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05/07/2019 The Man I love stand-up comedy. It's amazing to me what one person on an empty stage can craft for a mass of waiting people. To me, Anthony Jeselnik is the best stand-up comedian in the game today, and his new Netflix special, "Fire in the Maternity Ward" proves it. That said, his comedy isn't for everyone. I wouldn't encourage amateur viewers to dive into the deep end by watching his special. You can't find a recent article or review that tags him with this moniker, but he's been commonly known as "The Dark Knight of Comedy" for years. Though in this New York Times piece, Jeselnik says his approach of taking on topics like rape, abortion, cancer, etc. has been "grandfathered in," it's more than that. His style, his craftsmanship, allow him to take such liberties. There are other articles about Anthony corresponding with the release of his special. Only Robert Mays' piece for The Ringer references his Comedy Central podcast, the Rosenthal and Jeselnik Vanity Project (RVJP...Junior Vice President, for fans). This is the second go-round for the podcast between these two friends (or best friends, depending on who you ask). The first iteration was the Rosenthal and Jeselnik Vanity Project (RJVP) and was under the umbrella of the NFL Network, who employ Gregg Rosenthal as a writer and podcaster. It is through this podcast that you can learn a lot more about Jeselnik's personality. He is a thinker, and a witty and progressive one at that. The most poignant moment was when he addressed racists, misogynists, etc. as "small." Although this is a side of him only barely below the surface, most writers probably haven't delved as deeply into what makes him tick. For instance, this Vulture piece is perhaps a little too heady about Jeselnik's style. Depraved? I would quibble with that and argue it's not... if you appreciate good comedy. Sure, it's shocking. Shockingly funny. Side note: I've heard of writers being paid by the word, but did Mays get paid for every time he worked "Trump" into the article. (5, not counting a handful more relating to Anthony's performance at the Cheeto's roast.) Jeselnik's special isn't political. The Special Back to the special. It earns a solid A from me. The only knock I have on it is his closer, a 15-minute story on driving his friend to have an abortion. He peppers in lots of funny lines throughout, but this style isn't his forte. He's at his best with a 2 or 3 line joke where he sets a premise and then hammers home a punchline containing an unexpected twist. These punchlines are usually morally questionable at best, but always creative as hell. You can read other reviews for examples; I won't give away his jokes. Some of the many reasons Jeselnik is special are based on what he doesn't talk about. Nothing banal, nothing typical. There aren't stories about family functions or traveling on airplanes. There are no dick jokes. He doesn't use a girlfriend or relationships as recurring themes. Another thing that strikes me after reflecting on his special is how timeless it is. No references to current celebs or politicians. He's not mentioning the Kardashians and never specifically names Trump. For contrast, I was recently watching a 2013 special from Doug Stanhope (most known for running The Man Show into the cold, cold ground with Joe Rogan after Jimmy and Adam left) and he referenced Terri Schiavo. Yeah, well-known back in the day, but probably half the population has forgotten all about her by now. To the contrary with Fire in the Maternity Ward. 10, 20, 100 years from now, it will still be awesome. Lastly, it is pretty amazing how he owns the stage. A slow stroll that matches the slow cadence of his jokes. When he says it took him three years to write/perfect this special, it shows in more than just the punchlines. Even the choreography is perfect. After one of his jokes, he breaks to command the audience, "If you can think of something worse, let me know!" (Again, you'll have to watch to find out why.) The Process As with many comedians, fans and critics are want to have insight into the creative process. As part of Mitch Hedberg's act, he talks about writing jokes while traveling and staying in a hotel room. I'll paraphrase how he quips, "If I think of something funny, I write it down. But if my pen and paper are across the room, I have to convince myself it wasn't that funny." With Jeselnik, he starts with the topic - often sacred (see: Sacred Cow segments from The Jeselnik Offensive) - and then crafts a joke around it. On the JRVP podcast released May 1, 2019, Gregg mentions how Anthony had wanted to do a murder-suicide bit. And while Jeselnik lists Jack Handey as one of his influences, I see a lot of Ellen Degeneres' style in his joke and punchline delivery. Her most recent special was trash; I stopped watching after 10-15 minutes. However, her best stuff from the early 90s would start with a couple quick lines of set up and then a odd twist of an ending like this. The End It's hard to encapsulate everything I love about Anthony Jeselnik into one piece. I've often called his weekly RJVP and JRVP performances a master class on comedy. You can hear some of his bravado/persona, a lot of his real-life stories, some of what makes him tick, some of his real personality, all mixed with some of the sharpest, quickest wit around. He's the only one successfully pulling off his brand of comedy. He seems to be obsessed with the art of it, and his quest for perfection shows. Have fun! -T You can now find me all over the web:  Like Monster Cards on Facebook (Frequent updates and scans of new inventory - graded and ungraded!)
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