Highlander
Courtesy of PatriceONealOfficial via Instagram
It is no secret that Patrice OâNeal was not exactly a universally beloved comedian, like George Carlin or Dave Chappelle. In fact, during a roundtable discussion about the public reaction to his untimely death in 2011, radio personality Jim Norton (âThe Opie and Anthony Showâ) playfully described it as having âa lot of tears and a lot of balloons.â It is these candid discussions that make the new Comedy Central stand-up documentary a profoundly entertaining and thought-provoking watch.Â
Despite the aura of controversy that seemed to be the focal point of Patrice OâNealâs comedy, there is little room for doubt that he is revered among comics. Guests on the documentary included the likes of Kevin Hart, Dennis Leary, Bill Burr and Sue Costella, each telling their own hilarious stories about the late comic. The documentary cleverly incorporates animated sequences that are interwoven with certain personal anecdotes, some of which capture OâNealâs unique perspective on the pursuit of fame.