Editor’s Note: In the event that you find yourself endlessly scrolling through a gauntlet of streaming services for something to watch, and you come across a comedy special you may not be familiar with, chances are the first question you ask yourself, as you contemplate your next move will be something to the effect of ‘Is this something worth an hour that I can’t get back?’ — and we are here to help you shuffle through the latest and greatest comedy releases to make sure that hour and change is well spent. Welcome to The ReVue Stage. Here in this little corner carved out in Vanyaland’s comedy coverage, we have you covered when it comes to dishing out the good word on everything from new specials and albums, to books and even recaps of live shows. It’s all killer no filler around these parts, comrade. So kick back and let us help you figure out your next dose of comedic relief.
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The well-documented athletic history of Gary Gulman includes years of high school basketball, a stint as a tight end for the Boston College Eagles football team, and even a short-lived desire to take to the ice hockey rink as a young kid. But as it turns out, he’s also a pretty talented baseball player, at least when it comes his comedy career, seeing as his latest special is nothing but straight up dingers.
With the premiere of his seventh stand-up special Born on 3rd Base, which landed on Max just before Christmas, Gulman takes his love for the intricacies of words and storytelling, and blends them into a brand new hour that is jam-packed with unique artistic flair and comedic contempt for a number of uncommonly explored absurdities that will almost assuredly have you thinking “that’s actually a good point” on more than one occasion.
From the “jazzy” cold open that finds him already warmed up, the towering Peabody native sets off on an ever-increasingly sharp and deeply detailed exploration into the depths of what makes him tick. With many a tale about growing up poor, the eccentricities of his family, and the misleading presentation of the Pop-Tart, among many other musings, Gulman finds the oddity in places you would never even think to look, let alone build an entire five-minute diatribe on.
Granted, he’s been doing this for over 20 years at this point, so the confidence in his flow and creative approach aren’t necessarily surprising. But damn it if it isn’t refreshing to see someone of Gulman’s caliber commanding a room from the jump and keeping the crowd fully entrenched in his verbal illustration as he pulls no punches when discussing his disdain for the judgment of the free lunch program, as well as the “organized crime” nature of dentistry.
For all the elements that made this special such a force that harnessed an amount of whimsy you can only find thrice-weekly, or rather threefold at a Banana Republic, there were a few major standout aspects that bring this hour into the stratosphere.
First and foremost, Gulman’s “every man” level of relatability remains very much intact, and arguably more than ever. In addition to his willingness to once again pull the curtain back on the dynamics of his family and how those dynamics ultimately led to him becoming a comedian, Gulman also figured out a way to get his audience on the right side of history as he eviscerates everything from the strict options for free breakfast at school and the outright lies perpetuated by the creators of the Pop Tart, to the highway robbery that is the game of dentistry and their ever-present disdain for excepting insurance, and the arrogance of people waiting line at Chipotle.
While not as focused on darker subject matter as he was in The Great Depresh, there is still a deep personal streak in Gulman’s material that shows vulnerability while also displaying a titanic return of sorts.
Another enjoyable aspect of the show is the obvious and untethered joy that Gulman displays in his carefully crafted use of words and wordplay, which once again work to put him in a league of his own when it comes to the almost frustratingly brilliant execution of jokes and call backs – the biggest of which serving as the bookends of the hour. It’s as if Gulman has employed an Eminem-level appreciation for the dictionary, finding some of the most oddly satisfying terms to fill in where he could choose to be lazy. For example, there’s a good chance you won’t hear “incisor” or “bicuspid” used in another special all year, and his ability to sneakily drop “caprice” into a bit about pants is just so beautifully silly and fun. Not to mention, his recurring pantomime of using a manual typewriter to convey the presumed gripes of his audience picks up a number of bits at points where they would usually take a small dip.
Finally, it’s Gulman’s genuine appreciation for the crowd, mixed with a deservedly upfront confidence in his ability to get the crowd from boiling to roaring with laughter at every turn that truly powers this special all the way through. There is a palpable understanding and connection reciprocated between Gulman and his onlookers, and the triumphant grin whenever he knows he’s really let loose on a bit with expert precision is a sight to behold for a few reasons, especially as he’s continued to be open about his history of mental health struggles, but maybe none more than realizing that it’s hardly out of arrogance.
Through the seemingly constant sparkle in his eye, we’re seeing a bonafide comedy craftsman present the latest work he’s built, knowing that it’s top-quality art even before the fine details of any single premise start to register with the crowd.
We’ve known for quite some time just how intriguing of a comedian he is, but if this unflinching and non-tiring hour is a new standard set by The Gul himself, then we can safely say it’s something we’ll gladly embrace.