Weird Wednesdays: “Chris Fleming: Hell”
Chris Fleming’s hilarious Peacock comedy special “Hell” should delight his rabid fan base while bringing new devotees to the cult of Chris.
Click the button below to listen to this post.
Chris. Fucking. Fleming.
That’s it. That’s the review.
Do you need more? I promise you, you don’t. But I’ll give you more.
Social media superstar and YouTube sensation Chris Fleming brings his unique brand of offbeat comedy and music to Peacock on August 18 for the premiere of his latest hour-long special, Hell.
Named one of Variety’s Ten Comics to Watch and hailed by The Huffington Post as perhaps one of the best things on the internet, Fleming is known for being wildly unpredictable in the best possible way.
Hell marks his first live-recorded release since the sidesplittingly funny 2018 Facebook Live show Showpig (which you can watch in all its splendor for free on YouTube) and his first network special.
Fleming began his stand-up career in 2005, but his wildly popular YouTube series earned him a rabid following and made him a household name among fans of the indie comedy scene.
He’s best known for his YouTube character, Gayle Waters-Waters, a deranged housewife played by Fleming in drag. Though the Gayle series was somewhat popular when it began, Fleming’s popularity soared when a clip from the show went viral in 2015.
The video Company Is Coming shows Gayle running around the house and having a panic attack while trying to clean her house for company.
Soon, Fleming found himself selling out bigger venues when he performed his stand-up comedy, often described as “over-the-top” and “anti-establishment.”
It’s an irreverent blend of physical comedy, wacky songs and stories, absurdist sketches, and endearing self-deprecating humor.
In Hell, Fleming takes to the stage of LA’s artsy theater Dynasty Typewriter for an intimate one-hour show (actually two back-to-back shows filmed the same night and spliced together) that plays like a passionate love letter to the theater and the art of performing, as well as a transcendental journey to self-acceptance and a full-throttled commitment to individuality at all costs.
He explores the unique hell of performance anxiety through an odd — and oddly satisfying — mish-mash of stand-up, character work, sketch comedy, and musical numbers.
The result is an eccentric, unexpectedly joyous experience that’s impossible to describe and utterly infectious.
Fleming’s comedy is aimed at deconstructing social norms, including masculinity (hello, Barbie).
He’s been described as a progressive gender-bending role model, and he is a fierce champion of self-expression. At the same time, he’s relatable as hell with his tales of anxiety-filled growing pains, insecurities, and self-doubt amidst the scrutiny of the public eye.
That sounds a bit heady, but the most important thing you need to know is this: it’s uproariously funny, wildly original, and one Hell of a good time.
Still not convinced? Check out the trailer for the special below.
On the one hand, I want you to watch it because it perfectly encapsulates the wonderfully weird, deliciously manic energy and glorious orchestrated chaos that makes this show such a goddamn treat to watch.
On the other hand, I wish you’d take a leap of faith and go in blind so that not a moment of this magical mystery tour is spoiled. I want every peculiar revelation and unexpected bit of bonkers brilliance to land with the force of a thousand frenzied theater kids rushing the stage in exalted exhortation.
The choice is yours. But either way, see this special. You want it. You need it. You’ll be better off for it.
The world needs more Chris Fleming. Can I get a HELL, yeah?
Overall Rating (Out of 5 Butterflies): 5
Follow Us!