The Half Hour: Cristela Alonzo

Cristela Alonzo measures time by the seasonal availability of the McRib. It is a highly practical system for a comic who specializes in pointing out the absurdity of everyday aspirations. She uses this twenty-minute set to explain why apple picking is a fundamentally white romantic pursuit, why rappers should boast about purchasing sensible household items instead of luxury cars, and why smoking weed is a terrible idea when your life is currently falling apart.

Comedy Central taped the performance in Boston for the second season of The Half Hour. The 2013 set captures Alonzo right as her career hit a steep upward trajectory. After years of grinding through the college entertainment circuit and making her late-night debut on Conan, she parlayed the momentum of this television spot into a network deal. By the end of the year, she sold a sitcom script to ABC, eventually becoming the first Latina to create, write, produce, and star in her own primetime show.