Stand-Up

Garry Shandling performs with the cadence of a man who barely has to try, turning deep-seated neurosis into something that feels like casual conversation. Arriving in the gap between his two television shows, this hour captures his blend of self-deprecation and relaxed confidence. He talks through the anxieties of long-term relationships, offering proof of his extreme loyalty by noting that when he goes out with his mother, he never checks out other moms to see what their macaroni and cheese tastes like.

Filmed in March 1991 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in California, the set marked his return to television after ending the sitcom It’s Garry Shandling’s Show. He reportedly spent five months running hours in small clubs to prepare, later complaining to the press that the thousand-seat venue in Irvine felt cavernous and disconnected. If he was uncomfortable, the tape does not show it. He maintains his affable persona throughout the night, touching on safe sex and his moderate politics, pointing out that while he has never burned a flag, he has never put one out, either.