NATASHA LEGGERO: ALL’S FAIR IN FUN & FLASHING

Natasha Leggero: All’s Fair in Fun and Flashing.



Hey, if the overweight guy can take the stage without a stitch of upper clothing on and tell jokes, why not make it fair for everyone? 



Natasha Leggero had every intention of knocking ‘em dead at the LA Improv recently, though it’s fair to say not even she thought that knocking would feature a bit more flesh than people might be used to at a comedy show.

Or anywhere in public, for that matter.

Comedy is a lot like life, if you think about it. Chances have to be gambled on in order to be noticed, taking advantage of a situation is what delivers someone from wallflower to major player, and being completely fearless always separates the winners from second place and down. 

History is filled with the legacies of great comedians who took a chance on stage and succeeded.

George Carlin had the “7 Words you can never say on Television”. Richard Pryor came out and smacked everyone right in the puss using racially charged words no one ever thought anyone would get away with, and later made headlines when he thought twice about the actual use of a certain word. Lisa Lampanelli burst onto the national stage without a fear in the world telling jokes about gay people, people of color, and anyone who dared get in her way. 



But until this night at the LA Improv, it’s tough to recall when one comic just doing what another comic did in the set prior caused such an uproar.

It also made an excellent point in the process.

Bert Kreischer is one of the funniest comics on the scene these days, and one of his gags is performing with his shirt off. It’s a funny part of the act and weaved in perfectly with various jokes. It’s become a staple of his stand-up shows.

So if the guy can do it, why not the gal? Exactly what Leggero nailed in deciding to go topless at the beginning of her act. Needless to say, some social media platforms weren’t all that thrilled and insisted she post the picture with the requisite “black bar” over the beauty shot hiding her assets.

Not to be outfoxed, Leggero then posted a picture of Kresicher with the same black bars hiding his “attributes”.

As for the gig itself, Kresicher and the audience loved every second of it, and it turns out the act means a lot more than just flashing “the girls”. The performance garnered plenty of attention when legendary comedians such as Sarah Silverman, Margaret Cho and Chelsea Handler were among the thousands who applauded the move.

Great comics take chances. They dare to go where no one else would even consider. They break rules and, in the process, sometimes make new rules. It’s all about not just getting the laugh, but finding what makes people tick and then what tickles the funny bone. More often than not, great comedy comes with a touch of controversy, making us all think a few times over about what we’ve witnessed.

Leggero punched this one out of the standup park when she wrote on Instagram, “Should female comics be able to do the same thing as male comics?”

Why not? I mean, when it comes to language, innuendos, insults, roasts, sexual terminology and every thing else under the verbiage sun, makes no difference if it’s male or female. Funny is FUNNY. Sure, we might laugh at a joke from one comic and not the same lines from another, but when it comes to making people laugh and entertaining, balls to the wall for everyone. It’s then up to the AUDIENCE to decide what’s funny.

In this moment, Leggero nailed the joke and also gave us plenty to think about.

So ask yourself the question.

“Should female comics be able to do the same thing as male comics?”



The logical answer is, of course, “YES”.

But if the answer is no, then why not?



Those who succeed in any facet of life are the ones who take chances and refuse to be buttonholed by anyone who might intone, “Well, you just CAN’T do that!”. They are also the ones who make us consider something more than just what a certain facet of society might clamor for. 


With that as the backdrop, BRAVO Natasha Leggero!




Of course, in the case of ripping off certain items of clothing and exploring oneself, you may want to come to grips with the difference between being a professional comedian on stage and making a mark on that corporate ZOOM call.

I mean, let’s face it. Not everyone is the steaming hunk of a man that Bert Kreischer is.