Stand-up comedy is the gift that keeps on giving. Whether the mood strikes or not, there’s always use for a good laugh. Netflix currently has some new comedy specials streaming, and one of the up and coming British talents making the waves is that of Jack Whitehall. Whitehall has slowly but surely been climbing the latter and he now has a new special titled I’m Only Joking that is sure to keep him trending and assisting in growing his audience. Whitehall also has a travel show featuring him and his father, who is also quite the character himself, and this new special features many a mention of him as well.
Whitehall is definitely different from comedians of today. He’s similar in that he has the occasional sharp one liner, comedic call-backs, or intelligent setups that make for fun smart comedy. Where he’s different is his approach and delivery. Jack Whitehall is a story-teller, and though not to say that other comedians aren’t, his style of doing so is interesting to say the least. He almost comes off as a primary school teacher in the way he tells his stories, raising his voice and inflecting heavily on certain details or at climactic points of said stories. He sounds as though he’s talking to children, but the content is unquestionably for adults, which is a rather unique way of setting himself apart from others.
In the new special I’m Only Joking, Whitehall covers a lot of separate topics.
In the new special I’m Only Joking, Whitehall covers a lot of separate topics. These range from the troubles of his dating life, breakups, the occasional mention of his father (and a story that is almost unbelievable) living in America, and his latest travel experiences. This sort of format is broad, but it is fun. His transitions from one topic to the next are not always fluid, but they aren’t sloppy either, so the show is pretty easy to follow. His personal perception on most things comes off as well formed, and he makes fairly decent rationalizations in his comedic point of view. One thing viewers will definitely notice is Whitehall’s crowd control. He knows his audience, and they also know him, which is necessary for the success of a true stand-up artist, and he more than qualifies.
All that aside, his style and format may not be for everyone. He can often show himself to be a tad over energetic, or what others today would refer to as “extra”. This isn’t necessarily anything that is new or something that hasn’t been done before, although others who’ve dabbled in this area before are seen to have been trying too hard. It is safe to say that isn’t the case here, though the delivery style he implements is uniquely his and not seen in a lot of other routines. Opinions will vary on this, and this is merely an observation, but a notable one regardless. Even still, Whitehall clearly earns all of his laughs and puts on a very enjoyable show. Catch this new special on stream, and enjoy.
