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Growing

Amy Schumer

Netflix · 2019 · 60 min

A pregnant Amy Schumer trades wild nights for domestic life.

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Amy Schumer takes the stage visibly pregnant and ready to pivot, attempting to reconcile her established identity as a messy party girl with her new reality as an expectant mother. It is a transition made literal by her physical condition, capturing a comedian trying to grow up without losing her edge.

The special, filmed at the Chicago Theatre and released in 2019, was recorded during Schumer’s second trimester. This was a period marked by severe morning sickness that hospitalized her on her original filming date and eventually forced her to cancel the rest of her tour. On stage, she leans into the messy physical realities of pregnancy, contrasting her own experiences with the pristine public image of Meghan Markle, who was pregnant at the same time. She also speaks candidly about her marriage to chef Chris Fischer, addressing his autism diagnosis with directness and warmth, and jokes about the lack of dignity in serving as a bridesmaid in your late thirties.

Reviewers noted that this hour marked a distinct shift from her earlier work, trading some of her chaotic, late-night energy for a more grounded, observational tone. The special earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special.

The set list

6 bits

  1. Physical effects of pregnancy and navel Band-Aids

    She lifts her dress onstage to reveal two Band-Aids taped over her deformed belly button to keep it flat, explaining the brutal realities of pregnancy versus glamorous expectations.

  2. Contractual obligation to perform

    Rejects praise for soldiering through intense morning sickness, confessing she is only on stage because she would be sued by Live Nation.

  3. Marriage and proposal traditions

    Discusses her husband's autism spectrum diagnosis and riffs that there are only two valid reasons for a man to get down on one knee: playing in the NFL or performing oral sex.

  4. Politicians legislating women's bodies

    Proposes calling Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell directly to consult him on intimate reproductive issues like brown discharge.

  5. Arrest at the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination protest

    Recounts getting detained alongside hundreds of protesters in D.C., wanting to show her future child she fought back while joking about D.C.'s cocaine quality.

  6. Unsolicited dick pics

    Offers a humorous solution to unwanted nude photos by suggesting women respond by sending back their own curated selection of favorite dick pics.

How it plays

Tone
Raunchy, provocative, candid, and exasperated.
On stage
Outspoken, unapologetic, self-deprecating, and raunchy, mixed with maternal exasperation and moments of celebrity detachment.
Pace
Begins directly without an introductory sketch; maintains an easy, conversational, and voluble rhythm punctuated by sharp physical demonstrations.
About
pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum, marriage and husband's autism diagnosis, female bodily realities and menstruation, gender double standards and #MeToo, politics and Brett Kavanaugh protest

What the critics said

Critical reception was generally positive (holding a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes), praising Schumer's maturing perspective on aging and matrimony, though reviewers observed friction between her crude comic persona and guarded emotional self-reflection.

In the room: Energetic, receptive, and audibly roaring with laughter throughout the Chicago Theatre.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, allmovie.com, imdb.com, vulture.com, decider.com, newyorker.com, thedailybeast.com, pro.imdb.com.

Backstory

Filmed during her second trimester of pregnancy while suffering from severe hyperemesis gravidarum, having recently married chef Chris Fischer, and following her arrest in Washington, D.C., protesting the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation.

Details

Released
Taped
Chicago Theatre
Runtime
60 min
Where
Netflix
Director
Amy Schumer
Honors
Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special (2019)Nominated - Critics' Choice / Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Comedy Special (2019)Nominated - Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Writing of a Variety, Reality or Non-Fiction Program (2019)
Topics
Before
The Leather Special (2017)
After
Emergency Contact (2023)

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