Comedian Tig Notaro received a great deal of praise from the comedy community in August for a performance at the Los Angeles venue Largo in which she announced she had breast cancer and spoke honestly about the news (and some other personal hardships) in a hilarious, insightful, and heartfelt set. The set was recorded by the venue’s owner (who records most performances there), and Louis C.K. just released it today on his website for $5. It’s well worth the price to hear this noteworthy performance, in which Notaro gives a tragic, funny, and moving account of her diagnosis, her mother’s tragic death, breaking up with her girlfriend, and a bout with pneumonia, which all occurred right around the same time. Luckily, Notaro just found out that she no longer has cancer, some welcome good news after all of these hardships.
Here are some accounts of Notaro’s set from comedians who were at the Largo show:
“In 27 years doing this, I’ve seen a handful of truly great, masterful standup sets. One was Tig Notaro last night at Largo.” - Louis C.K.“Just saw Tig Notaro at Largo…made me feel like I was an open miker. Absolute genius!” - Bill Burr“Tig Notaro just blew my mind at Largo. One of the most amazing stand-up sets I’ve ever seen.” - Ed Helms“You can actually change your life with one perfect set, or one flawlessly placed joke… Dick Gregory at The Roberts Show Bar in Chicago, telling an all-white, Southern crowd about spending “twenty years one night” in the South. Lenny Bruce at Berkeley. Sam Kinison on the first Rodney Dangerfield Young Comedian’s Special. Bill Hicks in the UK. Chris Rock’s Bring the Pain in 1996, and the “black people vs. niggers” routine – launching Chris into infinity and literally moving race relations into the 21st century. Patrice O’Neal on the Charlie Sheen Roast. Tig Notaro at The Largo last month. It can happen. Comedians know it. We see it all the time.” - Patton Oswalt
