One Night Stand: Bonnie McFarlane

Bonnie McFarlane has no interest in playing a relatable, warm-hearted comic. Her 2005 half-hour set on HBO’s One Night Stand is built on a foundation of cynical observations about the misery of dating and the ridiculous expectations of men. Standing on stage in New York with a casual delivery, she picks apart the exhausting social scripts of romance and sex without a hint of sentimentality.\n\nThe special caught McFarlane at a turning point in her career, filmed shortly after her memorable run on season two of Last Comic Standing. Directed by Linda Mendoza, the performance serves as a showcase of the deadpan style that made her a favorite on Colin Quinn’s Tough Crowd. She married fellow stand-up Rich Vos just a month before the special aired in October 2005, though viewers looking for sweet domestic reflections will instead find sharp jokes about vanity, relationships, and her rural upbringing on a farm in Alberta, Canada.