Jamie Foxx’s “What Had Happened Was” is a beautiful celebration of life filled with humor and art.
Now, I am not a comedy critic, but I enjoy watching standup comedy specials and like to write about the ones I enjoy. Foxx’s special was so funny and heartwarming but heroic, unlike anything I’ve experienced.
The first thing that caught my eye was the fact that his daughter, Corrine Foxx, introduced the 56-year-old comedian (his birthday is tomorrow, by the way). I can’t recall any other specials where the comedian’s child or family member brought them out. It was not a major thing, but I think it helped to set the stage for what we were about to watch.
The Oscar-winning actor came out to A$AP Ferg’s “New Level” and had a very emotional moment with the audience, as this was not just his first show since his medical emergency, but also this show was filmed in Atlanta, GA, which is also where Foxx’s life was saved at Piedmont Hospital. I know this only because he thanks Piedmont Hospital and various staff members for saving his life throughout the event.
The show’s beginning was intense as Foxx finally shared what happened during his medical emergency. I won’t give any of it away because I want you to watch this standup, but I will say I, like the audience, was hanging on my seat, listening to every word. There were times when you could hear a pin drop in the room as we anxiously waited for him to get through challenging moments and continue. And then, just like that, being the versatile artist that he is, Foxx would flip the script and make us laugh.
The “Ray” actor talked about everything from his near-death experience and recovery to how social media tried to unalive him and then called him a clone to his “pickle” to dating White girls while also doing impersonations of well-known celebrities. But one of my favorite moments was when he reminded us that he is “Jamie “mother******* Foxx,” as Corrine said, and went down memory lane, reminding us of his past work. I was up singing and dancing like I was there in ATL, too. My second favorite moment was when he shared a story about his daughter Anelise and later brought her to perform with him on stage.
This was not just a comedy special. It was a whole production; to further prove that, Foxx closed the show, performing a new song while playing the piano with a live band. You could clearly see his gratitude for his second chance at life. It was like watching someone give praise to God. Yea, it was an emotional ride, but I loved every minute. If you were there for the live-taping, I envy you. Again, I encourage you to take an hour to yourself and watch “What Had Happened Was.”
Read more about another comedy special.
