Amy Schumer: Growing

Two nights ago, Amy Schumer’s Netflix special Growing debuted and I was ready to watch. I had read that she talked a lot about pregnancy so I thought her candid take on this interesting process would be funny. And it was! That being said, I wonder if I would have tuned in if I wasn’t pregnant. While Schumer isn’t always my favorite – sometimes female comedians take things too far for shock value and she is no exception – I found her both funny and relatable in Trainwreck and a few other skits I’ve seen so I tuned in.

A few highlights:

• Schumer pointed out how people “focus on the bump” and are constantly asking “What are you having?” and “Are you craving anything?” – so true.
• She lifted her dress to show the two band aids covering her belly button (and her underwear) which was ballsy! Schumer has never shied away from physical comedy but, being pregnant, that move was especially courageous and unexpected.
• Schumer mentioned that she’s due around the same time as Meghan Markle and how much that sucks since Markle is always being photographed in stiletto heels and cute outfits. I can relate!
• “People say I’m so strong to be on the road – no I’m contractually obligated to be here. If I wasn’t, Live Nation would sue me.” Transparency has always been one of Schumer’s strengths and this was a prime example. That being said, although the special was filmed in Chicago in December, earlier this month Schumer canceled the rest of her tour due to health concerns which she discusses throughout the hour.
• “I didn’t know how hard being pregnant would be…If you’re someone who enjoyed being pregnant I hope your car flips over.” Way over the top but she makes a valid point.
• While making the point that being pregnant doesn’t mean you stop being who you are, she throws in “you don’t stop working or drinking” just to make sure the audience was paying attention!
• It was comforting to hear her say that like a lot of couples expecting a baby, they “have no idea what they’re doing.”

In addition to pregnancy, Schumer talked about getting married, what it’s like being a woman in her thirties, and how much things have changed since she was single and on the prowl. One of the more shocking topics was also one of the most genuine – when she discussed her husband being on the autism spectrum. She provided funny examples of his inability to recognize social cues but also spoke fondly of him: “He can make me feel more beautiful than anyone has in my whole life.”

While sometimes I think Schumer is hilarious and sometimes she’s too much, in this standup special she was just enough. I definitely could have done without tampon jokes – to me they are equivalent to dick and fart jokes that make my eyes roll – overall Schumer was cleaver, bold, and brave. She also took a few hilarious shots at millennials and at men living in the #metoo climate. “I don’t know what I’m having but I hope it’s a girl; it’s such a scary time for men.” Brilliant.

Throughout the show, she mentioned multiples times that she’s had a tough pregnancy due to being hospitalized a few times with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). I looked it up: it’s a “pregnancy complication that is characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and possibly dehydration.” It sounds absolutely horrible and made me think about how difficult it must have been for her to stand on a stage, wearing a dress and high-heeled boots, and talk for an hour straight. It’s hard enough to do that on the radio, nevermind in front of a live audience! Part of me thought she was going to get sick on stage but thankfully that didn’t happen. Instead, the audience, both in Chicago and at home, got an hour of unfiltered, thoughtful, and honest comedy from a woman who has come a long way from Trainwreck.