at any member of The Blue Collar Comedy Tour, others truly enjoy them, and it makes them happy. So what the hell is wrong with that? So, just to reiterate: THIS IS NOT A BEST OF LIST!!! This list does not even reflect the opinions of the entire cast of weirdos who have contributed to Trainwreck’d Society in one form or another. This my (Ron Trembath) collection of some of my favorite stand up specials that are available on Netflix as of this date, August 5th, 2018. It’s also worth noting that some of these specials have been around for a while. And some of the artists we mention in this collection have even had more recent specials come out (some of them on Netflix!). But, I went with my heart on this one, folks. I simply found a few specials that I tend to go back to from time to time because I know they are going to make me smile when I need it the most. Also, I throw in an honorable mention at the end because it’s more of a “production” than a comedy special, but it is available on Netflix, and I like to talk about it whenever possible.

Also quick note: When I have been watching these specials, it has been exclusively out of the U.S. I’m not quite sure how much it matters, but viewing has taken place with IP addresses in both Spain and the United Kingdom. So, if so if you can’t find some of these any more, my apologies. Also, please don’t come at me with the “What about (insert special) here”. It’s possible that I have not been privy to such hilarity, and in the end, it’s all subjective.

So Folks, please enjoy this quick list of some of my personal favorite specials available on the subscription service known as Netflix. And after you have check them all out, watch MORE! And if you are geographically able, go see some live comedy! It’s an experience you won’t soon forget! So here we go…..

 

ALI WONG: BABY COBRA

 

As I prefaced before, this is not a particularly “new” special. Ali Wong has had a more recent comedy special on Netflix since Baby Cobra was released. In fact, this isn’t even Ali’s only comedy special on Netflix where she is very pregnant! This is only the first one! I love her new one, but I over the last two years, I have gone back and watched Baby Cobra just so many damn times. Ali is brutally honest and is simply one of the best in the game!

 

NATASHA LEGGERO & MOSHE KASHER: THE HONEYMOON STAND UP SPECIAL

 

I promise you that pregnancy is not a theme here, it’s honestly a coincidence. There just happens to be two truly original and hilarious human beings who had specials on Netflix who were in the process of creating life. And plus, this very different. The partnership between Moshe & Natasha is a well known and beloved one in the world of comedy, and it was so amazing to see them on stage together. This is technically three specials: a solo set each, and then one together with some wonderful crowd work. I love both of these comics separately, and I strongly suggest you check them out individually. But, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t extremely excited to see them working together!

 

ARI SHAFFIR: DOUBLE NEGATIVE

 

There is no denying that sometimes Ari Shaffir can be a very controversial figure on the world of comedy. For folks who are more into the “PC friendly” era of comedy, he is definitely a figure who may not enjoy. But, you simply cannot deny is unfathomable ability to write a wonderful set of comedy. Or two of them even! While he sounds mild mannered and low energy (probably the shrooms), he is also a wildly unpredictable comic who is just so damn funny. Double Negative is a wonderful experiment in comedy as well. It’s a two-parter, which literally means it has double the laughs! And who doesn’t love that!

THE COMEDY LINE UP: IAN KARMEL

 

As Netflix continues to experiment with the world of comedy and putting out a plethora of different options for comedy viewing, they are, at times, hitting metaphorical home runs. They definitely did so when they included one of the best stand up comedians of our time, Ian Karmel, in their original series The Comedy Line Up. I came into this brilliant 15 minute special already a huge fan of Ian Karmel. In fact, this special is the only one on this list in which I have actually seen portions of it performed in real time! It is an absolutely perfect 15 minutes of comedy that you can go back to over, and over again. Also you are NEVER going to watch The Lion King without remembering this delightful person. I also recommend each and every comedian featured on The Comedy Line Up while you are at it. And then go back and watch Ian’s again!

NICK THUNE: FOLK HERO

 

This one falls into the category of not being very new, and definitely not the latest from a truly genius comic. Nick Thune actually had an amazing special come out in 2018 that wasn’t on Netflix. But, again, this is for all of you creatures of habit out there! Folk Hero is without a doubt my go to special when I just want to smile. I honestly couldn’t tell you how many times I have gone back and watched Thune’s brilliant execution of puns and truly original take on storytelling. If Buzzfeed or Now This or something like that, were to do a short list of “Nice Guys of Comedy”, I have a strong feeling that Nick would be right near the top.

WYATT CENAC: BROOKLYN

 

Overall, Wyatt Cenac’s Brooklyn is simply hilarious in its own right. But what really intrigued me about this awesome special was how Wyatt used his genius writing ability to put a truly original spin on a topic that has been discussed a million times over in the world of comedy. And that topic would be New York City. Everyone knows that NYC is the epicenter of stand up comedy. So many comics have touched on it, and have done will in doing so. But, Wyatt Cenac’s just does something to the topic that is actually sort of hard to explain. it’s just original in its own way. Which I would hope would come off as a testament to Cenac’s amazing ability as a joke writer and stand up. He manages to take fairly common thoughts and ideas and still make you reevaluate what you originally thought. It’s pure genius!

THE STANDUPS: JOE LIST

 

In another great attempt bring the world even more stand up comedy, Netflix has created The StandUps, and absolutely nailed it in their choices of comics! Not the least of which is one of my favorite comedians out there today, the wonderful Joe List. Self-deprication has always been a reoccurring theme in the world of comedy, and I truly believe that Joe List is an expert at it. In this half hour special, he strangely shits on himself a lot, but tends to do it in such a strong and confident manner. As an outsider looking into the world of comedy, I simply can’t understand how Joe manages to pull it off. But, I am so happy that he does!

CHRISTINA P: MOTHER INFERIOR

 

Christina Pazsitzky has built an enormous cult following in the world of comedy. A following that I am very happy to be a part of actually. So, when Mother Inferior dropped, I was just so damn stoked. And of course, she crushed it for the “Mommies” out there. But what made it so great was that she managed to appeal not only to those of us who enjoy listening to her talk about her browns and vag blasting, but to everyone. And, at least in my own world, it sparked a lot of conversations with people who were first learning about Christina from this special, which would then convert them into the Cult of Jeans that is the Your Mom’s House Podcast that she hosts with some other dude who may or may not be on Netflix as well, but is 100% fatter than Bert Kreischer.

 

HANNAH GADSBY: NANETTE

 

I’m going to preface this by paraphrasing something said by my favorite comedian, Amy Miller, and hopefully I don’t misquote her too much: You don’t get to decide “what is” a comedy special. I agree 100% with this statement (if I got it right). I’m not entirely sure why this is a real debate. I feel like Hannah Gadsby should be commended for adding to a conversation that needs to happen, and used a wonderful setting like a comedy special to get her message out there. And plus, she is REALLY funny in it, when it was time to do so. Being somewhat reasonable, I can understand some people’s chief arguments, but I mean, c’mon? What does that do for anyone? Why can’t we just enjoy the amazing work that Hannah Gadsby has given the world without trying to be snarky about it? And if you don’t want to watch, don’t! I highly recommend that you do, but nobody should force you! Just enjoy Nanette for what it is…a wonderful experience that you can also learn a bit from!

 

MICHAEL CHE MATTERS

 

I seriously cannot get enough of Michael Che. It is with good reason that he has become of the most celebrate comedians of this day and age. And watching the evolution of his television work has been some phenomenal. I clearly remember his first appearance on The Daily Show, and his last that would be just a month later. And I was actually pretty damn bummed! But, then he went on to be the best Weekend Update host since Norm McDonald, so there you go. And Michael Che Matters is a wonderful and some what light hearted look at the world today that I can still go back to at any given time. And while it is very topical, the most important part is that it is so damn hilarious!

 

HONORABLE MENTION: OH HELLO! ON BROADWAY

 

As I mentioned before, this is not actually a comedy special. And I don’t mean that in the bullshit Nanette conversation we discussed earlier…I mean this is an actually production. It’s a scripted Broadway performance, that just happens to feature two of the most hilarious people on the planet playing such hilarious characters. John Mulaney has, with good reason, become one of the most beloved comedians around. For the sake of brevity, he’s not listed above but most likely should have been. Watch is own specials after delving into Oh Hello! And Nick Kroll, well, he’s another god damned genius in the world of comedy that everyone knows and loves. He may not technically be a stand up comedian, I will be god damned if he doesn’t light up a stage and bring on the funny in Oh Hello!, and in just about everything he ever does. This satirical take on old timers living it up in the Big Apple is seriously one of the best things you are going to find on Netflix. Hand’s down, no questions.