Justin Matson: Fatter Than You Think

comedy review (adelaide) | Read in About 1 minute
Published 26 Feb 2018
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Instead of comedy this feels like part motivational speech and part group therapy session, and it fails at all three by floundering in a lack of humour and depressing lack of self-awareness. It doesn't help that the warm up was a slew of racist punchlines – chain gangs, the trail of tears, the holocaust – that soured Justin Matson's otherwise likeable persona.

A series of stories about not fitting on rollercoasters form the main narrative thread, but Matson lacks momentum and frequently resorts to a barrage of unoriginal one liners.

Personal subjects are often the best fodder for comedy but Matson is clearly not at ease with opening up about his weight as a subject of ridicule. As a result he constantly shies away from the genuine or relatable aspects of his self deprecation. All that is left is a joyless life story that it would be cruel to pass judgement on. Unfortunately, there is little sense that the content has been developed for a standup audience rather than just a maudlin and lengthy round of small talk.