One word to describe Heather McMahan: Son I Never Had is "intimate." While we cannot say enough that the comedy act follows the rules of a conversation and not an elocution, meaning that intimacy is a certain part of any ensemble, there is something that goes much further when comedians begin to let go.
They give the audience a glimpse of their trauma, which they present in the way they choose. There are many ways to process grief, and talking about it repeatedly in many ways and situations is one of the most defining ways to cope. That's what Heather McMahan does, and every member of the audience is aware of it. She begins by talking about body image issues and how she became her father's biggest supporter before addressing how she is beginning the journey on her own in the future. But what caught our attention the most was how she related these themes.
Director: Jen Zaborowski
Writer: Heather McMahan
Stars: Heather McMahan, Robin McMahan
Typically, in any monologue, the comedian addresses different topics, and their common thread is a particular anecdote or joke, or they simply change the subject at random, with the occasional well-timed statement that elicits a few laughs. the recovery value of it. Heather follows in those footsteps, but if you're someone who's read more than Instagram captions about body positivity, you'll know that the connection she's made between the topics runs much deeper than we would have thought.
We remember saying in a previous special by another comedian that self-deprecating jokes about one's own body are a double-edged sword. There is the fact that the state of nature is becoming normalized, but even within that, there is no escaping the politics of desirability. Because the joke is that reality is undesirable. It's always important to ask yourself why something is funny.
Heather McMahan makes no secret of the fact that she is talking about her trauma related to her body image issues. That adds a layer to her jokes that elevates them from being merely self-deprecating. We understand that we are not simply laughing at her, but we recognize the prejudice that she is desperately trying to point out, that has made her the person she is and has made her the son that her father never had from her. By simply acknowledging that she is traumatized, she elevated the quality of her own comedy.
Admittedly, this was not a set where we could laugh. It's not because of the subject material, but because it just wasn't that fun. But it was touching and made us see what kind of person Heather McMahan really is. Plus, wrapping it in a comedic tone, no matter how funny we found it, meant that people were more receptive to the topic, and that's always a win.
Then there was the part about her fertility treatment. Each of these stories needs to be told, and we always appreciate anyone who comes forward, but again, the part wasn't all that fun. Heather McMahan tried really hard. She had the energy; She wasn't embarrassed, but sometimes we just have to accept that a funny anecdote doesn't translate into a funny monologue. It may be a light-hearted story (the kind you laugh at much later, after the pain and anger has passed) for a podcast, but it still doesn't make it laugh out loud, no matter how interested someone is. in that. In this sense, we found the need to repeat that despite not even making us laugh, the set was still engaging, and that's more than most people on stage achieve these days.
Heather McMahan: Son I Never Had is based on the unspoken premise that, if given the choice, would one prefer to be shamed for being skinny or for being fat? If she had asked that question so clearly, it would have been a completely different series, much more bitter and raw. But by masking that question, she Heather made sure to keep the audience's mood right for the rest of the jokes. One thing to note about this set is that it's not about the audience or what would make them laugh. It is up to Heather exclusively to process everything she has been feeling in her life, regarding her body image and the complicated relationship she had with her father.
To reiterate our previous point, we'll say that Heather McMahan is still attractive whether we laugh or not, and a big reason for that is that her personality makes up for the jokes. She was as bright as the suit she wore and as elegant as her self-awareness and her ability to express it with the right words. While the ability to do so is not rare in itself, the choice to do so is. With most comedians, who say everything is content (something we agree with), the need to make the audience laugh is greater than any message they want to send or point out.
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