We all have experiences that stick with us, that perhaps remind us of our fleeting time on this earth or make us appreciate the life we have, such as *cough* the covid pandemic or, say, a family member’s last words. For Mike Birbiglia, as he describes in his new Netflix special, The Old Man and The Pool, it was a gray-haired swimmer in the locker room of his local childhood YMCA, a methodical gentleman who groomed himself with care, much to young Birbiglia’s horror, after his swims. Until Birbiglia himself grew up, grappled with aging and his responsibility to his daughter, Birbiglia was shocked by this older athlete…until he became one.
If the covid pandemic taught us anything, it’s to trust doctors. But what happens when your doctor stares at your measly pulmonary test results, as Birbiglia’s physician did, and asks you if you were currently having a heart attack? On the heels of his doctors’ suggestions to change his lifestyle and improve his physical fitness by exercising, Birbiglia was left frankly aghast at this idea, launching him into an account of his dismal history with athleticism, as well as his numerous, serious preexisting conditions. He entertains his audience with a delightfully funny, yet morbidly honest account of his failing health and efforts to reverse it.
Death is coming for all of us, but based on Birbiglia’s experiences, such as chronic breathing problems and a hilariously terrifying sleepwalking habit, his impending expiration was doing 75 in a 40 mph zone. In his latest special, Birbiglia shares with us select lines from the pages of his journal, which capture his wrought feelings on the subject and bring the audience in for an even deeper emotional investment, while creatively using the sloped set. In a close, intimate, and side-splitting retelling of his failed wrestling career as a teen, he explains to us why his lack of athletic ability keeps him from committing to his health. He delves into his two-time family history of heart attacks (not to brag), as well as his own past with bladder cancer, diabetes, and anxiety, leading him to face the reality of the finite time he’ll have with his young daughter, given these barriers.
Scared into making adjustments, if not for his own sake but for his daughter’s, he teaches us the value of life while simultaneously making fun of our fickle mortality.
As a comic, Birbiglia weaves a narrative thread like no other, calling back to jokes from 30 seconds prior or from the top of the show to create a sense of continuity, keep the audience engaged, and strengthen the momentum he builds to his ultimate conclusion. In the case of Birbiglia’s latest special, The Old Man and The Pool, the great comedian focuses his attention on his corporeal “ultimate conclusion,” which becomes more real as his comorbidities pile onto each other, his doctors sorta keep making this face to him: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, and he watches his little girl, Oona, grow up. He captures a common fear of death, told with easy humor, physical comedy, intimate relatability, and an elegant storytelling framework. Birbiglia secures his position, once again, as one of the finest examples of stand-up performers this generation has ever seen.
The Old Man and The Pool is now available for streaming on Netflix.
Felicia Reich is an entertainment writer and culture reporter. She lives in Brooklyn with her complex first person perspective, collection of decorative pillows, and insatiable curiosity.