I feel a weird kinship with Massachusetts stand-up comedians, including Bo Burnham, Mike Birbiglia, and Pete Holmes. I can’t explain it. I will write a blog dedicated to this idea at some point. Today, I am going to write about one Massachusetts comedian in particular. His name is Gary Gulman, and I think he is excellent. Welcome to Friday, by the way. Let's discuss Gary Gulman’s documentary/stand-up special, The Great Depresh.

My first taste of Gary’s stand-up was a set he did on Conan a few years ago. It has racked up a lot of views, and many of the comments think it is one of the best five-minute stand-up slots on late-night TV. You can watch it here.

Have you watched it yet? I hope you did and had a bit of a chuckle. I love his humour and wittiness and how he seems to enjoy telling his jokes as much as we love hearing them. I was taken aback to find out later that Gary suffers from severe clinical depression and anxiety. The Great Depresh is a mixture of Gary’s journey to stand-up and back to stand-up after leaving the circuit for a couple of years while dealing with his mental health issues and the stand-up set itself.

I learnt a lot, not just about why I hadn’t seen much of Gary appearing on TV but also about depression and anxiety itself. I know that depression and anxiety take many forms for many sufferers, but I liked hearing a first-hand experience directly and how he began making himself better. The juxtaposition of a comedian with depression indeed isn’t a new thing. I know that Bo Burnham has also spoken extensively about his severe anxiety. Another aspect that I liked about the special was how Gary’s wife, Sadé, talked about how she dealt with being in a relationship with someone with depression.

More than anything, the documentary made me appreciate comedy and how it can change people's lives—not just the audience but also the comedians themselves. It made me understand how Gary has come through the other side and is doing much better. Depression and anxiety are terrible things. If you are struggling, talk to someone. That goes without saying, but it can’t be said enough either. There is help out there. You’ll be okay. Thank you for reading, and thank you for your time.