Though the reopening of America from COVID-19 is stumbling heartily along, the normal pace of things are far from where they used to be in 2019/early 2020. That includes the deluge of comedy specials from streaming services and networks alike drying almost all the way up.
That said, the few comedy specials that do come out these days do tend to stand out, especially if they’re a great reminder of the communal experience of live comedy and, for so many of us that have been stuck in the trauma-lined hamster wheel of the never ending news cycle, what it’s like to have a hearty laugh at honed, pointed observational humor and stories from a very funny, very polished stand-up comedian.
Danny Jolles‘ first hour special Six Parts is both this sort of harkening back to the joy of watching stand-up with people in person while also being a very well-crafted hour of stand-up comedy that is very much up-to-date (minus the pandemic in case you’re not ready for/tired of COVID jokes). Jolles has always had a certain timelessness to his humor and that really shines here. We would attribute said shine to Danny’s ever present thoughtfulness in his jokes no matter how light or heavy the subject matter may be.
Charmingly, this whole special cuts between a six different DIY set-ups including an art gallery and a surfboard shop. Each location represents a different thematic passage of the hour and is yet another element that reaffirms that timeless feel to this debut hour. Spanning the entirety of the pandemic, Six Parts is one of the best specials we’ve seen while having to stay in lock down (making it truly earn it’s “special” status).
Best of all, you can just stream the whole thing on YouTube, free of charge or any subscription. Get into Danny Jolles’ Six Parts presented by Don’t Tell Comedy and 800 Pound Gorilla Records here.