Chill

Joe Mande begins his second stand-up hour with a confession that explains the low-key energy of the set: he is finally on mood stabilizers. He claims he is totally chill now, though that state of mind is immediately tested by his own thoughts on gun control, mayonnaise, and an elaborate hypothetical scenario about which animal humans would be forced to sleep with if given no other choice. It is a slow-burn performance that relies on a quiet, almost dismissive delivery to make deeply stupid or uncomfortable premises feel perfectly logical.\n\nThe special was recorded at the Parkway Theater in South Minneapolis in January 2024, serving as a homecoming for the St. Paul-raised comedian. Released on Hulu in December of that year, the special arrived right as Mande was enjoying a high-water mark in his television career, having recently won a Primetime Emmy as a co-executive producer on Hacks. His writing background (which includes stints on Parks and Recreation and The Good Place) shows in the structural patience of his bits, even when the material veers into absurd territory, like his protective obsession with Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.\n\nCritical reception was mildly divided but generally favorable, with reviewers noting Mande’s ability to walk the line of bad taste without entirely losing the room. Some online viewers noted that his bit about choosing an animal partner bore a strong resemblance to an old Dave Attell routine. Still, the hour succeeds on Mande’s ability to make the crowd uncomfortable while remaining completely unbothered himself.