Nanette Reflection

When watching Nanette, one of my first thoughts was whether or not it could even be categorized
as a comedy. Comedy can mean different things to different people. What appears to be comedy
to one person might not be comedy to another. When Nanette came on stage with dark pants, a
dark shirt, and a blue blazer, I thought of her appearance, although dark, allowed her skills to truly
come to life.

Gadsby’s explanation of why she named the special Nannette was pretty funny and was a great
start to the show. When Gadsby spoke about growing up in Tasmania and not feeling welcome
because she was gay, the audience laughed, but I wondered if it was really funny. Yes, the
performance aspect of comedy makes it funny but the sheer written words or message behind
those words isn’t always funny and Gadsby was able to balance the two quite well, which makes
memorable.

I believe Gadsby’s Nanette showed viewers and critics that raw comedy isn’t always just funny
but can also be touching and emotional.  Gadsby’s approach to joke telling and reasons why
people tell jokes was quite interesting and fascinating. The fact that yelling jokes is a mechanism
to cope with and release anger, sadness and other emotions is telling if the depth of artists and
performers in any field.

Overall I enjoyed Gadsby’s comedy special and truly hope it reaches the masses because it isn’t
just funny, it’s quite thought provoking.