being overturned. And though the subject matter is the same, the perspective obviously varies from person to person; having a new kid allows these comics to explore self-growth, or our desire to outrun our parents’ missteps, or the feeling of impending political doom.
Kondabolu’s comedic approach to becoming a dad falls closest to Friedman’s, as he tries to capture what it’s like to have a kid in a COVID-ridden world, when hope is often hard to find, even post-lockdown. The comedian doesn’t endorse despair or unbridled optimism during his set, but finds humor in every situation, no matter how bleak.
And Kondabolu definitely loves a tangent. Some of the best parts of the special entail him ranting about one topic or another—Oreo “creme,” World War II supremacy, the existential crisis of being born, you name it—and building to a fevered crescendo. He even jokes at one point, “When did this turn into a TED Talk?” And sure, you learn something when Kondabolu’s on stage, but he has none of the pedantic banality of a TED Talker .