Ilana Glazer Isn’t on Fire in The Planet Is Burning

Most comedians present, to differing degrees, a fictionalized version of themselves behind the mic. Their constructed persona becomes all the more muddled when the comic in question already plays a semi-autobiographical character on television. Some, like Joe Pera, keep a consistent disposition throughout. No matter what the context, even the odd interview, he presents himself as the Mister Rogers of comedy, soft-spoken and endearing. Though the situation differs, he can adapt his material to fit the scenario. Jokes that work on Joe Pera Talks with You may not translate to a stand-up setting, and vice versa. It’s the code-switching of comedy.

Ilana Glazer, unfortunately, has not received the memo. Her latest special, The Planet Is Burning, sees the Broad City actor rest heavily on her laurels. There seems to be little difference between Ilana Glazer the person and Ilana Wexler the character, which is perfectly fine. They both sing or twerk at the drop of a hat, are unabashed about their sexual preferences and radiate the energy of a kid hopped up on pixie sticks. However, the former does not change her rhythm of delivery to suit the stage, which is largely why The Planet Is Burning does not work. Devoted fans cheer her on from the audience any time she references that which made the Ilana Wexler so lovable—queerness, a hatred of toxic masculinity, the list goes on. These easy laughs, prompted whenever she punctuates a bit with an impersonation or her signature over-pronunciation, mean that she doesn’t need to take the time to craft jokes in the same way other comedians do, and so she just doesn’t. The goofs are one-offs, not even complete enough to be considered one-liners. The hour feels like a supercut of Ilana bits from Broad City, rather than a fully fleshed-out stand-up set.