By: Richard Zhao

John Early, an unorthodox comedian with his own show “Now More Than Ever,” showcases his own unique sense of humor through overdoing everything.

A master of singing, dancing, and acting, as well as stand-up and improv, Early brings a multitude of performance techniques to the stage. Unlike other comedians who use music to support their jokes, Early’s music is an entirely detached aspect of his performance, abruptly translating from heartfelt musical covers to witty remarks. A typical show involving him has topics ranging from Donald Trump and Silicon Valley to making fun of the word “plosive.”

Early carries his show with his incredible wit and bizarre assortment of knowledge on various topics. One moment, he pretends to be an insecure child while introducing his parents, and the next moment, he is describing the phrase “Ask App Not to Track,” as “the single most suicidal sequence of monosyllabic sounds.”

Part of the reason that Early is so successful is that performance appeals to a wide range of people. Despite calling himself a millennial, he is obsessed with the romanticized culture of the 1970s. With his wide range of knowledge that appeals to multiple generations, he can always find something to poke fun at.

Of course, Early does realize that his over-the-top humor could lead to his own downfall. During his show, he has a segment where he invites his band members to teach him how to play instruments so he can flirt with them, resulting in a “surprise” visit from Human Resources. Instead of apologizing, Early would flash a guilty look and play a final song to end the show, expressing his feeling with a rendition of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.”

Surprisingly, Early always manages to hold his shows together despite how scattered the performance may seem. His unmatched charisma, crude jokes, and witty remarks create an experience that cannot be enjoyed elsewhere.

Source:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/arts/television/john-early-now-more-than-ever.html