Summary
A reflection on a long, fulfilling (maybe not financially) career filled with stories and insight and most importantly, a lot of laughs.
Filmed live from Gila River Resorts and Casinos, Netflix brings to your screens Mike Epps: Ready to Sell Out. I was instantly in love with the title; I’m sure a lot of artists are ready to “sell out” or have felt this way many times throughout their careers and Mike’s reasons are that he’s losing all his money, so he’s back to doing stand-up.
If you don’t know who Mike Epps is, he’s an American stand-up comedian and actor. Known for playing Day-Day in Next Friday and Friday After Next, he’s also appeared in The Hangover, and stars in the hit series The Upshaws. The special is Epps’ fourth for the streaming platform, following Indiana Mike (2022), Only One Mike (2019), and Don’t Take It Personal (2015).
Epps walks out on stage to a roaring crowd, looking fly and comfortable, and gets straight into the jokes about Mexicans taking over America. In the usual runtime of one hour, Mike takes a personal storytelling approach as he speculates about where his money has gone, his career, the trials and tribulations of his relationships, his good deeds, and poor personal hygiene.
The stage is round, and simple in detail with small lights, so all the focus is on Mike, and we have small shots of the crowd enjoying his work. It’s not a giant audience; a very intimate and cozy set. He has some small interactions with the audience, which is always a nice touch, displaying how a comedian can handle a crowd.
Mike’s comedic style is storytelling with insightful, everyday observations, making his work relatable to multiple audiences. There are some funny, weird sections, and some pure filth, but he pulls it off with his cheeky smile. He swears a lot, so his set is not for the prudish or faint-hearted. The swearing isn’t grotesque or overdone. It supports his jokes and stories, amplifying the humor.
Mike uses the whole stage, walking from side to side, bringing his stories to life through movements, accents, and facial expressions. Watch out for a funny impression of a scared lap dancer/stripper.
Some of my favorite sections were “If you’re doing anything illegal for money, keep doing it,” as he rips into America and how criminals built it, and, “I tell the kids not to do cocaine as it’s too powerful,” wherein Epps gets very candid about cocaine and his drug taking.
There’s a great, slightly scary bit about growing old (now he’s in his 50s) and the freedom about not caring because you’re going to die soon — which he ends with now that he’s old he’s happy to sell out.
Whilst his comedy might not be for everyone, there is definitely something you can enjoy in his set. From jokes about the military to relationships, to God, Jada Smith, raising kids, and cheating. Remember, don’t cheat with someone ugly, and go to prison for something decent, not child support.
In this stand-up special, Mike Epps demonstrates why he is considered one of the most talented comedians of his generation, and why his work will stand the test of time, especially against upcoming comedians who are used to either small crowd work or performing in a camera.
