I look towards HBO for great stand up showcases as for nearly three decades it was the only place to find them consistently before Netflix came along. This was no different, a comedian I had never heard of with a special on HBO is always a great way to learn about a new talent and be entertained by a fresh take on society and/or life in general. I was a bit confused at first by the presentation. No audience and a performance monologue approach cut with a Skype conversation with a love interest is not what many consider stand up comedy. Drew's performance is paced differently as well, coming off at first as a bit whiny, hasty, and pessimistic, but then I realized without an audience and the expectation of a timed joke this was a man showing his inner demons without the pretense of a typical comedy show to buffer my insecurities on his thoughts or jokes. It made the experience so much more real, as if I was in my own head. Much like having a dark thought or joke that you would never share but still laughed out loud randomly to. Once I found the rhythm of the presentation, the whole piece became more engrossing, hilarious, and a new way to experience "stand up" comedy. Drew's honest, rapid fire, almost rambling deliver crossed with intimate and up close frames of himself made me feel connected to him as a real person lost in thought and feeding these enlightements and insecurities directly to my own mind without the stage, lights, and audience that forms a natural disconnect that we are not aware of or just accept. I was also highly impressed by Jerrod Carmichael's artistic vision in the direction and overall feel to the piece. Intimate, insecure, and most importantly, very funny. I will expect more comedians to try this approach in the future but as the first of it's kind, that I've come across anyways, it succeeds on every level.
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