The title of Cristela Alonzo’s new Netflix special, Middle Classy, is a loaded one. When American citizenship and inclusion in the middle class are crowning achievements, there’s potential to offend everyone. She certainly mines those tensions in her hourlong special.
– Cristela Alonzo: Middle Classy Review doesn’t contain any spoilers –
Cristela Alonzo: Middle Classy Focuses on Class Distinction in America With a Hispanic Flare
As the daughter of Latin American immigrants, standup comedian Cristela Alonzo knows what it means to be middle class. For years, she’s worked on her craft and opened for superstars like Jerry Seinfeld. Now, with the release of her second Netflix special, Alonzo is showcasing her evolving economic status – including access to therapy sessions and bottled water.
In her new special Middle Classy, she gets honest about how growing up “with the middle-class strata” has given her the comedic point of view to connect with audiences across the country. The show—after her successful special Lower Classy (Netflix also released that)—tackles issues like immigration reform and dependence on government subsidy programs with a sharp sense of humour.
Unlike past comics who have built careers out of making fun of their folks’ cultural differences, Alonzo can do it from a perspective that she, herself, identifies as American. Cristela Alonzo’s latest standup special, Middle Classy, takes her solid but not great act and elevates it a notch. Alonzo is now in more control over her material. She seems more comfortable on stage and delivers the jokes clearly and confidently. Middle Classy marks a career-high for the standup.
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Cristela Alonzo Leaves You Laughing at the Absurdities of Life in Middle Classy
With a grin and a twinkle, comedian Cristela Alonzo proves that she’s got what it takes in this standup special. She cuts a charming figure, pacing the stage with vibrance and expressive energy. In Middle Classy, Alonzo shares refreshingly honest, self-deprecating material about her family roots as a Mexican American in Texas and how she overcame many of the social and financial setbacks that often come with an upbringing in the middle class.
Alonzo brings her distinct brand of comedy to Netflix, focusing on what she does best: talking about the Hispanic experience. Okay, so there’s an undeniably cheesy title involved — this is just part of the job. There’s no getting around these things.
Cristela Alonzo: Middle Classy Standup may not set the standup world on fire, but it is a most capable and enjoyable performance. Cristela Alonzo is one comedian to watch shortly, even though she probably doesn’t need any more eyes on her.
Thankfully, she’s lost none of her signature wit and stories that are insightful without being preachy. Middle Classy is a refreshing look inside the standup comedy process and an honest (even if predictable) examination of class in America.
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Middle Classy by Cristela Alonzo Is an Amazing and Observational Standup Comedy
Cristela Alonzo: Middle Classy is a document that presents a lot of truths about how we treat each other, how our perceptions change as we get older and more successful, and the continual dilemma of being Mexican-American.
Most of the topics covered by her are obvious talking points that cover well-trodden ground. But it wasn’t as if she brought nothing new or groundbreaking to the genre; most people aren’t doing that. You’ll probably like this special if you’re into racial humour and stereotypes.
In a world where everyone is trying to give opinions on every subject, Cristela Alonzo has moved in the opposite direction. When avoiding heavy topics like politics and religion doesn’t work, she skewers them with sharp sarcasm. When we need comedy that sticks to the basics, Alonzo delivers it, comfortably entrenched in the awkwardness of everyday family moments that most people can relate to.
Cristela Alonzo is not just another standup comedian. She’s a very good one, but she also has her own life in the spotlight —she’s got rich and varied material that comes with a variety of experiences and viewpoints—so with this particular hour of material, we get something different – an insightful, intimate look into Cristela Alonzo’s life that is as well delivered as it is amusing.
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Stream it or Skip it?
Middle-classy — Cristela Alonzo’s new Netflix standup is a celebration of her status in the ever-evolving US economy. It made me laugh out loud, nod in agreement, and was a pleasure to watch.
Cristela Alonzo: Middle Classy is currently streaming on Netflix.