Joke Man (2023) Movie Drinking Game & Review

Joke Man (2023) Movie Drinking Game

Down a Shot: each time an ex-employee mentions Howard Stern’s egotistical and unethical ways

Down a Shot: each time Jackie or one of his colleagues grows nostalgic of the glory days when comedy and art remained largely unaffected by greed, execs, or by an overhyped host.

By: Vidal D’costa (A Toast) –

A brutally honest documentary on the life, times, and premature departure of Jackie Martling, a dedicated writer and stand-up comedian who was also the beating heart behind the divisive but popular Howard Stern Show.

A Toast

An insightful piece on the ups and downs of the uncertain entertainment industry, the issues discussed via Joke Man are no laughing matter and especially ring true decades later for many of the out of work writers on strike now, who were ousted in favour of a host or studio exec’s ego or power play at the workplace.

The documentary also sheds light on how Stern and execs at the show profited off Martling’s comedic genius, his improv skills, and ultimately milked his creativity, resulting in the veteran comedian working a thankless job under an opportunistic regime.

A lot of the talking heads featured in the documentary- ranging from fellow staffer and comedian Artie Lang to Jackie’s former wife Nancy Sirianni- also offer their two cents on the deteriorating situation during the comedian’s promising run on the show, which further enables one to better understand and even sympathise with the struggles of writers and interns who work around the clock and how creativity and mental health, as well as one’s dignity, can take a hit.

Viewers also get to hear from the man himself, as Jackie opens up about the scrutiny that he faced due to a manufactured public image, while also placing emphasis on the changing face of The Howard Stern Show, the pop culture moments over the years, but furthermore, its commodification in the long run- a fatal mix of which eventually led to him cutting ties.

Verdict

Joke Man acts as a biting, bittersweet, but much needed social commentary on the changing atmosphere of the entertainment industry that demonstrates the need for better pay for writers who are the backbones of the industry and who might resonate with Jackie’s shared experiences. However, Stern aficionados can sit this one out as they may not entirely enjoy the harsh realities portrayed in it.