By Francisco Portillo
All-Star comedian Tracy Morgan returns to comedy with his insanely hilarious new Netflix stand-up special “Staying Alive.”
There are few comedians who have the skill to make audiences laugh so much their faces will hurt and Morgan is certainly one of them.
Right out of the gate, Morgan comes out swinging with his opening skit. While the Bee Gee’s “Staying Alive,” plays in the background, he walks around New York spending money unnecessarily.
He goes around buying three slices of pizza and trying to eat them at the same time. In the next scene, he’s shown walking with a giant blue Walmart tote bag.
The bag takes up the whole frame, with the Walmart logo in the audience’s face. He reaches in the bag and pulls out a stack of money before being hit by a semi-truck.
Morgan is able to take a traumatic event from his life and find comedy in the whole situation. In June 2014, Morgan and four of his friends were involved in a serious accident when a Walmart semi-truck struck them.
Three of them survived the accident, inspiring the title. Unfortunately, his comedian friend James “Jimmy Mack” McNair was killed.
At the top of the special, Morgan comes out to thunderous applause from astanding ovation. His first jokes set the tone of his special, talking about how he still shopped at Walmart while in a wheelchair because, regardless of the situation, Walmart’s prices can’t be beat.
He also jokes about how each item in the store went up in price by one cent after the settlement. Comedy is so important for society because comedians are able to find comedy in the tragedies of the world.
The thing that is so intriguing about comedians is that they’re able to take morbid events and have comedic takes on them.
The fact that Morgan comes right out of the gate and jokes about his near-death experience is extremely commendable. He complains about not being a worthy celebrity because of the expression “only the good die young,” and recalls seeing Biggie Smalls in heaven.
Netflix has established itself as a powerhouse when it comes to entertainment and “Staying Alive” is a product of this. Reviving beloved shows and producing their own magic, Netflix has now entered into the comedy business, however, Morgan’s crude sense of humor may not be for everyone.
He jokes about having sex with Caitlyn Jenner and his sexual preferences. Those who aren’t uptight will certainly enjoy his raunchy special.
Other topics that he touches on involve growing up in the ghetto, his recovery process and his second marriage.
Coming in at under an hour, the comedy special is certainly worth a watch and can currently be streamed on Netflix.