Summary
Netflix special Mike Birbiglia: The New One sees the comedian go through the cycle of new parenthood, which is charming and on point.
Netflix special Mike Birbiglia: The New One will be released on the platform on November 26, 2019
What I find most fascinating about Mike Birbiglia is his stage movement and the delivery of his jokes. He meanders around on stage like he is rehearsing in his living room and seems uninterested in using any theatrics or showmanship. His jokes are well planned but patient, casually spoken on-time and with such confidence in the audience to trust him. The actor and comedian is a natural stand-up and feels more original than most.
Mike Birbiglia: The New One is a 90-minute stand-up regarding one topic. Surprisingly, within that topic, Mike manages to keep the content fresh and lively. There is a timeline he is following that the audience listens to astutely. Mike has you on his hooks, waiting for him to deliver his ultimate punchline before moving to the next phase of his life.
Mike talks about his newfound parenthood, and it is satisfyingly truthful.
Most parents will relate; before you have children the thought of having one his horrifying. You tell yourself over and over again that having a child is not your life. You feel the fun sapped out of your friends. Their lives changing. Their perspective more mature and out of sync to your perceived thrilling life.
I remember in my late teens when my friend had a child and I went around to his house to catch-up and see his baby. I had no idea what I was doing. I had no idea how to interact with the baby or my friend in that environment. I felt absolutely useless.
Mike Birbiglia discusses the pre-parenthood thought process.
And then he moves on to conception stage, describing how he had useless sperm and had to engineer them to be useful. Mike also describes the stages of the pregnancy and the demands of his partner to get food at strange hours of the day. He laps up the audience with his quirkiness; Mike knows he does not look like a natural father. He is essentially the man you awkwardly avoid at parties because he looks awkward. The comedian plays that to his advantage.
And finally, in the last act of Mike Birbiglia: The New One, the comedian discusses bringing a third person into your life. How sleep is terrible and the range of products given to you to help the baby serves no assistance whatsoever.
The strength of Mike Birbiglia: The New One is his outright honesty. Mike discusses his many illnesses and insecurities. He opens his personal life to the audience with moments in his life that felt embarrassing to him. The comedian offers his skewed perspective on life; his thoughts on the differences between a bed and a couch.
Netflix Special Mike Birbiglia: The New One is just brilliant.
