It was Thanksgiving break 2018 and my family and I were in New York visiting my dad’s side of the family. One night, my mom took me to see a comedy show. It was a comedian she had seen at a TED conference and she wanted me to see her live. We sat down in the theatre and the lights went down. Music started to play and there she was: the one and only Hannah Gadsby in a beautiful navy blue suit and glasses. She is an inspiration to me because she is an Australian, openly lesbian, autistic, female comedian which is something I was never exposed to. Most comedians I watched were men, white, American, and/or able-bodied. From the minute she opened her mouth, I was hooked. Throughout the show, my eyes weren’t dry; they were tearing up from laughing and crying. I left the show feeling good and with a smile on my face. In this article, I will talk about the reasons why Hannah Gadsby is my favorite comedian.
1. She performs her shows in waves
Some comedians I have watched have started their show low with some laughs and then get increasingly high and stay there. Hannah Gadsby however performs her shows by doing it in waves. She will go from low to high and repeat throughout her shows. She will talk not only about funny parts of her life but also about serious events in her life.
2. Her comedy is random
The content of her shows is completely random and I love that. She talks about different things from a random conversation she had with a stranger in the dog park, to a doctor’s appointment, to American culture. Randomness does lead to humour in the case of Hannah Gadsby.
3. Her use of metaphors
Sometimes she explains things using metaphors. For instance, she talks about how when she gets angry she is like a pufferfish in some ways. Once she gets mad, it takes her a while to “deflate.” I find it interesting because she allows her audience to relate to her and understand her.
Hannah Gadsby has two specials out on Netflix, Nanette and Douglas. She is an amazing comedian and I would definitely recommend watching her.
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