Comedians, typically, tend to fall into one of two camps: the narcissist, or the self-loather. Alexander falls into the latter camp, and has even created a list of reasons why. Accompanying his list is a returning inner monologue, critiquing his every action and appearance with a (personally) eerie sense of familiarity. At 30 years old, Alexander and I are of a very similar age, and his worries and doubts are pretty relatable.
But, below the self-loathing is a more important and positive message: there needs to be a revolution of self-love and self-acceptance. Bennett talks about how insecurities are a breeding ground for misogynists like Andrew Tate, and the cracks within which fascism and nationalism seep. It was a surprisingly deep turn for a show that equally talked about the lack of clothing options for men, and being able to poo in public.
Alexander is a comedian who clearly has talent, with great comedic timing and the ability to frequently take a joke in an unexpected direction. But, it also felt as though he was holding back. Bennett definitely has a dark sense of humour, and his best material was when he leaned into that. But, so often he seemed to pull back just short of the line, as if trying to be a more universally appealing comedian. I’m not sure that’s his calling, and it resulted in more polite laughs than the raucous laughter he probably deserved. I personally feel he would be better served giving way to that biting and sardonic temperament more often. Equally, his ending definitely needs some refinement. It was set up beautifully throughout the show but then definitely outstayed its welcome.
Nonetheless, this was an entertaining show with smatterings of greatness, and an important message that young men definitely need to hear.
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