Every so often, I’ll have the great pleasure of discovering a new comic who keeps me laughing for the bulk of their performance. My latest comedy discovery is Sam Jay, who shines in her hour-long Netflix comedy special Sam Jay: 3 In The Morning. The comedian is no stranger to Netflix. She initially made a debut on the streaming giant’s The Comedy Lineup Part 1. Her work on the legendary sketch show Saturday Night Live earned her two back to back Emmy nominations.
As I do with all brand new comics, I purposely avoided watching any of Sam Jay’s YouTube videos or Instagram clips. I wanted to view her material with a fresh mind. Director Kristian Mercado makes the wise choice to humanize the comic early by utilizing shots of Sam Jay, walking to the stage, and showing a barber giving the comic a haircut.
From the moment Jay walks on stage, she’s on fire, delivering numerous punchlines. The openly gay comic ties a story of her last intimate experience with a male to headlining her first show. In a lesser comic’s hands, the joke may not have landed, but Jay pulls it off with ease. There’s also a great Segway into the comic’s relationship with her current relationships and how she wishes they could take separate vacations.
Jay also takes stabs at race relations, overly chivalrous men, and even fellow comic Aziz Ansari and his legal troubles. The Aziz joke shouldn’t land the way it does, but Kay pulls it off is quite commendable. Naturally, Jay takes jabs at the current administration and a lengthy bit on Trump’s and why Democrats couldn’t defeat him. One of the most substantial bits, though, has to be the comic’s rant where she showcases her dislike for Greta Thunberg.
If I had one compliment about that Jay’s special is the short running time. While I understand that Jay is a newer comic and her time is limited, her comedy style is so strong, I wanted more when the special was over. Given that the COVID crisis doesn’t show any signs of slowing down, Sam Jay: 3 In The Morning is a great comedic distraction. Highly recommended, just make sure you put the kids to bed.
Final Grade B+
Sam Jay: 3 In The Morning is available to stream at netflix.com/SamJay3InTheMorning
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