To call Janeane Garofalo’s hour-long special “comedy” would be a disservice to comedy itself. After all, even Garofalo herself refers to this as more of a lecture than a stand-up act, but even that’s too lofty, given that it’s little more than an hour-long rant about nothing in particular. Going from one topic to another with no discernible pattern or structure, not to mention any jokes or astute observations, Garofalo seems uncomfortable and disinterested throughout, which is a damn shame because she’s usually a fascinating presence. Here however, there’s nothing to go on: Her consistently disagreeable and caustic countenance precludes any rapport with the audience, and her material is not clever nor insightful despite her heightened vocabulary. It’s all just a lot of self-righteous hot air not unlike latter-day Louis CK, and makes its 60ish-minute running time feel like an eternity.
Rating: ★★ (out of 5)
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