Everybody Calm Down

Kavin Jay has long held a reputation as the grumpiest comic in Malaysia, a persona he leans into for his debut Netflix special. Recorded in Singapore at Capitol Piazza, the set relies on a mix of self-deprecation and sharp cultural observation. Jay leads with his weight, noting that while he is considered a standard medium in the United States, in Asia he is viewed as a giant whom mothers use to scare misbehaving children.

The release was part of a major international push by Netflix into Southeast Asian stand-up in 2018. Shot back-to-back with Singaporean comedian Fakkah Fuzz’s special to share production costs, the set features Jay discussing the anxieties of growing up in the 1990s dial-up internet era. He tells a standout story about his mother accidentally playing an adult VHS tape he had recorded over her favorite Indian dramas. He also details the stress of losing his passport in Singapore and dealing with a local police station. The special found unexpected critical success abroad, ranking tenth on TheWrap’s list of the best Netflix comedy specials of that year.