I took a break from watching comedy after attempting that wretched Bo Burnham fiasco. Blech.
I came back to it when I saw that Mike Birbiglia had a new special on Netflix, entitled "The New One."
This special means a lot to me, and for a lot of reasons.
First off, I don't know anyone who hates men as much as I do aside from maybe my spouse and Mike Birbiglia. It is SO REFRESHING to see a guy talking about how fucking trash men are. There is a lot to be said about someone in the in-group taking the group to task, because they can make in-roads with that group in ways that members of the out-group cannot. His contempt isn't limited to this special, but it comes to the fore in a way it had not in his previous engagements. (Except maybe the one where he yelled at that guy about the lady cop for like 5 minutes straight.)
The other reason this special resonated with me so hard is because I loathe the idea of ever having children, for all of the reasons he said and a hundred more. I think it is noble for him to acquiese because I know I would not. If my spouse suddenly decided he wanted kids and it was a deal breaker, then our deal would be broken. The horrific upheaval of life and destruction of everything we've built is just not acceptable to me. When he said he gets why men leave I fucking got it cos I would have left.
I have no maternal instinct for humans. I never have. It is not a part of my DNA.
I appreciate his honesty and candor. I appreciate that he never goes for shock value and he never condescends.
I have friends that are really excited to go see Tig Notaro and I just don't like her. The way she talks about her wife is awful. If I were watching a male comedian and he spoke about his wife that way I would turn it off. There is a hardness and a meanness and I am not okay with it.
For your viewing pleasure: Mike Birbiglia destroying a guy who says "lady cop" from "Thank God for Jokes"