Chris D'Elia: No Pain

Then this is the comedy special for you. It's difficult listening to the material, which is funny, because so many comedians can't seem to speak without saying 'like' constantly.

Also, if you enjoy hearing a comedian laugh at his own jokes in a way that certain people... we can't use the word anymore for those kind of people, but if you're a fan of Tom Segura, you will know what I mean when I say that Chris D'Elia laughs at some of the things he says as though he's a little tik-tok'd. Or he's "cajun". GO watch Netflix's Tom Segura: Ball Hog if you don't know what I'm talking abour.

I never really write reviews but had to warn people not to waste an hour of time on this. I barely made it half way through as neither my wife or I cracked a single smile and just kept looking at each other Like, like, like, like (hes says that every other sentence) is this going to get better? Better luck next time big guy.

...be so funny on a podcast, yet so unfunny with stand-up? Apparently there's no correlation whatsoever. It's like he tries way too hard in front of an audience, and nothing feels genuine. I mean, I wish I liked his stand-up, but I just don't.

I want to say first that I believe D'elia may be one of the funniest people alive in off the cuff, conversational comedy. As a podcast guest and on Instagram, he is probably in my top five comedians. This is why it pains me to write this review, but I think he needs to hear this criticism in order to level up in the stand up game. The reality is that the podcasting circle of comedians will always attract an audience at shows, because they have become personalities. Therefore, the true and honest feedback they will get about the art and craft of stand up will be limited.

Chris' special is unwatchable. D'elia is using the same strange, frat boy voice in his latest special than he did in his first. There has been no evolution. No relaxing into it. It sounds very forced, and honestly the jokes are pretty hacky. I can't for the life of me understand why he doesn't try to bring his real life persona onto the stage. It seems like he is actively targeting the teenage market, which is fine, but he has the potential to be so much more. Do yourself a favour, get off Netflix and download Louis CK's latest special or find an old copy of Colin Quinn's stuff. Or go check out the comics coming out of the UK and Ireland, who seem to be on a much higher level than the LA comedy scene.

I wanted to like this. I like Chris D'Elia on podcasts and in interviews. The kindest thing I can say about the special is that it came in under an hour. Should it have lasted any longer I might have gotten angry but as it stays under an hour I'm just wildly disappointed. He mentions in the special that this is a great time for comedy and all I could think when he said that was that this would have been a great time for him to try doing some. I watched the entire show hoping for something, even a single bit, to save it, and that bit never came. Don't bother watching this one, it's just not good comedy.