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Unlearning

Loyiso Gola

Netflix · 2021 · 61 min

A quiet, reflective hour of comedy about dismantling societal habits.

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Loyiso Gola wants you to consider why you believe what you believe. Performing in a draped, comfortable suit with a low-key, conversational cadence, he makes a case against inherited habits, analyzing everything from childhood conditioning to modern marketing. It is a patient hour of stand-up that relies on relaxed storytelling rather than a rush to secure punchlines.

Filmed in December 2020 at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art in Cape Town, the special was released on Netflix in March 2021. It marked a historical milestone as the first solo stand-up hour by an African comedian on the streaming platform. Gola, who spent years hosting the Emmy-nominated satirical program Late Nite News, was 37 at the time of filming and used the performance to pivot away from high-energy political satire toward a more reflective, personal style of comedy.

He supports his thesis with a mix of historical trivia and personal memory, including a childhood strike he organized at age four to free Nelson Mandela. Other bits track his misadventures with a white school friend named Seth and a breakdown of how Gillette convinced women to shave during World War I to move surplus inventory. When he addresses religious directives to love thy neighbor, he counters with the reality of apartment living, arguing that anyone who has had a neighbor knows how impossible that standard is.

The set list

5 bits

  1. The Apple iPhone iOS update as a metaphor for personal growth

    Argues that humans must continually update their mental software to avoid getting trapped in outdated habits and societal norms.

  2. America is not the greatest country in the world

    Ranks the U.S. as 'Top 50 at best' to bond with his Cape Town audience over American ignorance regarding South African history.

  3. Marlon Brando impression and 'The Godfather'

    Points out how real-life mafia figures began imitating cinematic mobsters to illustrate living according to others' expectations.

  4. Adventures with wealthy childhood friend Seth Langley

    Explores teenage shenanigans, bachelor parties, and Langley's blindness to his own white privilege.

  5. Questioning arbitrary social conventions

    Examines why people value diamond engagement rings, the high price of lobster, wine glass shapes, and why women shave.

How it plays

Tone
Witty, irreverent, reflective, and socially conscious.
On stage
Filter-free, thoughtful, observant, and irreverent comic drawing on personal storytelling.
Pace
Conversational yet passionate, at times noted for rapid mannerisms and moving quickly between interconnected ideas.
About
Unlearning outdated societal conditioning, Race, identity, and apartheid history, White privilege and racial inferiority/superiority complexes, Friendship and childhood memories, Questioning cultural norms

What the critics said

Positively received by critics who praised Gola's ability to tackle heavy historical and racial themes with witty, accessible metaphors, declaring it a 'Stream It'.

In the room: An intimate, receptive crowd of about 50 socially distanced patrons in Cape Town connecting warmly with the hometown performer.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: bbfc.co.uk, theguardian.com, dolby.com, decider.com, chortle.co.uk, thecomicscomic.com, imdb.com, npr.org, gq.co.za.

Backstory

Filmed in Cape Town during the COVID-19 pandemic under safety protocols with an intimate, socially distanced audience of roughly 50 people.

Details

Released
Taped
2020, Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town
Runtime
61 min
Where
Netflix
Director
Kagiso Lediga
Topics
Before
Comedians of the World (2019)

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