Joseph Mueller

I’ve seen hundreds of comedy specials on tv and live. I don’t pretend to be an expert, but I’d say my top few to date were Richard Pryor, James Acaster, Mitch Hedburg, Maria Bamford, Michelle Wolf, John Mulaney, Bo Burnham, and early Chris Rock. I still adore all of them, but the virtuosity of this piece (notice I couldn’t care less if you call it a comedy special or one-person show or whatever else) by Jacqueline Novak—if you really let the waves of words wash over you (and then watch it again twice more in a week like I did, to catch what you didn’t fully appreciate the first time)—is honestly unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I think maybe James Acaster’s masterful craftsmanship is the closest—but holy $#!£ this was on another level.