The popular streaming platform, Netflix once again gathered the queers for a progressive comeback! With yet another creation by Hannah Dadsby-‘Gender Agenda’ a comic that spotlights queer comedy talent folxs in their element.
Beefing Aside
This is after Chappelle’s special-The Closer had faced immense criticism from the LGBTQ+ community for jokes directed towards the “thin skin” of trans people and in defence of author JK Rowling, a known transphobe in 2021.
Hannah Gadsby is an Australian comedian who broke through Hollywood after comedy successful specials Nanette (2017) and Douglas (2020) were both released through Netflix.
The award-winning comedian called out Netflix’s Co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos who had referenced Gadsby alongside Chappelle as an example of increased diversity on the streaming service in a company. Now, beef aside the ‘Gender Agenda’ premiered on Tuesday on Netflix.
“The last time Netflix brought this many trans people together, it was for a protest. So, progress!”“Which is kind of why we’re here. There is a foundation myth to this evening.” the comedian jokes in the trailer for the new special.
‘Gender Agenda’ is a Queer Talent Showcase
This right here is queer excellence on stage featuring talent across the US, UK and Canada.
“Gender Agenda” isn’t a lecture either. It’s simply comedic voices with a mix of humour, from dark to light. It has something for everyone, by design. “I put a lot of thought into the curating process. I wanted to create a show and not just, ‘Here’s one comic, here’s another, here’s another’ … I took a lot of joy in creating a lineup that complemented each other and kept surprising. I think everyone will like someone,” Gadsby says in an interview with the LA Times.
Gadsby explains the careful selection of comedians who already exist in the comedy scene in their grassroots local cities, the wheel is not being invented.
Jes Tom jokes about how transitioning on testosterone not only left the comedian with “the mustache of a school bully,” also an unexpected side effect of no longer identifying as a lesbian but now as a gay man. All of which gave Tom a new definition for the slang acronym DTF.
Chloe Petts identifies as “a masculine lesbian,” which somehow grants her access to parts of male privilege, such as being called “boss man” by the employees at the chicken shop. But perhaps the most awkward fun Petts enjoys is wearing a suit to a straight wedding and noticing the affect it has on the men, women and children in attendance at the reception.
Asha Ward, a young writer for Saturday Night Live, jokingly admitted: “I’m not gonna lie, I got too high before this.” Ward joked about some of the other gigs she had in her own youth, such as pediatric dentistry and teaching improv at a Jewish summer camp.
DeAnne Smith who underwent top surgery but doesn’t plan on transitioning further. “Calm down lesbians,” Smith joked. “Weird little guy is my gender identity and you must respect it. I’ve been getting they/them’d against my will since 2005, all right?” But did you know you don’t need to reattach or replace your nipples after said top surgery? Smith has a lot of fun explaining that, and will even disclose an email for you to ask this weird little guy about the very real, very siiick (sic) rack.
Mx. Dahlia Belle poked fun at straight people thinking cisgender is a slur, joking that “people are just being whiny little bitches about an adjective.” As for Belle? Sure, archeologists someday might dig up her bones and note she was born a man and lived as a woman, but who cares by then it’s kind of a moot point in Belle’s gameplan.
Gadsby introduced Krishna Istha as someone new and different to provide even more variety to the industry, and Istha, a transmasculine non-binary writer on Sex Education, joked “Did you know that the confidence you get when you walk through the world as a man is directly proportional to the confidence you need to try stand-up comedy?” Istha continued “Which is probably why so many mediocre white men think they can do it.”
And saving the last for the best ALOK, a fave on BNA, closed out the showcase with a set challenging heterosexuals or anyone who feels a bit intolerant. “I see you and your uncomfortability is valid.” And yet, ALOK wondered how someone uncomfortably watching their set would decide how to respond. If you laugh, are you supporting the transgender agenda? If you don’t, are you somehow affirming ALOK’s femininity within the constrained conventional wisdom that women aren’t supposed to be funny, anyhow?
Beautiful Backdrop
Leave it to the queers to put on a show and this live-recorded stand-up show was not an exception. Being in the backdrop of a historic theatre ‘Ally Pally’ as Gadbsy calls it made a statement! The Alexandra Palace in London is a theatre space that has been around since 1875. It had been frozen in time for 80 years and is now newly restored– that beautiful and queer grandeur!
Social-Changing?
Provocative, funny, relatable, culture-jamming, political and queer. This is that one queer show you don’t want to miss this year!
“It won’t fix it. It’s not enough. Just one night. You know, come on, you don’t raze the Amazon and plant a tree. Like, this is the carbon offset show, you know what I mean?” .
Gadsby explained during the opening
As Gadsby said while introducing one of the comics: “Because when you’re genderqueer in the comedy world, stage time is not always safe time.”
This is worth your time! Run and watch and tell us what you think!
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