A show about comics doesn't feel like a show about comics
I recently finished the Showtime series “I’m Dying Up Here.” The series looks at comedy in the 1970s in Los Angeles, specifically at a club called Goldie’s that is run by a hard-ass woman who doesn’t take shit from anyone. It explores how comedians worked together, got famous and created an ever-lasting bond.
The show is supposed to be based on the happenings at The Comedy Store that was run by Mitzi Shore. Numerous comedians got their start there and many ended up getting famous and moving up in the comedy world.
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I started watching it because I figured that since it was about stand-up, I would be able to relate, even though it is set in the 1970s, when stand-up comedy was exploding around the country. I was right in some ways and wrong in others.
Why I liked it
It’s about a time when comics were cherished and had so much opportunity in front of them. It’s always nice to know that there was a time when comics had to work their butts off at clubs to get noticed, rather than just posting videos on YouTube.
The show teaches people about loyalty. This is a quality that is lacking not just in comics, but in most people nowadays. People need to be reminded that you remember who helped you along the way.
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The lead character Goldie was rough, bitchy and all alone. She grew up with nothing and made an empire, which is something that is difficult but even more difficult then. I love women with balls.
Why I didn’t like it
The dialogue was incredibly unbelievable. The comedians were always on. Every response in a normal social setting was marked with jokes and witticisms. While this is true sometimes, it was a little over the top in the show.
It was overly philosophical. I know life is deep, but every week these comics were acting like they just had epiphanies that would make Aristotle scratch his head. No one thinks that much, especially comedians.
Besides Goldie, the only other female character is skinny blond with a southern accent who wants to show everyone she’s more than a pretty face. As a female comedian, it was not relatable to me at all. I found myself rolling my eyes at her a lot.
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The comradery among all the comedians. These people always had each other’s backs and the final episode showed them all having a giant party where they were singing and cheering each other on. That is, at least for me, not real life when I hang out with comedians.
So I guess I disliked the show more than I liked it since I have more bullet points under the dislike section. However, while the ending was predictable, I’m glad it ended the way it did. And yeah, I’ll probably watch season 2, but I will continue to roll my eyes every time someone tells the female comedian she is so smart and will make it one day. To that I say, “Fuck off.”
