Review Tales

Anthony Jeselnik celebrates 20 years in stand-up comedy with a world tour and a Netflix special called Bones and All, shot in Milwaukee.

For those unfamiliar with Anthony Jeselnik, you’re both lucky and unlucky at the same time. He is the kind of guy who jokes about the worst situations- his comedy is brimming with insensitive jokes that might prompt anger from the audience. So, you are lucky because you’ve avoided the guilt of laughing at serious issues, and unlucky because his comedy is so much fun, it feels like doing Molly. Jeselnik is the kind of comedian who can joke about the worst possible situations and leave you rolling on the floor laughing.

Thoughts and Prayers and Fire in the Maternity Ward

I first discovered Anthony through his 2015 special Thoughts and Prayers, which was a revelation for me. I never knew comedy could be crafted this way. Jeselnik takes the most sensitive issues and disasters and jokes about them in a manner that leaves you with no option but to laugh out loud.

Thoughts and Prayers focuses on social media clout chasers—people who post “thoughts and prayers” online for sympathy or to signal how sad they are. Jeselnik uses these people as the setup, trolls them, and then delivers a punchline that simultaneously mocks the tragedy. Jeselnik’s mastery lies in his ability to craft jokes with a solid structure: setup, flow, and punch. His punchlines hit hard, often coming from a completely unexpected direction, which is his genius.

Four years later, he followed up with Fire in the Maternity Ward, another Netflix special. This time, he got even more personal, joking about his family and tackling sensitive topics like abortion and pro-choice debates—all while making audiences laugh, even if it came with a hint of guilt.

Bones and All

Now, five years later, he’s back with Bones and All. The special felt like a mixed bag—it had all the classic Jeselnik elements. The opening and closing were strong, reminding everyone that he still has it. However, some parts felt predictable, and a few jokes were merely chuckle-worthy rather than laugh-out-loud funny.

For a brief stretch, the jokes came rapid-fire, all in Jeselnik’s signature style, but it became a bit tiring. Too much of anything can spoil the dish. Thoughts and Prayers and Fire in the Maternity Ward worked better because they had a clear agenda, and the longer jokes kept the audience invested, making the punchline hit harder. In Bones and All, many of the jokes were condensed into about a minute, leaving less time for setup, flow, and punch, which affected the impact.

That said, some of the shorter jokes still landed exceptionally well, on par with or even surpassing his older material. Overall, the special had a good flow, a strong opening and closing, and plenty of guilty laughs.

Regardless, Anthony Jeselnik is a treasure in stand-up comedy. There was no one like him before, there’s no one like him now, and there likely never will be. He’s a one-of-a-kind comedian who found his voice, perfected his niche, and continues to own it. When you think of dark humor and uncomfortable jokes, you think of Anthony Jeselnik.

Here’s to 20 years of ruling dark comedy—and hopefully 20 more. 🥂