Kate Berlant: Cinnamon in the Wind

Canned laughter....its got to be. There are only three possible ways that laughter could be included in this "special".

1. The aforementioned canned laughter.

2. The hostages, sorry, I meant audience members have been threatened with some kind of physical harm to themselves or their loved ones.

3. Narcotics. The venue poisoned the water supply, thus inducing mania.

The only other things I have found this unfunny have involved CarrotTop, Andrew Dice Clay, Amy Schumer and Carlos Mencía.

I wonder if Amnesty International or the people that write the treaties and protocols of the Geneva convention are aware of this.

Because I wholeheartedly believe that this violates several of them and is an abuse of human rights.

I saw this when it hit Hulu, after I had heard some clips of her standup which seemed good enough that I remembered her name, but this is one of the most-painfully-narcissistic things I have ever seen masquerading as 'standup comedy'. She prances around onstage emitting random forgettable quips, and I kept thinking 'there are women who deserved this opportunity, but this chick is shamelessly phoning it in because she can cash in on her looks'. Watch Helen Hong or Heather McDonald's specials on Tubi because they're actually funny as hell and deserve the attention. When I saw this Berlant special, I didn't see the 'performing in the mirror' photo but it pretty much says all you need to know about this special. Only worth watching if you think she's worth staring at for an hour straight regardless of what she's saying. I made it about a half-hour in and it was one-star material, but maybe there was something funny in the second half that i didn't see, so I'll give it one star for charity.

Kate Berlant's act IS that she has no act? I am not sure if this is true but it seemed that way to me. As if she talked about whatever popped into her mind, or train of thought, like that one "kookie" friend everyone has. Kookie, Kookie lend me your comb. Hey, look I have an elbow. Hey look I am a psychic. Oh is that me in the mirror? Do I need a haircut. I am an only child I wish I had a brother. Water tastes good. That chick in the audience laughs just like my former best friend. Was anyone else here born in Los Angeles? LA has blocks and streets and an ocean. Look oceans are blue and have waves. Did my mom give me a perm when I was in 5th grade Why yes. Yes, she did. I like microphones. And apples. Yeah, her act was kind of like that.

I wouldn't recommend this to everyone but I guarantee you've never seen anything like this. I feel as if I was allowed to live inside Kate's brain for an hour, not in like a creepy Being John Malkovich way but just like I had her eyes and her brain. Okay no that's worse, it was like I had an opportunity to live in her shoes and live her life, not in an everyday "Oh I'm paying the power bill" but more like "Oh these tomatoes look a little off so I should probably use them soon." No that's not it. It's just that defining a uniquely eccentric comedian using the tedious parlance of stand-up analysis is so pedantic that I chose to embody her voice in honor of the singular feat that was this special. So watch it. Or don't. But do.

Here's an analogy that Kate (and probably anyone under 40) will hate. Led Zeppelin. Well at least from what I recall of an old Page/Plant interview in Creem or somesuch fan rag : the idea of being loosely tight when performing live. I've always liked that idea (hint it's what I dig about basketball, improvisation in the instant is a must!)

This show feels like Kate trying to defy not just the standard expectations of the live confessional comedy "special" (complete with meaningful message segment to close, which she explicitly lampoons and maroons as she cranks up the confusion, leaves the stage, and comes back as the "filming" is over.

Is it an attempt to try and bring the audience closer to the moment when inspiration hits, the spark on the anvil, striking personal pain with more general angst? Is it Kate trying to keep herself from being bored with herself? How many mirrors does it take for one's anticipation and self to disappear?

I honestly don't know. She (and her producer here Bo Burnham, yikes even he's now in his 30's - everyone seems so young to this jaded faded being, I had to change the age reference above). Burnham or Berlant added in some weird slash cuts to Kate alone, before the show that almost felt like an interrupted feed. Something smart going on there I bet, just eluded me.

Her edginess is something I (and Bo) find compelling, but I'm sure it's not for everyone. The neurosis/confidence flips faster than a compass in a magnetic storm. It's all an act. Or not.

There's a lot of I'm lying, but I'm not, but I *am* lying, just not now....or am I? At times she does reach back to variations of reliable routines, her dishing her features/upbringing (too idyllic) and there is a stretch where she works from the notion of a woman being born with all her eggs, into a nice bit involving an imaginary, invisible husband and I think 7 sons.

Probably those moments irk her, but they worked better than the faux clairvoyant with audience interaction in my bloated opinion. Checked this out on Hulu, and definitely am rooting for her. She had a couple of very favorable reviews for her Broadway show (extended through Feb 2023 if you are in/near NYC - and also produced by Burnham.)

She's one to watch, even if only through a two-way mirror for your safety, don't worry about her safety. I have a hunch she's indestructible....although success may weirdly be the biggest danger to her.