The Half Hour

Joe Mande brings a slow, deliberate energy to his entry in The Half Hour, casually rolling through premises about the oddity of human behavior. The standout stretch of the set tackles the origin of dairy, wondering exactly how unhinged the first person to drink cow’s milk and invent cheese must have been. Mande does not work up a sweat to sell the joke, instead relying on a deadpan delivery that forces the audience to sit with the weirdness of the concept.

Filmed at The Royale in Boston, the 2012 television spot captures Mande at a distinct pivot point in his career. He had already gained internet notoriety with his blog and subsequent book Look at This Fucking Hipster, and he taped this set shortly before moving to Los Angeles to write for Parks and Recreation.