It seems to me that Jerrod Carmichael has always been a bit ahead of his time. He's had comedy specials on HBO, been in both major theatrical releases and TV movies and had his own sitcom (which I reviewed back in the day). He was even in Jay Z's "Moonlight" video. I've always considered him an old soul who, behind all his humor, maybe saw a little bit more than the rest of us. Maybe he felt it differently. His jokes were very matter of fact in nature, there was always a little dash of "it is what it is" in his delivery, and he never seemed to not see the truth in things. In the past I've even gone as far as to call his comedy "both irreverent and painfully honest." Now, after not seeing or hearing much of the man for almost five years, he's finally re-emerged with a hosting appearance on Saturday Night Live and an HBO special for which the word "insightful" is way too small. Turns out while he was busy seeing all our truths, he was also battling with some powerful ones of his own. This is as "painfully honest" as it gets, folks. Ladies and gentleman, meet Rothaniel.
Jerrod Carmichael and the Rebirth of Rothaniel
