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Comedy Central Presents

Lisa Landry

Comedy Central · 2007 · 21 min

A pregnant comic complains about job interviews, jogging, and her marriage.

Watch on Comedy Central(opens in a new tab)

Lisa Landry pairs the traditional setup-punchline rhythm of her New York club background with a casual, Southern-inflected cynicism. Filming this half-hour set while visibly pregnant, she bypasses gentle maternity tropes in favor of material about bad job interviews, her marriage, and why she prefers the term “blueberry crumble” over “muffin top”. It is a fast-moving performance anchored by an unapologetically blunt delivery.

Aired in 2007 as part of the eleventh season of Comedy Central Presents, the broadcast served as a formal television introduction for the Louisiana-born comic. She points to her roots with a bit noting that a degree from the University of New Orleans means she cannot speed-read, but she can swim. The episode performed well with cable audiences, eventually taking third place in a viewer vote for the network’s Standup Showdown and accelerating a career that also included a stint writing fashion jokes for Us Weekly.

The set list

3 bits

  1. Explaining what a 'muffin top' is

    Comedic breakdown and definition of the physical phenomenon known as a muffin top.

  2. Why 'Law & Order' keeps her from jogging

    Explaining how watching procedural crime television deters her from outdoor exercise.

  3. The perils of marrying someone smarter than you

    Humorous observations on the challenges and dynamic of being wed to a smarter spouse.

How it plays

Tone
Thoughtful, authentic, sharp, and NSFW.
On stage
Described as a controlling presence onstage with sharp wit, honesty, authenticity, and a sassy mouth.
Pace
Characterized by Punchline Magazine as a master of pacing and delivery.
About
body image, television and crime, marriage and intellect

What the critics said

Praised by Punchline Magazine as an 'incredibly skilled comedian, a controlling presence onstage and a master of pacing and delivery.'

In the room: Described as an audience favorite whose sharp wit and honesty resonated across crowds.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: comedyworks.com, stircrazycomedyclub.com, archive.upcoming.org, en.wikipedia.org, firstorderhistorians.wordpress.com.

Backstory

Landry taped the special while pregnant with her son, Ari.

Details

Released
Runtime
21 min
Where
Comedy Central
Honors
Voted 3rd place in Comedy Central's annual Standup Showdown (first woman to place in the top three)
Topics

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