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Josh Blue

Stand Up! Records · 2022 · 64 min

Loose, stoner-tinged stand-up recorded live in Denver.

Josh Blue has spent years proving that his spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy is less of a limitation and more of a precision comedic tool. His set zeroes in on a one-sided professional rivalry with Michael J. Fox, suggesting Fox’s tremors are either the side effects of time travel or a lingering symptom of being a Teen Wolf. Blue also gets highly specific about living in the smelly shadow of a Denver dog food factory, managing the fine line between being “a little delayed” and “very advanced,” and explaining how his brain operates on a completely different frequency than everyone else’s.\n\nFilmed at his home club, Comedy Works in Denver, Colorado, the performance captures a veteran performer completely in his element. Though the set was originally recorded in late 2018, it saw a wide audio release in 2022. This followed Blue’s third-place run on America’s Got Talent in 2021, which introduced his physical, self-deprecating perspective to a whole new generation of television viewers. The hour reflects his signature style of loose, stoner-tinged observations and quick crowd reactions, reinforcing why he remains a steady headliner decades after his initial TV breakthrough.

The set list

4 bits

  1. A one-sided professional rivalry with Michael J. Fox

    Speculates Fox's disability is the result of physical repercussions from time travel or a side effect of being a Teen Wolf

  2. Living in the shadow of a dog food factory

    Evokes the distinctive mouth-feel odors associated with living near the plant

  3. Being called a 'shaky little f*ck'

    Explores the dual consciousness of realizing he simply had to agree with the insult

  4. Ghosts of the past and in his home

    Dives deep into past memories, home hauntings, and the future trajectory of his comedy

How it plays

Tone
Devilishly and deliciously funny, self-deprecating, irreverent, and profanity-laden
On stage
Disabled comic speaking unapologetically from the perspective of having cerebral palsy; blends the jolly lilt of Emo Phillips, stoner openness of Mitch Hedberg, Midwestern dad swag of Chad Daniels, and confounded candor of George Carlin
Pace
Effortless and natural timing with winding detours, smooth returns to original setups, skipped segues, and off-the-cuff improvisational delivery
About
cerebral palsy and physical disability, ghosts of the past and home, future of his comedy career, living near a dog food factory

What the critics said

Praised as deftly and deliciously funny with effortless timing, delivery, and humorous intelligence, though noting his heavy swearing might feel offensive to some

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: tvguide.com, music.apple.com, imdb.com, tv.apple.com, standuprecords.com, talentrecap.com, joshblue.com, comedycastlepodcast.com, en.wikipedia.org.

Backstory

Recorded amid quarantine during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, during a period where Blue had been doing Zoom shows

Details

Released
Runtime
64 min
Where
Stand Up! Records
Director
Brandon Naughton
Topics
Before
The Disabled List (2019)
After
Freak Accident (2024)

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