Almost every single comedian strives to be funny for being funny, no qualifiers needed. That goal is almost self-evident to the art form, especially given its requirement of an audience to laugh at the comedic work being presented on stage. At the same time, there is an ever-evolving conversation surrounding identity in comedy, the privilege, access, and the marginalization that can come of it, sometimes all three at once.

On top of effortlessly delivering a keenly crafted, clever hour of material, rising stand-up star Ashley Gavin really digs deep into this crossroads of the many precarious facets of who one can be as a comedian in her debut special, Ashley Gavin: Live in Chicago. More explicitly, Gavin ponders the success she has gained for being a brash, but gregarious lesbian on stage, but speaking to the truth that she is more than just her lesbian jokes (hence the presence of more solid 9/11 material than you’ve heard in a long, long time). The meta analysis of comedy and its reception in one’s own special is perhaps, going from a trend to movement (see Joel Kim Booster and Andrew Santino’s latest specials).

In the hopes that comedy, especially stand-up comedy, could ever be a meritocracy, Gavin has earned her comedy stripes. She has worked the road for years, played cruise ships (one of the most tedious gigs in comedy), had to tone herself down in so many different ways, etc. all while building an audience and honing her comedic voice. Throughout Live in Chicago, it’s undeniable that Gavin has seasoned veteran comedy chops and has found her own unique, oblique angles for her observations and perspective. Given the material, she almost dares the viewer to tag her as a “9/11 comedian” versus a “lesbian comedian”, when she just wants to explicitly be a beloved comedian.

For what our word is worth, she very much achieves that goal and does so in her very first special.

Ashley Gavin: Live in Chicago is streaming now for free, at your convenience on YouTube.