Maybe They're Dead

Ryan Goodcase’s debut stand-up special, Maybe They’re Dead, is driven by a very specific brand of neurosis. He performs with a quiet, deadpan stillness, delivering jokes constructed like rigid logic puzzles. The title track perfectly captures his internal monologue: when a girl doesn’t text him back, he doesn’t assume he’s being ghosted; he logically reasons that she must be dead, because it is the only option that keeps his self-esteem intact.

Released on YouTube by Tiny Pony in January 2024, the special catches Goodcase just as his career was gaining mainstream traction. Later that year, he would be selected for the Netflix Is A Joke Fest’s “Introducing…” showcase, catapulting his viral reach. Zach Lord directs the performance, which features Goodcase bringing his awkward energy to topics like the intellectual equivalence of astrology and anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, as well as the confusing mechanics of female condoms. His delivery is incredibly dry, letting the quiet in the room do as much work as his precise punchlines.