My Name is Mo’Nique is the returning stand-up special of Mo’Nique, where she talks about her life growing up and spreads an uplifting message. The special is streaming on Netflix.
Story
Mo’Nique returns to the stage in Atlanta, Georgia, and on Netflix for the first time since the settled lawsuit with the streaming platform. She doesn’t really focus on it though, choosing instead to talk about her family life growing up.
The comedian talks about her experiences in middle school when she spent a few years in special education where she faced discrimination from a racist teacher and made lifelong bonds with some of the others in her class.
She discusses marriage and how she’s on her third one but insists this will be the last one because she’s finally found the person who stays with her during her worst time and treats her like she’s having her best time.
Positives
Mo’Nique covers several relevant topics such as racism, mental disabilities, sexuality, and gender identity, and has a positive message attached to each. It’s all quite uplifting when she hits the punchline of her jokes and experiences.
Her performance is filled with energy and enthusiasm capably matched by the audience. The atmosphere throughout the special feels very casual and fun and makes for great viewing.
Negatives
Despite the progressive subject matter, the language of the special is far too colorful and not at all age-appropriate for children below a certain age. While there’s nothing especially wrong with that, it does sometimes limit the reach of the program.
In fact, the tone is all over the place and can make a person feel uneasy at times. The bit about her friend with mental disabilities comes across as insensitive until she provides complete context and the vibe fluctuates from hilarious to serious with no particular structure.
Verdict
My Name is Mo’Nique is a delightful stand-up special one could expect from such a legendary performer but it does border on queasy and vulgar and isn’t suitable for all audiences. Mo’Nique is genuine and speaks from the heart which should be generously applauded and she deserves recognition following the journey she’s gone through.
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