In the Netflix comedy special Douglas, Hannah Gadsby opens by explaining her entire act and concludes with a strong Louis C.K. joke that references his sexual misconduct scandal from a few years ago. The meta mic-drop moment touches upon the disgraced comedian's sexual perversions, and also connects to the show's recurring theme about autism. Here's how Gadsby structures the joke, and why she incorporates a 16th century Venetian painting.
Louis C.K. is best known as the creator and star of the FX sitcom Louie, and also for his brand of self-deprecating stand-up humor. In November 2017, Louis C.K. was accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women - specifically, female colleagues revealed that he pleasured himself in front of them, which reportedly had been an open secret within the comedy industry (via NPR). In Pete Davidson's 2020 Netflix comedy special Alive from New York, he explains how Louis C.K. once tried to get him fired from Saturday Night Live for smoking marijuana. To numerous comics, it seems, Louis C.K. has long exhibited hypocritical behavior.
Gadsby first references Louis C.K around the 11-minute mark in Douglas on Netflix., referring to him as "the anti-vax of comedy." She then continues to hype the "very good" joke by remembering how it came to be: "It was a day off, pens down, have a biscuit, the day I wrote that joke." Gadsby also reveals that her Louis C.K. bit will be a mic-drop moment, but not quite in the traditional sense. As it turns out, she closes Douglas with a commentary about the artistic choices made in paintings. When looking at Paolo Veronese's 1575 work "Nobleman Between Active and Contemplative Life," which includes a toddler in a bizarre and suggestive pose on the floor, Gadsby remarks that it's "the first known portrait of Louis C.K." - a reference to the aforementioned sexual misconduct scandal. Douglas on Netflix then concludes with Gadsby not dropping the mic, but rather gently setting it down.
Gadsby's twist on the mic drop concept aligns with an earlier bit in her show. Not long into her special, she opens her main act by stating, "This is a show about autism." And so, Gadsby's unwillingness to physically drop the mic connects to her diagnosis and the fact that she finds loud noises "quite distressing." After initially teasing the Louis C.K. joke early on, Gadsby then explains exactly what will happen next. "I'll just place the f**ker on the ground there."
Overall, Gadsby stays true to her brand of humor that's on display in the 2018 Netflix special Nanette. This time, however, she's more self-aware and prescient of how the jokes will be interpreted by various demographics. By explaining the entire Douglas act early on, Gadsby subverts audiences expectations and then brings the act full circle with a final bit that also subverts the "mic drop" concept. The jokes won't resonate with everybody, of course, but Douglas is indeed an innovative comedy special that spotlights Gadsby's life experiences and perception of the world around her.
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