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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

Paper Tiger

Bill Burr

Netflix · 2019 · 67 min

Bill Burr fights his own temper in front of a London crowd.

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Bill Burr stands on stage looking like a man who is actively trying not to explode, balancing his urge to yell at the world with the realization that he actually has to go home to his family. He spends much of the hour poking at cultural third rails, covering everything from the hypocrisy of male feminists to the delicate dynamics of the #MeToo movement. But the real target of his anger is almost always his own short fuse.

Filmed at the Royal Albert Hall in London and directed by Mike Binder, the 2019 special arrived at a busy point in Burr’s career, coinciding with his animated series F is for Family and his long-running podcast. While the set starts with a defensive posture toward cancel culture, it transitions into more personal territory. Burr discusses trying to control his temper for the sake of his child, arguing with his wife about Elvis Presley’s legacy, and the heartbreak of having to give up a beloved but aggressive rescue pit bull. Other memorable segments include a ridiculous breakdown of why a future dominated by sex robots is a bad idea, and how a transcript of a domestic argument would sound in a courtroom.

The special received generally positive reviews, with many noting that behind his loud, aggressive persona lies a surprising amount of self-awareness. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album in 2021, solidifying Burr’s position as one of the most reliable arena-filling acts in stand-up.

The set list

5 bits

  1. Bryan Cranston playing a quadriplegic character

    Argues that an able-bodied actor playing a quadriplegic is acting, whereas hiring an actual quadriplegic is just laying there reading lines.

  2. A woman sexually touching Burr inappropriately before a show

    Uses a personal encounter to explore the absurdity, vulnerability, and gender politics of sexual assault, arguing it is centered on power rather than sex.

  3. Watching an Elvis Presley documentary with his wife

    Deconstructs an argument about cultural appropriation where Burr tries to defend Elvis before having to concede to his wife's point about exploitation, examining his own defensiveness.

  4. Surrendering their beloved rescue pit bull

    Shares an emotional story about having to give up an aggressive rescue dog when his wife became pregnant, reflecting on his fear and commitment to fatherhood.

  5. Future emergence of high-quality sex robots

    Jokes about sex robots making human relationships obsolete while acting out sex doll usage to probe male emotional isolation and shame.

How it plays

Tone
Caustic, provocative, old-school vulgar, introspective, and self-deprecating.
On stage
Described as a blend of an angry man, 'agent-of-chaos Joker', and 'preadolescent troublemaker Dennis the Menace', marked by an ear-to-ear grin and aggressive bluster masking underlying vulnerability.
Pace
Opens with an aggressive, rapid-fire screed while bellowing and striding across the stage, before slowing into a more introspective, self-reflective cadence.
About
cancel culture and outrage culture, the Me Too movement, male feminism, cultural appropriation, anger issues, childhood, and emotional repression, marriage and fatherhood

What the critics said

Critically praised for transcending its deliberately incendiary, provocative opening minutes to deliver a thoughtful, surprising, and introspective examination of personal shame and vulnerability; holds an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

In the room: A London theater audience being challenged with aggressive, anti-PC provocations before Burr acknowledges he is using the performance to work through his own issues.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, vulture.com, decider.com, theglobeandmail.com, thefederalist.com, pastemagazine.com, imdb.com.

Backstory

Filmed in London against the cultural backdrop of heightened debates over cancel culture, outrage culture, and the #MeToo movement; personally, Burr was navigating marriage, recent fatherhood, and addressing his temper and emotional baggage.

Details

Released
Taped
Royal Albert Hall, London
Runtime
67 min
Where
Netflix
Director
Mike Binder
Honors
Nominated for Best Comedy Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards
Topics
Before
Walk Your Way Out (2017)
After
Friends Who Kill (2022)

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