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Remember when comedy clubs were packed with guys making those sad jokes about “women being terrible drivers” or “ball and chain wives”? You know, the eye-roll-inducing bits about how tough life is when you come home to a clean house, a cooked meal, and someone who actually asks about your day. What a burden. These days, though, if you walked into a spotless house and someone actually looked up from their phone to ask about your day, you might think you’d entered an alternate universe.
And those awkward front-row moments in dimly lit comedy clubs? The kind where you’re more uncomfortable than entertained, and it feels like you’re stuck on the world’s worst blind date? I used to fake a polite smile while some drunk, older comedian tried his best pick-up lines mid-set, using his status to “charm” us “lucky” ladies. Thankfully, those power dynamics are finally being challenged.
Comedy shouldn’t just be a bunch of stale, recycled jokes about relationships or tired gender stereotypes. It should hold up a mirror to the ridiculousness of our lives, making us laugh at ourselves and the messy reality of being human.
Take Hannah Einbinder, for example. She’s not wasting time on dry cleaning or dinner dilemmas. Her comedy delves into the real anxieties of living in the 21st century—climate change, dating apps, and that looming existential dread of “is this really all there is?” While Seinfeld’s Elaine Benes was a breath of fresh air back in the day, her humor was still boxed in by the norms of that era. And yes, Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm was and is quite hysterical, but some of that “manipulating girlfriends” stuff just doesn’t land anymore.
Hannah Einbinder, though? She’s exactly the kind of comic we need right now. She cuts through the crap and speaks to the heart of what’s actually happening in our lives, tackling issues that really hit home for our generation. Comedians like her show us that humor can evolve—it can still be sharp, still be hilarious, but way more relevant and honest.
Comedy, when it’s done right, doesn’t just make us laugh—it makes us think. The best comedians aren’t afraid to take on major issues, the real stuff. Gone are the days of lazy stereotypes and safe jokes. Now, people like Einbinder are pushing the boundaries, making us laugh at the absurdities of our modern world while getting us to reflect a little deeper on what we’re all going through. If you haven’t caught her Netflix special yet, it’s worth watching.
