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Promotional art for I Said It. Y'all Thinking It.
Cover image credit: Promotional image via HBO

I Said It. Y'all Thinking It.

Lil Rel Howery

HBO · 2022 · 61 min

Hometown storytelling and high-energy impressions from the Chicago Theatre.

Watch it free on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Lil Rel Howery returns to his hometown to perform with a palpable, self-contained joy, frequently chuckling at his own jokes as he holds court at the Chicago Theatre. This performance captured Howery at a comfortable peak in his career, balancing a busy slate of film roles with his roots on the stand-up stage.

Instead of seeking to provoke, Howery leans into high-energy, relatable storytelling. He addresses the generational divide, his transition into therapy, and the absurdities of parenting. A centerpiece of the set is his detailed breakdown of the infamous Will Smith Oscar slap, recalling his own disbelief while watching the television broadcast in real time. He also brings his physical comedy to a memorable bit about the R&B group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

The set was filmed in August 2022 and premiered on HBO later that year as his second hour-long special for the network, following 2019’s Live in Crenshaw. The special earned Howery an NAACP Image Award nomination for outstanding writing, with critics and peers praising his ability to channel neighborhood humor into a polished theater show.

The set list

6 bits

  1. A Brooklyn pastor being robbed during a livestreamed church service.

    Follows the story down a rabbit hole, noticing the pastor's flashy lifestyle, prayer closet full of Jordans, and unbothered church assistant in the background.

  2. Dating someone your own age versus a friend dating a 25-year-old.

    Acts out the exhausting lifestyle and itinerary of the young girlfriend while celebrating the ease of a mature relationship.

  3. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Verzuz battle.

    Singing and acting out the goofy choices made by group members singing backing harmony lines rather than melody.

  4. Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars.

    Examines Chris Rock's reaction and jokes about how he would have handled the fight differently.

  5. Visiting a Benihana in Atlanta with a Black chef.

    Observes the chef refusing to perform the theatrical tableside cooking tricks.

  6. The closer (spoiler). Show it

    People not wanting to work anymore and starting illogical businesses. closer

    Acts out a man who decides to start a business selling only grape popsicles.

How it plays

Tone
Warm, joyful, satirical, reflective, and buoyant.
On stage
Charming, relatable, joyfully self-aware, and conversational; likened in spirit and likability to Bernie Mac.
Pace
Raucous and buoyant yet casual and stream-of-consciousness, punctuated by pauses and laughing with the crowd before intentionally downshifting into a quiet, appreciative finale.
About
fame, fatherhood, therapy and mental health, aging and being in one's 40s, grown-up relationships vs. dating younger people, pop culture touchstones and news stories

What the critics said

Praised as a buoyant, heartwarming homecoming hour emphasizing joy, comfort, and sharp pop-cultural impressions over rigid narrative structure.

In the room: Enthusiastic and engaged Chicago hometown crowd that brought energy to their feet, laughed frequently, and sang along.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: hbomax.com, imdb.com, rottentomatoes.com, primevideo.com, vulture.com, decider.com, springfieldspringfield.co.uk, en.wikipedia.org, press.wbd.com.

Backstory

Filmed as a homecoming special in Chicago, reflecting on his weekly therapy, aging, grief after his mother's death, and recent high-profile pop-culture events.

Details

Released
Taped
The Chicago Theatre
Runtime
61 min
Where
HBO
Director
Ali LeRoi
Honors
1 nomination total
Topics
Before
Live in Crenshaw (2019)
After
Rel Talk (2025)

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