“Closets are vertical coffins; all you do is suffocate to death,” says Robin Tyler who was the first of the 22 LGBTQ+ comedians featured in this hour and a half historic documentary I watched today, thanks to the recommendation of our friend Esther who is not only the woman that gives Pretty and me our monthly pedicures in her salon but also someone that administers viewing reviews as expertly as she does nail polish. When she and/or her wife Frankie like a show, we don’t need to see the previews.
Marsha Warfield, Lily Tomlin, Wanda Sykes (l to r)
This Netflix documentary is more than just entertainment; it’s a vital piece of LGBTQ+ history. By illuminating the inside forces of queer comedy across the years, it offers both a celebration of progress and a reminder of the ongoing fight for equality. (Los Angeles Blade, June 22, 2024)
From Coded Characters to Out and Proud (Los Angeles Blade, 06-22-24)
The film traces the evolution of LGBTQ+ representation in comedy:
- Pre-Stonewall era: Coded characters like Paul Lynde, Charles Nelson Reilly, and Rip Taylor
- 1970s: Comedians like Lily Tomlin, Robin Tyler, and Pat Harrison pushing boundaries
- AIDS era: Activist comedians like Sandra Bernhard, Scott Thompson, and Margaret Cho using humor to combat backlash
- Modern day: A diverse generation including Eddie Izzard, Wanda Sykes, Hannah Gadsby, Bob the Drag Queen, and Joel Kim Booster
I will personally add get ready to laugh – these people are LOL funny. Their journeys are powerful reminders of the world many of us recall, the milestones we’ve experienced with them, through the hilarity of their jokes. OMG. Wanda Sykes’s segment on coming out to her parents as “Black” was one of the funniest routines I’ve ever seen anywhere. Wait for it, laugh, savor, and celebrate with Pride whoever you are on whatever continent brings Netflix to you whether you are a member of the LGBTQ+ community or the larger community of humankind.
“Comedy is that sugar that coats the medicine,” British comedian and co-creator of Bob Hearts Abishola Gina Yashere tells us. “If you’re laughing, you’re not gonna want to punch someone in the face.”
Keep laughing, and whatever you do, don’t miss Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution streaming now on Netflix.
I'll Call It Like I See It 
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