Pride Month has come and gone and I didn't get to advocate for this documentary. You can still wrap yourself in a rainbow flag and watch this great doc about the evolution of gay comedy since Stonewall. As a child in the 70s, I remember closeted gay comedians like Paul Lynde, Rip Torn, and Charles Nelson Reilly, and this doc does a great job tracing the throughline from the 60s until today with the attendant political dynamics over the decades and how comedy reacts to and changes society.

I loved seeing two fantastic women getting their due, Sandra Bernhard and Margaret Cho. I've been a fan of Sandra's for eons, and saw her live at least three times, including "I'm Still Here...Damn it!" in SF in 1998, and Margaret in SF in "I'm The One That I Want" in 1999 and the "Notorious C. H. O." in 2002. The doc also paid appropriate homage to a doyenne of comedy, Lily Tomlin, and I even learned about a few trailblazing gay comics I wasn't familiar with. Definitely worth your time to give it a viewing!

This documentary features the largest group of LGBTQ entertainers all in one place. Many who performed decades ago in fear of what may happen to their careers if the public knew they were gay. We see the brave souls who've come out in front of us and those who are already accepted as they walk on the stage because of barriers broken down by the legends that came before them.

I grew up watching Lily Tomlin, who we all loved. From her earliest characters in the 60's-70's, I learned to celebrate my inner child, be myself, be creative and to always find humor in every day life. It's so wonderful to see the positive impact she has had on generations of other comedic actors/comedians as they learned to find their way in a not so accepting world.

Your heart will break listening to the sad, shameful stories of inequality in the past. But your spirit will soar when you see how far the community has come. The obvious joy that's shared by everyone involved in this ground breaking film is beautiful.

Thank God for all of you who have the courage to stand (sing, dance, strut, etc) on stage to make us all laugh and feel like we're part of a big group. Thank you for showing us that it's ok to be your authentic selves.