Skip to content
Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

Not Fancy

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes

Netflix · 2015 · 63 min

Observations on marriage, class, and heritage from a former sketch comic.

Watch on Netflix(opens in a new tab)

or watch it free on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes spends much of this performance leaning into the friction of being a working-class Latina who suddenly has access to first-class flights and red carpets. The stage setup is simple, but her performance relies on character work and vocal shifts. She excels when leaning into self-deprecating humor, particularly when confronting her own hypocrisy—such as wearing Forever 21 to high-end industry events while simultaneously complaining about the discomfort of riding on public trains.

Taped at the City National Grove of Anaheim, California, this 2015 Netflix release represents a transitional hour for the former MADtv cast member. Having established an online following from viral character sketches in the late 2000s, she uses this set to move toward personal storytelling. While the opening stretch relies on standard travel observations, the material gains momentum when she turns the lens on her own life. Highlights include her struggle to learn Spanish using Rosetta Stone, the differences between “cholo church” and regular church, and a breakdown of Latino hierarchy based on cuisine. Her line, “I love Jesus, but I will punch a hoe,” anchors her performance, capturing the tension between her faith and her real-world reactions. Critics noted that the special found its stride once she moved past broad pop-culture references to focus on her marriage, family, and heritage.

The set list

7 bits

  1. Haircuts and being mistaken for a lesbian

    Explaining how wearing a ponytail or cutting her hair short, combined with calling everyone 'bro' and saying 'that's wassup,' leads people to assume she is a lesbian.

  2. Not being fancy on red carpets and first-class flights

    Contrasting attending glamorous red-carpet events wearing Forever 21 and Claire's jewelry, and struggling to figure out the spaceship-like seating buttons in first class.

  3. Watching 'Taken' before traveling to Europe and fearing gypsies

    Relying on Liam Neeson instead of police for rescue, and detailing warnings about gypsies distracting tourists by throwing babies at them.

  4. Learning Spanish as a Latina woman

    Discussing the complexities of being Latina without speaking fluent Spanish, beatboxing while repeating the Spanish sentence 'bicicletas son verdes.'

  5. Attempting to save a man having a seizure at Starbucks

    An energetic act-out depicting her hypothetical behavior if she were a police officer or a 911 operator during a medical emergency.

  6. Vietnamese nail salon workers and viral fame backlash

    Revisiting her iconic impression of a Vietnamese manicurist while addressing the hate mail, threats, and awkward salon encounters that followed.

  7. Cholo church vs. regular church

    Breaking down differences between different church atmospheres and blending her faith with humor ('I love Jesus, but I will punch a hoe').

How it plays

Tone
Witty, clean-cut, self-deprecating, and family-friendly.
On stage
Unapologetically authentic, candid, self-deprecating, and relatable, with an 'I don't care what you think' energy.
Pace
Bouncy cadence that drives animated act-outs.
About
Not feeling 'fancy' despite high-profile events and first-class travel, Marriage and in-laws, Traveling in Europe, Mexican-American identity, family, and learning Spanish, Religion and faith, Viral fame and nail salon culture

What the critics said

Critics praised Johnson's self-aware, personal material about marriage, family, and cultural identity as her strongest, while some reviewers felt revisiting early viral bits like the nail salon routine leaned on lazy stereotypes, and others found the hour overall gentle and 'like decaf.'

In the room: Enthusiastic and engaged Southern California audience rolling with laughter at her impressions.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: netflix.com, scrapsfromtheloft.com, primevideo.com, avclub.com, rottentomatoes.com, vogue.com, imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.

Backstory

Settling into married life, reflecting on her viral comedy origins ('Nail Salon' and MADtv's Bon Qui Qui) and navigating conversations around political correctness, internet hate mail, and multicultural identity.

Details

Released
Taped
The City National Grove of Anaheim
Runtime
63 min
Where
Netflix
Director
Jay Karas
Topics
After
Mahalo & Goodnight (2017)

More from Anjelah Johnson-Reyes

If you liked this