Unit 5%

I’ll just start by saying “Nanette” blew me away. It reminded me of Mike Birbiglia’s special “My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend.” In his special he talks about near death experiences and loosing the woman he wanted to marry. It’s more of a one-man-show than a stand up special although Birgiglia is a stand up comedian. In his show he talks about his existentialist journey to his incapability to accept the ending of a relationship he cherished.

Gadsby’s special was sort of like that. She tells a story about what it’s like to be her and struggle with her identity of a “different” kind of person. Through her differences she manages to develop a sense of what makes sense and what doesn’t. Gadsby can detach herself from conventional ideology because she doesn’t let it rule her life. She doesn’t let it rule her life because she is a “gender-not-normal-lesbian.” In her special, she tackles such subjects as the gendering of color and the propping up of men’s legend’s that denigrate women. She talks about Picasso and how he slept with an underage girl “in her prime.” As if the only way a girl could be in her prime is sexually or physically. Gadsby rightly attacks these ideas and provides evidence against them.

Gladsy also flawlessly informs the audience of the role of tension and truth in comedy. Gadsby chooses to leave the audience with tension instead of laughter. Gadsby says, “The tension is yours, I’m not helping you anymore, because you need to know what this feels like.” I think what she’s referencing is the story she’s just told the audience. She tells her heartfelt story of coming to understand that comedy can only get you so far. She talks about how stories have a beginning middle and end, whereas comedy only has a beginning and a middle. She can get more and give more by telling a story than trying to get her audience’s ribs to crack.

Gadsby story is one of resilience and perseverance. Gadsby writes, “to be rendered powerless does not destroy your humanity, your resilience is your humanity, to yield and not break, that is resilience.” Gadsby is referencing how difficult her life has been. She even mentions she’s damaged and “will never flourish.” Maybe Gadsby is internally in a state of great disrepair and depression that cannot be fixed, but her special (I refrain from saying stand up special) is heartfelt and true to the emotional toil any troubled/unfairly treated person of different orientation might go through. Gadsby stands before the audience because she is stronger than the rest of her audience. After hearing her story, her audience might think about where they’d end up if they were her. I know I’d be dead somewhere. It takes a special kind of person to weather a storm and come out capable and strong like Gadsby. At the end I wanted more. I still want more. I want more comedians to pop my bubbles of ignorance so I can see more clearly. Seems like I’ve been wearing glasses for a while now, but at least in one respect thanks to Gadsby, I’ve received some laser eye surgery when it comes to understanding the nuances of Picasso, gender, identity, and sexual orientation.   

500 × 296