Bones and All

Anthony Jeselnik returns to the stage with the cold, sociopathic persona he has spent two decades refining, but this time there is a slight shift in structure. Filmed at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the set marks his 20th anniversary in stand-up comedy. He opens with a calculated bit about trans people and pregnant women, establishing a provocative tone before leaning into his signature misdirection. Rather than simply delivering one-liners, Jeselnik uses the beginning of the set to explicitly explain the mechanics of gallows humor to his audience, as if justifying his focus on dark themes like child abuse and domestic murder. Notable setups include a neighbor who murdered his wife and a grim gender-reveal party involving a public bus. What makes this hour different from his previous specials is the final third, where Jeselnik breaks from his classic, robotic joke delivery to tell longer autobiographical stories. He reminisces about his time as a judge on Last Comic Standing and meeting Norm Macdonald, even retelling the very first joke that helped define his career. While critics praised the hour, placing it on several year-end best-of lists, some long-time fans felt the filmed delivery lacked the punch of his live tour. His styling for the taping, which featured a new haircut and wire-rimmed glasses, also earned him some mock comparisons to Milwaukee’s most infamous former resident.