By: Tyson Paul
Anything created by man could be known as a work of art, including non-apologetic verbal expression. Comedy would see Lenny Bruce use this expression to create an entire sub-genre in the 1950s, Richard Pryor and George Carlin would perfect this genre in the 1970s, and Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, and Dave Chappelle turned it into a pop culture phenomenon for the next four decades.
Following in the footsteps of the legends before him, New York comedian Joe Hill expresses his form of unapologetic satire the only way a true New Yorker knows how with the debut of his first comedy special entitled The Art of Not Giving A F**k. Filmed inside NYC legendary Triad Theatre, Hill takes the crowd of family and friends on a phenomenal journey filled with nostalgia, fearlessness, and relativity that allows him to regularly tour all over the country with the likes of comedy stars DC Young Fly, Mike E. Winfield, and Jacob Williams. Even though Joe has been performing in front of large crowds for more than a decade, this will be his first time in the limelight. Hill has been associated with comedy superstars his entire career, but with the arrival of his debut special, he’s ready to call his idols…his rivals.
The Laughs:
Joe Hill’s material will remind you of the lovable uncle in every family who’s old enough to be included in every adult conversation, but young enough to have a million followers on tik-tok. Hill is a natural storyteller whose stories will have your eyes glued to the stage every minute the mic in his hand. He blends nostalgia with modern-day issues reminiscent of Cedric The Entertainer breakout performance in 2000 “The Original Kings of Comedy.” This would be highlighted in the first five mins of the special, where Joe manages to make us laugh out loud smoothly transitioning from how black people sing 90s R&B music, relative behaving loudly when they’re late, and affordable traveling during the pandemic.
The Bombs:
What makes Joe Hill great as a stand-up comedian is his ability to make his craft look completely effortless. On any given night, Hill could walk into any comedy club in the country and perform a 30-min set worthy enough of a premier comedy special. But where the gift of this comedy special turns into a curse is Joe’s failure to separate his debut comedy special from just another solid comedy show. You only get one chance at a first impression, so preparation is critical when building a classic comedy special. Specials should always have an iconic build-up to the performance, whether a comedic sketch or a zoomed-in camera angle of the comic walking towards the stage.
We Own The Laughs’ Final Review Score:
Best Joke: 90’s sitcoms
Worst Joke: Bill Cosby release from prison
WOTL Rating (Opener/Feature/Headliner): Headliner
Even with the minor production details that could’ve been added to the special, you can’t deny the greatness of Hill’s material and performance structure. There is never a lapse in humor throughout its 38 min runtime; this is one comedy special that you will have no problem giving a f*ck about.
A Joe Hill Fun Fact:
Joe produced three comedy albums in 2020 and will be releasing a 4th comedy album entitled “Back For The First Time” in late fall 2021.
Follow Joe Hill’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: @thisisjoehill
Youtube: The Come Up 365
Personal Website: www.thisisjoehill.com
Watch Joe Hill’s “The Art of Not Giving A F**k” right now at www.thisisjoehill.com
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[…] A Bronx, New York native, Joe Hill is a comedian/host/producer/writer generating a buzz on the national comedy scene. A career spanning almost 20 years, Joe has played at various marquee comedy clubs all over the U.S. and is currently headlining his own national tour entitled This Is Joe Hill. He has been selected for multiple comedy festivals including the Harlem, Baltimore, and New York. Hill has been seen on Revolt TV, CW11, Fox Soul, and Netflix. In 2021, Joe released his latest stand-up comedy special entitled The Art of Not Giving A F**k! […]
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