Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution

This film captures the positivity, progress, and celebration of one night at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Celebrating the history of queer comedy, Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution features the 22 queer stand-up comedians who performed on May 7, 2022, for "Standout: An LGBTQ+ Celebration," in addition to other influential players along the way. A behind-the-scenes look, more than a replay of the actual performances of the night, this documentary traces the history of queer stand-up comedy and queer comedy, generally, from early pioneers like, Phyllis Diller, Robin Tyler, Rip Taylor, Paul Lynde, and Lily Tomlin to the influential establishment disrupters, Sandra Bernhard, Scott Thompson, Margaret Cho, and Eddie Izzard. In interviews, many people pay homage to their forerunners, while also speaking to the hope of the future and of the power of humor and comedy to change people's minds and beliefs.

The film is smart to mention and debunk particular arguments quickly, preferring instead to primarily focus on positivity, progress, and how far queer communities have come. The history itself is also well done and covers just enough, as there are so many people to feature. A full documentary could be made each for many of the comedians represented here, so this series of profiles really has to move at a fast pace. The only downside might be the lack of any real stand-up comedy. Sure, there are some jokes here and there, but even halfway in, most viewers will start wanting to simply watch the performances of that night, rather than the comics talking about their influences, inspirations, experiences, and other comics.