Jacqueline Novak: Get on Your Knees

After having seen quite a lot of female comics like Isla Schleisinger and Amy Schumer bomb miserably on stage in Netflix specials, I was quite reluctant to click on this. However, I did. Maybe because the subject matter appealed to my lizard brain. Anyways...

Jacqueline Novak's attitude and rhythm sure are much different than that of her peers. This is more like a single person theatre than a standup show. I don't even recall how Netflix packaged it but to me it came as a bearable and even entertaining version of that "Why Don't You Like Me?" art house woman rant from an episode of Friends.

She performs well.

I mean the walking, rope jumping, breathlessly talking on stage. But jeez, this is almost 100 minutes and I stopped at the 83rd.

I'm pretty sure the whole thing would be more impactful and even funnier to listen to if only a professional had edited down a third of the source material.

It would have become rock-hard material which the audience could handle without a risk of choking on it.

This is comedy genius. I can barely describe it. The pacing is dazzling and you need to try to keep up with it. But you get this from the beginning - this must be the way an airplane would speed up along the runway to take off. And it does take off! Bold, poetic, hilarious, this stand up comedy show reaches literary heights that must have made many comedians jealous of this incredible, inexhaustible talent that moves incessantly across the stage leaving you breathless at the end, and unable to believe what you just saw. Unbelievable heights of intelligence! I recommend you watch this with all my heart. But be prepared Jacqueline will have you going for the sprint.

Very good comedian I had somehow never heard of. She mixes clever word play with animated almost but not quite over the top performance. Putting you in the artists shoes in her moments of power and weakness, in coming of age and truly showing she grasps herself and probably everyone else. Most of all this is funny and she a great storyteller like I can't even like wonder if like it might be like the best special of 2024. Jacqueline Novak will have you laughing from beginning to end! I don't really have anything negative to add or any criticism, I just really enjoyed this comedy special and am eager to delve into her back catalogue.

Based on the description and the trailer, I figured I'd give the show a try. I tried to stick with it, but the constant back and forth pacing across the stage made it too hard too watch. The pacing was so annoying it districted from the actual material. Someone should have warned her about this prior to the taping. I quit watching after about 5 minutes after I fast forwarded about 20 minutes to see if maybe the pacing stopped. It didn't, so off it went. Too bad because I always like trying out comedians I haven't seen before. Based on the trailer, the material itself was really funny. Maybe I'll give it another try down the road.

I don't think I have heard such direct sexual in your face comedy from anyone like this. I defy anyone to actually count the times she says ****, ****, *******, ******. Surprisingly it is not done in a crass way. If the idea of full hour of sexual discussion is not uncomfortable for you. Give this a try. It certainly was different.

I would agree, with others, that it was fast paced and densely packed! So it seems longer than it was, and you may feel exhausted at the end.

Was it funny? Yes and no. At no time did I laugh out loud, but I smiled a lot. It is more of a performance. A highly energetic performance.

Bravo, well done Jacqueline.