TCB Debriefing 3/5-3/8/24: Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda, Problemista, JFL Montreal, SXSW, Alex Edelman, Good One, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael, Steve Martin, Something Wicked, Noah Baumbach, Murderbot, Jermaine Fowler, Kenny DeForest
1. Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda is simultaneously a concession by Netflix to make up for continuing to let Dave Chappelle to be their highest paid TERF as well as a beautifully curated showcase of comedians from all ’round the world that are both genderqueer and so damny funny and proof positive of the healing connective powers of comedy. If you sit and watch the Gadsby-handpicked line-up of Jes Tom, Chloe Petts, DeAnne Smith, Asha Ward, Krishna Istha, Mx. Daheli Belle, and ALOK, you’ll see a different color of the fabric of humanity in all of its comedic absurdity, but very and incredibly human all the same. The observations and issues of all the comedians in this special may not be the sorts that you encounter in your own daily life, but their jokes exquisitely highlight a sort of universal ridiculousness of life (especially when it comes to the gender binary) that any open minded, open hearted soul can get behind. Of the comedian showcases that Netflix has done, this very well might be their best (and most affecting) one yet.
Please enjoy Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda on Netflix right now.
2. Problemista is the sort of work that has to make one wonder what sort of magic did Lorne Michaels shoot down at SNL when Julia Torres wrote there. Torres and co-star Tilda Swinton make an unforgettable duo in a magically real fish-out-of-water, coming-of-age, critical immigrant tale that perfectly showcases Julio’s penchant for the subversive nuance in everyday minutia (i.e. pitching toys that have more dramatic tension and emotional complexity). Don’t be surprised if it’s this year’s Everything Everywhere All at Once (it is an A24 movie after all) with having all the trappings of an ambitious arthouse indie comedy that’s set for wide release on Mar. 22nd. Go get tickets to see and enjoy this treasure if it’s playing in your city right now right here.
3. JFL Montreal is cancelled this year and looking for creditor protection (CBC), which means, for the first time in decades, there likely won’t be any sort of New Faces of Comedy handpicked by Just For Laughs. That said, it has been the reality for quite some time that JFL New Faces, while a prestigious honor, was one milestone on what is usually a still very circuitous road in the career of a comedian. The fate of JFL Montreal and New Faces along with it have yet to be decided, but we now wonder what will become JFL’s stake in everything else (Moontower, London, Toronto, etc.).
4. SXSW just kicked off today and they have a comedy festival that is alive and well with the expected stacked line-up of comics and shows including:
Aida Rodriguez • Andrew Rannells • Annie Lederman • Beth Stelling • Brian Simpson •
Cazzie David • Chris Fleming • Chris Gethard • Christina Catherine Martinez • Conan
O’Brien • Courtney Pauroso • Doug Benson • Dulcé Sloan • Dustin Ybarra • Erin Jackson •
Frank Oz • Hannah Einbinder • Ikechukwu Ufomadu • Jaboukie Young-White • James
Adomian • Joe DeRosa • John Leguizamo • Jon Gabrus • Jourdain Fisher • Judd Apatow •
Leonard Maltin • Lilly Singh • Lucia Aniello • Luisa Omielan • Lynne Koplitz • Matt Besser •
Napoleon Emill • Natalie Palamides • Nathan Macintosh • Nick Kroll • Nick Thune •
Orlando Leyba • Pamela Adlon • Paul Scheer • Pete Lee • Punkie Johnson • Rich Vos •
Rick Glassman • Robert Smigel • Samantha Bee • Stuart Goldsmith • Tone Bell •
Yamaneika Saunders • Zach Zucker
A.I. Johnny Cash & A.I. Friends Hootenanny • ASSSSCAT • The Comedian’s Comedian •
Entre Nos Presents Comedy Crossroads • Comic Relief US • The Creek and The Cave •
Doug Loves Movies • Famous with a Baby (and Other Sh*t that Didn’t Work Out) • Girl
Cop: A Clown Drama • Gotham Comedy Club • Hollywood Improv • improv4humans •
Maltin on Movies • The Origins of Whatever You Call What We Did with Conan O’Brien
and Robert Smigel • Reel Funny: Creating Comedy from the Director’s Chair • Riffs and
Riff-Raff with Nick Thune & Friends • Samantha Bee Presents Wits End • Stamptown •
The Street Meat: A Comedic Celebration of Food Trucks, Grease Pits, and Sandwich
Shops • The Unfinished Orson Welles Roast of Hollywood • Vanessa 5000 • Variety Power
of Comedy • Yamaneika Saunders Presents: Maestra •
5. To say that Alex Edelman’s Just For Us is critically acclaimed is kind of understating just how much acclaim it has gotten. It’s not often that someone at Alex’s age gets to do their solo show on Broadway after doing several runs Off-Broadway then tour all over the country, yet his special and Alex himself really had something, dare we say, special with the story of him infiltrating a White Nationalist meeting as a Jew. Thankfully, you and the rest of the world that has access to HBO/Max will get to see it this April. Watch the teaser for Alex Edelman: Just For Us here, then get ready for it be released during Worldwide Comedy Month.
6. If you’re obsessed with process in the art form of comedy, you might already be obsessed with Jesse David Fox‘s Good One podcast. Mike Birbiglia is one-upping the podcast by giving an unprecedented look at how he came up with a whole new hour/special/solo show from start to finish as a Good One documentary. Take a gander at what you’ll get to see, then watch Good One: A Show About Jokes on Peacock starting Mar. 26th.
7. Ramy Youssef has More Feelings (as well as a new special) and, from the looks of it, it’s going to be quite timely (you know, Ramy’s MO as a comedian and artist especially in regards to Muslim representation in media/comedy/world). See for yourself here, then watch it exclusively on Max on Mar. 23rd.
8. If you thought Jerrod Carmichael had left it all out there with Rothaniel, just you wait to see his reality show Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show that seems to be dedicated to the actual reality part of the Reality TV genre in a way that Vanderpump Rules or Keeping Up with the Kardashians aren’t. True to his form of breaking down form conventions, it would seem Carmichael is doing a docu series of the aftermath of his special and what he hath wrought in his own life and calling it a reality show. Take a look with the first trailer here, then immediately set a reminder for Mar. 29th to watch this on HBO or Max.
9. This two part documentary for legendary comedians is starting to become a trend. Garry Shandling, George Carlin, and now, Steve Martin with Morgan Neville’s STEVE! (martin) coming to Apple TV+ on Mar. 29th. Take a gander of the latest comedy nerdery must see doc here.
10. A new witch comedy, Something Wicked, is in the works with the one and only June Diane Raphael taking the lead role and Dickinson creator Alena Smith at the helm (Deadline). Fingers crossed that there will be some witchy Hotwives energy present in this show.
11. Following being roped into the box office boffo and critical juggernaut that is and was the Barbie movie, Noah Baumbach is headed back out on his own with his next movie at Netflix that will sports a shiny, shiny ensemble cast of Adam Sandler, George Clooney, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, and Riley Keough (Deadline). Those are all the details for now, but from how much we loved White Noise, we won’t be surprised with a jocular satire that feels, perhaps, all too relevant.
12. Award winning book The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells is not only going to be adapted into an Apple TV+ series (Deadline), but going to do so with Sabrina Wu leading off an ensemble cast of Tattiawna Jones, Akshay Khanna, and Tamara Podemski. A show following a sentient android that wants to watch soap operas will do well to have Wu on the cast.
13. The very next Foot Fist Way may come from Jermaine Fowler and Zach Bornstein, though trade out Tae Kwon Do for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Deadline).
14. We’ll leave you with this: RIP THIS Bald King, Kenny DeForest. Please watch and enjoy his last Don’t Tell Comedy set here.
