Most people know Joel McHale from his role as Jeff, the fast-talking law school drop out, in Community written by Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon. McHale is also known for his live broadcasts on The Soup, mocking reality TV from 2004-2015 with a whopping twelve seasons. McHale’s time on The Soup and his fan base from Community inspired his new Netflix show, The Joel McHale Show, which is formatted similarly to The Soup.
I knew McHale from Community, and I’ve seen a couple episodes of The Soup, but I never saw his stand-up live. As an old Community fan looking for some nostalgia, I thought I’d see his performance in the Athletics and Events Center here at Ithaca College on Sunday, April 15. McHale didn’t shy away from self-deprecating humor; he pointed out how he was performing for a half-filled gym right before track practice. It’s true that McHale hasn’t been in the spotlight since his time at The Soup but he was able to find a balance of self-deprecating humor that didn’t feel too on the nose or painful to watch.
I’m not sure if I’d go to see another stand up performance by McHale, but I’m glad I saw him while he was in Ithaca. If you enjoy self-deprecating humor and jokes poking fun at fragile masculinity, Joel McHale might be the comic for you.