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Have you seen comedian Hannah Gadsby’s standup special, Nanette, on Netflix yet? No? Hold that thought and give it a watch. I’ll wait.
All done? Cool. If you just watched it, already watched it, watched it four times… you know it’s good. Like, extra good, especially considering how polarizing it is in some circles. Oh yeah, that’s a thing, too. No surprise there, of course — the world is full of people who don’t respect female comedians. Norm MacDonald recently criticized it as not even being considered stand-up. Spoiler: it’s hilarious AND has meaning. That still counts as stand-up in my book. But however you classify it, there’s no doubt that it resonated with many of its viewers.
So it’s no surprise that when Gadsby presented at the Emmys this week, she blew the roof off. Here’s the clip…
In a much criticized Emmys, especially about the lackluster hosting by Michael Che and Colin Jost, this was a stand-out moment. Here are some highlights…
“This is … not normal? The world’s gone a bit crazy. I mean, for somebody like me, a nobody, from nowhere, gets this sweet gig — free suit, new boots, just ’cause I don’t like men! That’s a joke, of course. Just jokes, fellas, calm down. #NotAllMen, but a lot of ’em.
No, it is just jokes. But what are jokes these days? We don’t know. Nobody knows what jokes are. Especially not men! Am I right, fellas? That’s why I’m presenting alone.”
In a time when the #metoo backlash seems to be more far-reaching every day despite its early steam, its good that someone with an amazing queer-led story can find a place to be funny and make a statement at the same time. Give that woman a hosting gig.
About the Author: Catherine Clark
Catherine Clark loiters at her local library, makes art, watches movies en masse, plays video and tabletop games, poorly cooks healthy things, cuddles with her feline fur babies, and blogs at BijouxandBits.com.
This woman deserves to host more awards ceremony, and more awards.