Tom Papa: What A Day! review - a special that the AARP would love

Summary

A stand-up special that might be funny at the senior living center.

We review the Netflix comedy special stand-up Tom Papa: What a Day!, which will be released on December 13th, 2022.

We have the second Netflix special from comedian Tom Papa streaming on the platform in Tom Papa: What A Day! Can we close out the incredible year of stand-up comedy with a bang? Let’s dive in.

Papa had quite a simple opening. The hosts announced him to the stage as he sat at the bar and sipped on a martini. I will say he gets brownie points for sipping on it and keeping a straight face because anytime I sip a martini, I have the OMG, what did I just drink look on mine. As he headed towards the stage, he walked through the crowd, tagged some hands, and got the crowd cheering loudly—simple but effective opening.

Papa’s opening bit (I have said before how important these are) was about leaving the house without your cell phone with a slight touch of username/password. Honestly, I didn’t even chuckle throughout this first bit. He didn’t bring anything new to the table, and his delivery was somewhat lackluster. It was not a great way to start the special.

Look, do you have that friend or family member who thinks they are funny and tell jokes that were funny ten years ago? That’s what it felt like watching Tom Papa: What A Day! Throughout the first twenty minutes of this special, I didn’t laugh one time. I felt like it was Thanksgiving when I was a kid, and my dad would sit here and tell stories and jokes that bored me to death.

Come on, Frank, why are you acting that way?

Look, this has been an incredible year of stand-up comedy. We’ve had some great specials from Sam Morril, Taylor Tomlinson, and Moses Storm, and the future of comedy is bright. But, sadly, the time has come for Tom Papa to move into a new phase of life, telling jokes at the old folks home, where his jokes will get standing ovations. I am sure people will read this and be like, “what does this guy know about stand-up,” well, this is the 42nd stand-up special I’ve watched in 2022, and it’s by far one of the worst.

Another thing that bothered me was that it felt like it was mailed in. I am not saying he wasn’t trying, but his demeanor felt quite underwhelming. He looked like I do when I sit at my desk all day and have to answer customer service calls. Maybe Papa was having a bad day. I guess he could redeem himself with his next special. Who knows?

Overall, Tom Papa: What A Day! might be enjoyed by folks over 60 worldwide and good for them. For me, this was a colossal letdown of a special. I MIGHT have chuckled once or twice in the hour special, but 98% of the jokes were terrible. I don’t know what comedians are supposed to do when their time is up, but I hope someone helps Papa find out. Seriously, don’t waste your time on this one.

What did you think of the Netflix comedy special stand up Tom Papa: What a Day! Comment below.