Colin Quinn: Red State Blue State (2019 TV Special) User Reviews

Funny. Depressing.

[maximumkate · 9/10 · 3 September 2019]

This is a really well written and performed comedic meditation on the current condition of the United States. I've watched a lot of Quinn over the years and I am pretty sure this is the best thing he's done.

His conclusions that it's all basic coming to an end is depressing and I'm not convinced he's right about that, but he's right about the current state of things.

Lots of really clever observations here and his take-down of all 50 states, one-by-one is particularly memorable.

A Brilliant Humorist

[mitchandcary · 8/10 · 23 August 2019]

If you're launching into this expecting a rehash of Quinn's 2016 'The New York Story', or a generic, stale stand-up routine, you might be a bit disappointed. If you're ready to be entertained by one of the greatest American humorists alive, please hit 'play' and enjoy.

Funny and accurate

[grantss · 8/10 · 11 July 2022]

A Colin Quinn stand-up comedy special filmed in 2019. Quinn looks at the state of politics in the US and how it got to this.

I've been a fan of Colin Quinn since his Tough Crowd years and love his mix of cynical humour and astute observations. This comedy special channels these qualities as he comments on US politics and the US in general.

Some great put-downs and clever, astute commentary. Sometimes the observations are so accurate this feels more like a lecture than a comedy routine. He manages to do this without being biased in favour of any political party, making for an engaging experience.

Some jokes miss the mark though. That was always the one problem with Tough Crowd: the observations can be so clever or so many degrees separated from the topic that they aren't funny. It's the risk of trying to be so topical though. Some of the jokes are absolute zingers though, making up for this.

Carlin reborn...

[tonygrizzgray · 10/10 · 17 August 2019]

On Netflix this morning Honestly, I have been waiting for a new George Carlin to appear to fill a particular void in American consciousness. Found. Fabulous...

Brilliant

[drjgardner · 9/10 · 23 September 2020]

It's not "stand up" comedy that you're used to. I think of his shows as a very funny history teacher. Sometimes the history gets in the way of the comedy, but there is nothing else like it around.

Funny While Frank. A much needed punch in the face.

[ronovanwrites · 9/10 · 27 September 2020]

Funny while being frank. One of the few intelligent and original stand-up specials I've seen in a while. An honest and fairly accurate account of how the US is today and has been for a long time. Quinn is unafraid to let fear invade his comedy as he speaks to the state of both conservative and liberal politics alike. He points out the missed opportunities, opportunities, and how some aren't happy once they get what they want because it isn't what they thought it would be. I'll be watching this again. For those wondering about language content, I can't say he did enough to throw up my parent alert alarms. He said s**t once near the end, but I think it jumped out because it had been such a clean routine. For those who do decide to watch this great comic at what may be his most timely and much-needed routine ever, don't flinch, take the punch in the face, and be honest with yourself that he's being real and doing it for your good. Every politician, voter, activist, and reporter should watch this.

Tells it like it is.

[Msbnitski · 8/10 · 16 August 2019]

This guy is funny. He does tell it like it is. Today we all hide behind a keyboard, here I am, and put our 2 cents in. It's good to laugh at life and ourselves. If we don't laugh we will drop to our knees and give up. So laugh out loud and at each other because it's just funny!

Amazing, amazing, amazing.

[davesmithsonian · 10/10 · 1 September 2019]

Thought provoking, original, extremely funny commentary on society (applies across the world not just the US).

He tackles concepts that usually would cause arguments in a empathetic way that ultimately will bring everyone together.

Thoroughly recommend anyone who has an hour to give it a chance. An amazingly eye opening commentary done perfectly.

Brilliant Look at Modern Political Discourse

[tkdlifemagazine · 8/10 · 26 January 2023]

I wrote this when Colin Quinn did his New York Experience show-Colin Quinn is super smart. He is also a very good stand up comedian. This intelligent and historically supported special looks at the origins and the current state of political division in the United States in the 21st Century. He does a great job of articulating, using interesting language, the problem. He doesn't;t do a great job of proposing a solution, but I am not sure that is his job. As a comedian it is his job to make us think and he really, really does that. I think it is clear he leans left, but there is no apparent hate, or contempt for the Right. His contempt is equal for ideologues. This one is very good.

What a let down!

[mauriciofernandogerhardt · 3/10 · 20 August 2019]

His last comedy stand up special before this one was so good, that I expected him to be great at this one, and he was under mediocre. So many factual innaccuracies (not even done up for comedic effect), so much unrealized irony to what he spouted. He could've scrapped half of his show and focused on doing a better half hour show. I've skipped through so much, because it was just unbearable. Mediocre people might like this.

Just fantastic.

[ahmedetemadi · 10/10 · 23 October 2020]

A comedy masterclass. His jokes are top Colin He stands out amidst all the rubbish that's on Netflix. One of the greatest comedians of our time. Simple.

Not sure what to think of this

[backup-50362 · 3/10 · 18 April 2020]

It's supposed to be a comedy special, yet it's more like a Ted Talk. He makes a lot of great, rational, inclusive points, but is that comedy? There's barely any humor in it.

Even in the carefully selected, diverse Netflix crowd of mostly millenials, trying to cheer after each sentence, you see boredom.

It's not a fun comedy special, is my point, or even a comedy special.

Misleading/ Sort of Funny

[jddunn-58913 · 5/10 · 26 August 2021]

First of all, I feel like half the show was about our country and it's "democracy" and I feel as though this man never learned the U. S. is NOT a democracy but a Constitutional Republic... But I did manage a couple laughs at this when he wasn't fixated on trump. Like I'm not a die hard trump fan but what's the gas notation setting up a whole show about unfactual things and a single dude that's overjoyed honestly, it's old at this point. Watch it as something to fall asleep to and if you plan on doing the same it will work well.