For his second Netflix stand-up special, this comedian known for dispensing dating advice shifts his focus to his relationship with his parents. Does Jared Freid’s experience seem relatable to lots of Millennials with Boomer parents, or just the ones who grew up Jewish in New England?
The Gist: Since releasing his debut Netflix special (Jared Freid: 37 and Single) three summers ago, Freid has inched up to 40 but still hasn’t married.
He jokes that he’s grateful his brother has found a spouse, at least, to provide some change to their family dynamic. And perhaps Freid’s parents are proud to know their eldest son has also appeared in the past year on The Golden Bachelor as well as Watch What Happens Live and The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Memorable Jokes: The title of his new hour refers literally to how his parents still take care of his monthly cell phone.“I’m 39. I’m still on the family plan,” Freid reveals.“You’re looking at me like, ‘This won’t be relatable to me at all.’” He may agree that it’s weird, but he’s not about to call home to ask about changing his cell phone plan anytime soon.
Partly that has to do with his relationship with his parents. He claims his mom, like most mothers, is a great arguer. His dad, meanwhile, is perhaps too much like him. “You ever watch someone scroll on TikTok and their brain is like melting?” That’s his dad looking at women’s asses, and declaring his love for the algorithm while they’re out shopping “at a Home Goods.”
He blames the economy that his Boomer parents enjoyed only to leave his Millennial generation in financial straits as well as emotional and psychological terror for the way things are, both in general, and specifically within the Freid family. Though they’re obviously very close-knit, he’d rather not call his mom for an emergency or any reason, lest she make him feel even worse for doing so. At least they can unite in mocking another family on vacation who’s having an even uglier time of it.
Freid keeps coming back to one particular trip to the beach with his parents, creating a visual of himself and his father staring at each other awkwardly in beach chairs and making even more awkward conversation, describing his mother’s propensity to invite the waitress and other strangers into family photos, and above all else, knowing he’s lazy, messy and sensitive. Just don’t let his mom accuse him of being sensitive!
Our Take: Fried pokes fun at himself for wondering if his comedy is relatable.
But he’s certainly got a lot more in common with his audience than Rob Lowe does with the people watching his TV ads for the Atkins diet. Freid laughs that he’d be OK with someone as ridiculously good-looking as Lowe pitching a diet plan if the ad campaign were more honest. And he makes clear that at least his own comedy is nothing but honest.
“I only make fun of people I know or hope to meet. The day I meet Rob Lowe…will be the weirdest day of someone else’s life,” he jokes.“I don’t create a straw man to make a point.”
No. No, he doesn’t. Instead, while a lot of comedians Freid’s age are joking about getting married and having children of their own, Freid might be stuck in his singlehood, but he’s perfectly happy to make fun of himself for it and how that continues to evolve his own relationship with his parents. Which, it turns out, might be relatable to a very large audience.
Our Call: This feels more like a Thanksgiving special for the family to sit and watch together more than an end of the summer vibe, unless you’ve got kids or are that kid ready to flee the family coop! STREAM IT.
Sean L. McCarthy works the comedy beat. He also podcasts half-hour episodes with comedians revealing origin stories: The Comic’s Comic Presents Last Things First.