Tig Notaro’s “Live” Is Everything They Said It Would Be

Brittani’s Team Pick:

I wanted to wait until I’d actually listened to Tig Notaro’s already legendary performance at Largo Theater in Los Angeles before I publicly endorsed it, because I am obviously very discerning with my tastes. Whenever someone describes a thing as incredible and moving and whatever other slew of overly positive adjectives, I am wont to avoid it entirely as I usually end up feeling like they are a dirty liar. After reacting in horror that someone hadn’t seen the stool bit, I thought I should go ahead and download “Live” (rhymes with give). Not because everyone else says it’s amazing but because I already know Tig Notaro is amazing. So I did. And well, shit. It’s everything all those idiots said it would be. So I’m another idiot telling you to go to Louis C.K.’s website and download it right now.

 

It doesn’t sound like stand-up. It’s weird. After four months that included a break-up, the unexpected death of her mother, pneumonia, a bacterial infection in her digestive tract, and cancer in both breasts, she found herself on stage full of tragedy and honesty. It’s a really moving sad story. Somewhere in there it found room to also be hilarious.

We all saw the ultimate embodiment of what comedy is supposed to do: deeply personal tragedies somehow transformed, with the enormous, necessary power of an open-hearted audience, into brilliantly-written truths that we’ll all take home with us and keep with us as long as we’ll have a sound-enough mind to remember that show.Kira Hesser

Tig’s moving to New York to work on Amy Schumer’s new show, has a book deal, was on This American Life, and her comedy album, “Good One” continues to chart well. Apparently being one of the most well-respected people in her field wasn’t enough to make people give a shit but almost dying a couple times sure did.

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Brittani

Brittani Nichols is a Los Angeles based comedy person. When she's not tweeting about white people or watching television, she's probably eating pizza. Actually, she's probably doing all three of those things concurrently and when she's not doing THAT, she's sleeping. Brittani also went to Yale and feels weird about mentioning it but wants you to know.

Brittani has written 328 articles for us.

16 Comments

  1. Seriously the best $5 I have ever spent. She is so brilliant. I’ve listend to it 3 times already.

  2. I saw her stand up a year ago at a charity event called Cancer for College. The shitty irony huh? She was there performing with people like Will Ferrell and Sarah Silverman and she was so fucking funny. Definitely my favorite. $5 well spent.

  3. I’ve been listening to this over and over. And I really liked the context she provided on This American Life’s most recent segment, too. The whole thing is so moving.

  4. Brittani, this was amazing!! Thank you so so much for posting this. I downloaded Live, totally worth it,and am now moving on to her This American Life piece and everything she ever did ever.

  5. I’m so glad AS did an article on Tig. I’ve been following closely since she announced she had cancer. Fun fact: I have a queer friend who acts just like her. It’s like magic.

    Don’t forget that she’s one of the three hosts on the Professor Blastoff podcast! Occasionally, she will give an update on what’s happening in her world. Most importantly, it’s a funny and thoughtful podcast in general.

    The thing she does when referring to the double mastectomy – priceless.

  6. Pingback: Comic opens set for ages: ‘Hello. I have cancer.’ – Huffington Post « The Stand Up Comics

  7. Pingback: Comic opens set for ages: ‘Hello. I have cancer.’ – Huffington Post | Comedy Video Now

  8. Pingback: Comedian Notaro opens set for ages: ‘Hello. I have cancer.’ – Green Bay Press Gazette | standup2u.com

  9. I also recommend downloading the show. It’s very raw, very honest, but also very funny. I’m really glad Louis C.K. put it up on his website. Professor Blastoff is also great. Tig, Kyle, and David and their assistant Aaron have such great camaraderie and pick really interesting things to talk about.

  10. Pingback: Comedian Notaro opens set for ages: ‘Hello. I have cancer.’ – Green Bay Press Gazette | Comedy Video Now

  11. Pardon the late comment, but holy hell. I finally downloaded it and I’m feeling all the feelings.

  12. FINALLY downloaded it, listening to it for the second time in a row now – this is absolutely 100% the best standup I’ve heard in my life. Also fairly relevant to my life right now.

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