No Pain

Chris D’Elia relies on kinetic movement, vocal distortions, and intense physical commitment to elevate his absurd premises. Taped at the State Theatre in Minneapolis, this 2020 special shows D’Elia leaning heavily into physical comedy, treating the stage as a space to act out elaborate scenarios like a gangster having a gastrointestinal crisis or a dolphin plotting a crime. Released shortly before public allegations derailed his career, this hour caught the comic at his commercial peak, driven by the massive audience of his weekly podcast. While some critics and fans felt the highly rehearsed, cartoonish performance lacked the casual charm of his loose podcast riffs, others welcomed his high-octane delivery and commitment to the bits, which include growling at public babies and analyzing the unwarranted confidence of grandpas.