Review – Eric Andre: Legalise Everything

Having been a long-time fan of the Eric Andre Show I was interested to

see how his anarchic brand of fearless “gross-out” humour would

translate to a stand up special.

The Eric Andre show itself is a cult masterpiece. As a spoof of the

Saturday night talk show format, Andre is a master of going to extreme

lengths to make his unwitting celebrity guests always feel uncomfortable.

He is constantly ready to pounce on anyone who looks too sure of

Games and characters are introduced on the show seemingly at random

to great fanfare – despite the fact they represent a 5 second gag or

concept. The studio itself is constantly shifting, being destroyed and

rebuilt at random. Andre’s desk itself becomes a character, when it is not

being violently broken apart or spitting out coffee at unsuspecting D rate

celebrities. People are shot, reunited with their white fathers despite

being black, statements of little worth or meaning are given rapturous

applause. There is nakedness, violence, cockroaches, rats and things

falling from the ceiling (including two soldiers suspended in a

who is in on the joke, or even if there is a joke – nobody is safe.

Eric Andre Show – Season 5 Opening Compilation

Andre would often perform an opening monologue/stand up routine in

the style of the Johnny Carson Show, much to the dismay and derision

of his co-host Hannibal Burress who is a professional stand-up

comedian. My favourite example of this is “this isn’t your momma’s

premises and punchlines. It was from this, as well as finding Eric Andres

comedic sensibilities hard to imagine translating to stand-up comedy that

I had doubts about Legalise everything.

Sometimes it is good to be wrong, Eric Andre: Legalise Everything is a

at his jumping around, shrieking best and is not afraid to use his body as

the punchline. I am sure some stand up purists may take issue with an

act who must roll around on the floor to sell a gag. However, I cannot

think of many acts who could pull off miming their little brother brushing

his teeth with cocaine with the same fervour.

The show does touch on some radical topics such as police brutality,

feminism, sex work and the war on drugs. All of which are subterfuge set

ups Andre uses to about turn straight back into the surreal and perverse.

For example, a bit about the plight of factory farmed animals quickly

turns into a call for us the audience to start “titty-fucking” genetically

was no cliché “what do you do for a living?” audience interaction, instead

an audience members parents where brought out on stage to strip off

and show how they were conceived.

Comedians who go for shock value can become tiresome quickly, and I

would understand those who feel Andre does not have much else to say.

I would argue there is nobody in comedy doing what he does, however.

Especially one who could push the same limits and still somehow remain

endearing. His material in the hands of a more cerebral comedian would

be a brutal mess and that’s not to say there aren’t lighter moments in the

show – a video call with an audience members unsuspecting mother or

In summary, tucking your willy in between your legs might not be to

everyone’s taste, but god be damned if this man is not the master of that

particular discipline! I am glad some danger and anarchy has been

introduced to the slog of uninspired phoned in Netflix specials over the

past few years, and I hope Eric Andre continues his stand-up experiment

further.

Appendix

Available at:

[online] Available at: https://www.netflix.com/title/80216229 [Accessed 5 Jan.

2021].