"I have cancer..."
That's how Tig Notaro opened her comedy set on Aug 3, 2012. Really? Cancer? Funny?
If you know Tig and her comedy style. She thrives in the awkward. For some reason, her comedy begins to turn on when things get weird on stage. Just when things get uncomfortable, Tig provides a pressure release of comedy.
I got to the Tig party way too late. I first "found" her comedy while listening to an episode of NPR's This American Life podcast. The podcast was a recording of a live show that TAL produced for their radio show. Ira Glass introduced Tig and for the next 12 minutes she pulled me into one of the best stories I have heard.
Here is the video of that performance. Watch it. Your day will be better.
Back to 2012, Tig walked out onto the stage in Los Angeles and opened with "Good evening. Hello. I have cancer..." Awkward? Yes, but remember, Tig thrives in the awkward. At least she did during this show. She proceeded to walk the audience through a string of life changing difficulties she had recently weathered. Including the diagnosis of cancer a few days prior. The show was a walk-off success!
The audio of this show was captured and released. It went viral. You can find it many places online buy I'd encourage you to spend the money and buy the album Live on ITunes.
Last week I had the pleasure of watching, Tig, her recently released bio-documentary about those life changing difficulties. This documentary navigates the audience through the pause in comedy that occurred and her return to the stage. If you have Netflix, you can catch it streaming. If you want to smile, take the time. It's totally worth it.
Quietly making noise,
Fletch