Audience Member
A much needed reality check, filled with a lot of laughs!
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/05/23
Full Review
susan j
wow...what...happened to Aziz Ansari? I know I didn't imagine he was once witty, incisive, smart, original...right? Well, he isn't now. I was elated to see a new special of his on Netflix--even tho' it was only 39 minutes long. However, after 15 minutes I turned it off, grimacing. Watching Aziz Ansari trudge through unfunny, unoriginal, heavy-handed, and even mean-spirited sludge, it reminded me of a kid trotted out in front of the class to read the essay he was forced to write in Detention, entitled: "Why It's Wrong and Bad To Light Matches Without Adult Supervision" to avoid being expelled for the rest of the year.
He was basically reciting a series of Public Service Announcements with ham-fisted morals (aka "punchlines"?) around how stupid people are--who he named, famous people, one by one--because they had apparently expressed reservations, or said in they wanted to know more, about the COVID vaccine before getting it, wanted more data/statistics, or questioned Dr. Fauci, mask mandates or whatever...and it wasn't actually comedy.
It seemed more like a young wannabe political speechwriter 2 years out of Cornell got tasked with supplying Aziz Ansari "socially responsible comedic material"--some guy who, Sophomore year, served as MC for the Math Bowl Championship, and his cohort found him funny. It was painful and not funny.
Then I remembered Aziz Ansari had been, a couple/few years ago, canceled. Very few make it back from that shadowy place. I've noticed Matt Damon repeatedly pandering and falling on his sword the past several years (after he was near-canceled for suggesting "patting someone on the butt is not the same as committing full-on violent assault or rape, and we shouldn't regard it at the same level"), Damon doing all these mea culpa events, charity appearances, and speeches....and that's what this show seems like.
It gave me a creepy feeling. Because, if this show is actually Aziz Ansari's new take on comedy, he's not long for the comedic world. In addition to the political scolding, his grating, unfunny material consisted of his whining that he isn't making as much money as other celebrities because he hasn't gotten his own products and product placements, "and that's where the real juice is"....not for me.
Maybe that's his aspiration, but I don't feel sorry for him, I don't hope he gets product sponsorships, I don't care how much money he wants to make--I don't like hearing his crass ambitions to have more power and money and bitterness that he's missing out from one side of his mouth, while spouting dutiful propaganda out of the other side of his mouth. Ironically, I know Aziz Ansari has a film coming out (unless Bill Murray is successfully canceled by Keke Palmer who has caused production to be halted), so maybe he Aziz has redeemed himself with whatever establishment that determines he's done his "atonement," he's read his "Don't Play With Matches, Kids" essay convincingly to the hoi polloi--but if this movie flops or is as unfunny as this special, Aziz Ansari may have become a fleeting talent who fades away. Truly disappointing.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Huge letdown. My man went for claps not laughs. One of the most disgraceful things a comedian can do. He'd rather the audience agree with his thoughts and opinions then actually be funny. Congratulations, the super woke audience agreed with your super woke ideologies, but I didnt even muster up a grin at that disaster of a "comedy special". Id go as far as saying I think its the worst routine ive ever seen.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
01/20/23
Full Review
Audience Member
No funny. The audience in the special seems to think so. Have tried a few specials with this guy and just never gets funny.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
01/23/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Funny and wise. In the darkening age of social media having a comedian like Aziz Ansari putting on shows and remaining deeply human is like the light entering a truely darkened room. Love him.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/25/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Took a long time release something, it's unfortunate how bad it was.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
Full Review
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