(ATLANTA :: 6 January 2012) I was trying to wake up this morning watching CNN, and caught a report by Randy Kaye about Tig Notaro. Tig lost her mother, broke up with her girlfriend and was diagnosed with breast cancer within a few days last year - just before she was booked to do a set at Largo in Los Angeles. She went ahead and did the set anyway in monologue free-form, and in it she recounts when, as she was walking on the sidewalk, some random person kept trying to get her attention, mistaking her as male. He repeatedly kept saying, “Sir. Sir… Sir!” “I just got diagnosed with breast cancer, in both breasts, that’s how much I’m not a man,” she said in her set reacting to the man. “I know men can get it. Not today. Not a man. If I have a double mastectomy, maybe six months from now I will answer to sir, after what I’ve had what I like to think of as my forced transition. But not now.”
As someone who’s always fascinated by the language critics and reviewers use, I was struck by the soaring plaudits:
• “Instantly legendary.” - Rolling Stone • "One of the most amazing stand-up sets I've ever seen.” - Ed Helms • “In 27 years doing this, I've seen a handful of truly great, masterful standup sets. One was Tig Notaro last night.” - Louis C.K. • “An amazing listen.” - Slate • “Instantly elevated to legendary status.’ - PopWatch/EW • “A now-famous performance hailed as a stand-up tour de force.” LA Times • “Tig Notaro's command over her audience is hugely impressive.” - Chortle If you have suggestions for other lofty reviews - Tweet me and I’ll add them. Also, here’s a direct link to the $4.99 iTunes page where you can pick up the 30 minute set. Believe me, the reviews are 100% accurate. Notaro plays the reluctant, comedic consoler when her audience realizes that yes, she actually has breast cancer. It’s sad gold.
Louis C.K. initially championed her set as transformative, and he posted it to his site - which led to it being officially released on iTunes (link here).
The Rolling Stone piece by Gavin Edwards summed it up best:“Lots of comedy albums have been called ‘Live’ before. This is the only one where the title feels like a command: continue to live.” ❏ Are you a writer and interested in guest blogging on WP.com? Yell At Me and let’s talk. Also, as always, send me your story ideas: tips and leads to will AT willpollock dot com.
