'Zainab Johnson: Toxically Optimistic' Netflix Review: On Guns, Tesla And Opossums

Just a week back, I reviewed Theo Von’s special, which was disappointing to say the least, but thankfully Zainab Johnson’s Toxically Optimistic more than compensates for it! This is the first Netflix Special of the Brooklyn-born, Harlem-raised comedian, and it’s absolutely well-deserved. Zainab’s Amazon Prime Special Hijabs Off was personal and hilarious, and it established that her stand-up comedy releases are going to be worth keeping an eye out for. In Toxically Optimistic, Zainab brings more variety into her set; it’s a mix of personal and whimsy and the combination works magically well. 

The comedy special is recorded in Washington, DC, and soon after taking over the stage she humorously states that she had been hoping Trump wouldn’t be in DC at the same time, fearing another shooting attempt, referring to the multiple assassination attempts made on the US President’s life. She speaks at length about the reason behind her always feeling optimistic in life, going back to the time when she was 17, and she met with an accident that left her severely injured. Her friend, who was also a victim in the road accident, had her leg amputated, and from the moment she found out about it, Zainab realized that she was indeed blessed, and while she had been through a lot, she figured it could’ve been worse. The accident made her a perpetual optimist, and no matter how extreme a situation gets, she has a tendency to search for the silver lining. She believes that it has gotten to the point where it’s really toxic, but regardless, she doesn’t intend to change at all. The show is aptly titled “toxically optimistic,” and the set is written keeping in mind this broad theme. Zainab discusses her opinion on gun possession. She confesses that she’s a gun owner, and that’s only because she has been warned by her friends that living in a house alone can possibly increase her chances of being assaulted by an intruder. She underlines the lack of women’s safety in the US, and how even someone like her, who is completely against the use of guns, has also been convinced to buy one to protect herself. She is obviously not proud of the decision, but she has prioritized her safety. Quite similar to her owning a Tesla, she isn’t proud of it, but she bought it when driving an electric car was considered the responsible thing to do, and there was a whole social currency to it. She emphasizes that driving a Tesla now is embarrassing, since in recent times, it has attracted buyers from the Republican demographic. Of course, a gun-loving, Musk-supporting conservative audience will neither agree with Zainab nor will they find her set amusing (they might even call her a Democrat mouthpiece, since the special is produced by the Obamas), and they’re obviously not her target audience. As a Black Muslim comedian, she takes pride in her identity, and she obviously doesn’t intend to please anyone with a polar opposite political stance.

Zainab delivers the kind of comedy that I thoroughly enjoy, and this particular special has been carefully written and confidently executed. Zainab’s comedy is clean, funny, witty, and personal. She commands the room from the moment she walks in, thoroughly confident about her set and completely in control of everything that unfolds on-stage. She knows exactly what she’s going to say, and precisely when, her comic timing is perfect. There are moments when she pauses in between and solely relies on her facial expression to elevate the jokes, and they work tremendously well. In this special, we also get to witness Zainab interact with her audience a couple of times; they are mostly too enthusiastic about her stories, and she enjoys their loud dramatic expressions. There are way too many good moments in the show, and it’s honestly challenging to pick just a couple of them. The gun segment was hilarious, and what could’ve been a heavy topic to handle, was tackled quite smartly. She is very clear about her stances, and that helps in easing the tension before she delivers the jokes. You definitely should not miss out on the part where she explains how she had no idea that Glock is a gun brand; the segment keeps getting better. Every story is also quite cleverly connected, which is why the show feels cohesive; while talking about guns and intruders, Zainab brings up her truck accident that she’d mentioned in the past, and ties it all together quite neatly. 

Just over an hour long, the special doesn’t drag on unnecessarily. I’ve recently watched quite a number of specials where certain portions didn’t work, I either felt sleepy or way too bored, but Toxically Optimistic doesn’t have a single dull moment. The stories are intriguing and varied, ranging from her owning a gun, to her first amateur boxing match, to her parents’ love story, to her special needs sister’s dating history, the stories are entertaining, the punchlines are impactful, and by the time the show comes to an end, you’re left yearning for more. Her storytelling capability is definitely the reason behind her success, and it isn’t an easy feat to achieve for a comedian. The segment where she talks about Eugene, an opossum, is the highlight of the show, especially the portion when she explains the reason why she dedicates over twenty minutes to talking about an animal.

By now, it’s probably evident that I don’t have much to complain about with this special. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, I don’t remember laughing out loud so frequently while watching a show in recent times! Zainab definitely has global appeal; her stories have the potential to resonate with people outside of the US as well, they’re not really specific to any region, or hyperlocal per se. This obviously isn’t the case for every comedian. Also, Zainab’s styling team deserves a mention, the fit, the hair, the make-up, she was glowing on-stage! Toxically Optimistic is also the first standup special produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company (I didn’t expect to see their names pop up in the end credits!), definitely a well-deserved support. Final verdict: go watch Toxically Optimistic,it’s hilarious, witty, entertaining, and pretty much everything you want from a standup comedy special.