The Funniest People in Comedy All Head to ‘Group Therapy’
One of life’s biggest ironies is that comedians, for as much joy as they bring us, are deeply sad people. This is a massive generalization—but it’s also a phenomenon supported by scientific studies, to the point where it has its own name. Humor may be meant to bring us joy and connection, but the source of it often stems from a darker place.
Probing that relationship is at the forefront of Group Therapy, a new documentary that premiered at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. In a discussion moderated by actor Neil Patrick Harris, a diverse group of stand-ups unpack how their insecurities, illnesses, or mental health issues influence their work. Shot last year during the Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild strikes, the film brings folks like Mike Birbiglia and Nicole Byers together to laugh and cry with each other. While a bunch of people being asked to bare their darkest secrets and depths of their souls may sound like a gauntlet of sadness, Group Therapy aims to make this safe space a productive one for the comics and viewers alone.
For comics like Tig Notaro and Gary Gulman, revealing themselves to others—in this case, peers, but oftentimes, strangers—was nothing new. Both have famously made their physical and mental health struggles part of their routines. Notaro famously revealed her breast cancer diagnosis during a live set in 2012, a recording of which became a critically acclaimed album. In his 2019 special The Great Depresh, Gulman humorously recounted his hospitalization due to severe depression.