Hannah Gadsby, a self-described “man-at-a-glance,” would not raise eyebrows if you ran into her at the Willy Street Co-op. (She’d likely be shopping in the bulk tea section.)
But the Australian comedian grew up in Tasmania, where homosexuality was outlawed until 1997 (!) and is still taboo. In her Netflix special, Nanette, she describes her native land’s attitude toward gays and lesbians: “Guys, why don’t you just pack up your AIDS into a suitcase and fuck off to the mainland for Mardi Gras?”
From the trauma of growing up “a little bit lesbian” in a place where she was shunned and much worse, Gadsby developed a wickedly sharp sense of humor and a thick skin. But Nanette is no simple standup act; it’s really not comedy at all. Performing in front of a rapt live audience at the Sydney Opera House, Gadsby grabs your attention with jokes and then slowly and expertly peels back layers to reveal a deep well of shame and anger.
She explains how comedy works (“A joke is basically two things: a setup and a punchline, a surprise answer.”). It’s an “abusive relationship,” where she (the comedian) creates tension and then releases it. And we laugh. She presents as lovable and sympathetic. Early in the show, we see clips of her making tea, and communing with her adorable dogs.
But as Nanette progresses, Gadsby says she’s done with the release part. She’s got us, and she’s not letting go. Her refrain is “I’ve got to quit comedy,” and she explains that her story is too complex to be reduced to a punchline. “I built a career out of self-deprecating humor and I simply will not do that anymore, not to myself or anybody who identifies with me,” she says. “Do you understand what self-deprecation means? It’s not humility, it’s humiliation.”
Gadsby admits that she’s manipulating us. She’s ready to speak about the unspeakable — and she has decided that we are ready to hear it. If you’re not ready, you can turn off her show. But we can’t hide from the brutal realities of homophobia and sexism that she reveals. It’s a part of the world we live in, and Gadsby is a hero for baring her damaged soul before so many of us. We have so much to learn.
