Whitmer Thomas: The Golden One

The Golden One has held the spot as my favorite comedy special since I saw it live. With all the added documentary footage and editing jokes, this might just be my favorite piece of art. If you feel alienated by this special because of its refusal to be a traditional comedy special, you're really missing the point.

The new wave of comedy has been pioneered by performers who are willing to be vulnerable and blend art forms. The state of comedy has evolved into a one-man show, and performers like Whit who are pushing boundaries should be given unlimited creative resources.

A24 is a consistently high-quality outlet, so is HBO. With Bo Burnhan and Chris Storer producing, this is poised to be a landmark special.

Whitmer Thomas presents himself with an amusing take on his personal life. He's funny and the viewer can be challenged to 'go-with-the-flow' on some of his stories. His stand-up show can best be described as 'disturbingly funny'!

It's not too funny to experience Whitmer Thomas' autobiographical humor. Actually it's pretty painful. I stuck with it because he didn't attempt to hide all the things which had affected him, since his birth it seems, from the camera. I was curious. I was rewarded by this portrayal. It includes his deceased mother's twin sister (they were in a band together called Syn Twister-Whitmer sings a bit of their song , "He's So Hot"). It shows him with his aunt, his father, his cousin and others. They have gone in and out of his life. Most of all, his mother. This has shaped his life in traumatic ways. But then again, that is how a comic is forged. This is humor of the heartbreaking sort, but worth watching if you can handle it.

Watching a joke and knowing it's funny while feeling deep sadness is my experience with this special. The jokes are good. The subject material is intense. It's more like a novel than a comedy special. It's a masterpiece and will be remembered as such.

Part documentary, part stand-up, part concert, this special is a satisfying rollercoaster ride through a young man's love, grief and triumph. It's raw and you may feel he's processing it all right in front of you. Definitely a laugh and cry kind of comedy. Reminds me a bit of Tig Notaro's One Mississippi.