It has been said time and time again that laughter is the best medicine. Although laughter cannot cure a person of COVID-19 or resolve our country’s state of political unrest, it can provide a mental escape from the harsh realities of 2020. No thought required. Upon being sent home from college on two separate occasions due to the pandemic, I found solace in comedy. I binged endless episodes of Saturday Night Live and watched dozens of stand-up comedy sets. One immensely captivating comedian that I watched, whose work I was not aware of until recently, was Michelle Buteau and her stand-up special on Netflix entitled Michelle Buteau: Welcome to Buteaupia. Though she is not new to the world of comedy, Buteau’s talent and energy is exactly what we need at this point in 2020. 

        Michelle Buteau is not only a comedian, but a well-versed actress as well. She has had roles in Netflix original movies such as Always Be My Maybe, Someone Great, and Work It. Buteau even made an appearance in Rebel Wilson’s anti-romantic comedy Isn’t It Romantic. She also took part in New York Public Radio’s podcast Adulting, which she co hosted with fellow comedian Jordan Carlos.  After 18 years of doing stand-up, Buteau made her Netflix comedy debut with her special Michelle Buteau: Welcome to Buteaupia which began streaming on September 29, 2020. 

        Above all else, Michelle Buteau is a performer. She engages with her audience right from the start of her stand-up special, as she makes her way through the cheering crowd, giving high-fives as she approaches the stage. Clad in a sequin jumpsuit with a gold chalice of water beside her, Buteau’s energy is electric as she begins her set, by not only captivating her viewers, but also presenting material that they can relate to. She recalls moments like being starstruck when filming a movie with Jennifer Lopez, and the everyday struggles of being a mother to two young children. She even mentions the social media app that has taken the world by storm––TikTok––which earns one of the biggest audience reactions of the entire special. Buteau’s personality shines through her jokes, especially as she pokes fun at her Dutch husband and the intricacies of their relationship. Fully embodying her bubbly and lively persona, Buteau is able to make her stand-up special feel like a bustling, high-energy party rather than a show that people had to pay to come see. 

        Although she has been doing stand-up for 18 years, Michelle Buteau’s style of comedy feels new and refreshing. For decades, stand-up comedy has been a seemingly male-dominated profession. Most of the well-known greats––Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Murphy, Robin Willams, Bill Burr, etc.––are men, and, because of this, are able to make jokes about, or at the expense of women. Such male comedians also often come at comedy from a somewhat somber angle. The acclaimed Dave Chapelle ties in dark, yet poignant topics into all of his stand-up sets. Comedians John Mulaney and Pete Davidson can be quite self-deprecating, attacking their personal weakness for the sake of a laugh. These comedic perspectives are tried and true––they have been welcomed with open arms and are undoubtedly enjoyed by many. Michelle Buteau, however, pivots greatly from this comedic approach. Her jokes are fun and lighthearted, as she notices life’s smallest details. She exudes a vivacious optimism that is translated directly onto her viewers. Most importantly though, Buteau completely embraces her womanhood and radiates an extreme sense of confidence. She is able to talk about her role as a mother and a wife, but is also in touch with her sexuality, and is unafraid to share her personal erotic experiences with her audience. Buteau establishes, through her stand-up, that she is not only a plus-size, black woman who is funny, but she is also a plus-size, black woman who is strong, intelligent, and beautiful. Though she is not the first woman in stand-up comedy, she will most definitely not be the last, as her aura itself has the potential to inspire millions of young girls all over the world.  

        As defined by Merriam-Webster, a utopia is a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions. Michelle Buteau’s Netflix comedy special Michelle Buteau: Welcome to Buteaupia is indeed a utopia in its own right. Through this stand-up set, Buteau is able to create the perfect outlet to showcase her thoughtful jokes and magnetic personality, and also the perfect outlet to envelop the inhabitants of 2020 in a ray of positivity––an act that proves to be a much needed change of pace. Although this special was seemingly filmed before the pandemic ensued, it could not have debuted at a better time, as it provides a sense of hope and a reminder that soon enough––hopefully––we will be gathered in crowds to enjoy entertainment once again. However, until then, Michelle Buteau has given us this gift of comedic gold that we can, luckily, enjoy from the comfort of our own homes.