As unfair as it may seem to write about Bill Burr and not include any f-bombs, we can’t. But let’s push through, shall we? Burr released his latest standup comedy special Drop Dead Years on Hulu recently. In his signature hour-long rant, Burr meditates (possibly the loudest, public mediation loaded with expletives) on his mortality, mental health, marriage and politics.
Watching Drop Dead Years, you realise that Burr has changed. He has used his craft to deal with generational trauma and the subsequent anger and has now relatively calmed down a bit. And as he admits early into the show, he has realised that he’s been suffering from depression. Drop Dead Years is the 56-year-old comedian’s exploration of his own depression in his, well, drop dead years.
Old and still grumpy
A less angry Burr is still extremely entertaining to watch. He is still grumpy about the world and his rants still hit the mark. In the first few minutes of the performance, he’s already poked the audience by bringing up Gaza. Although you can tell he is holding back in his criticism of Israel’s genocide of Palestinians, he still sneaks in a comparison that probably flew over people’s heads.
Burr says he can’t call out a “fat f***” fat for stealing his last slice of pizza, even when he’s denying it with pepperoni on his breath, and that someone would go, “Alright, well, he took your pizza but that’s no reason to body shame”. He adds, “I know what you did, own up to it.”
A smooth segue into Israel shooting missiles at children shows how informed Burr is, despite him claiming otherwise. The placement and transition is deliberate to draw comparisons. Essentially, Burr means: “Israel is the fat man denying stealing Palestinian pizza and pretending to be the victim.”
“How is war still legal in 2024?” Burr sums it up.
But his realisation of his own depression has slightly changed the pace of his routine. He pauses and reflects more on his words as he goes. And overall, he feels more vulnerable as if his angry mask is slowly coming off. It’s fascinating to see Burr’s evolution not just as an artist but as a man coming to terms with his life and the world and his own messed up self as he grows old.
The F is for Family creator addresses the title of the special too. He’s aware of the fact that he’s in his ‘drop dead years’ – years in which men suddenly drop dead. And he insists that “dropping dead is a uniquely male experience”. It’s different from dying of natural causes.
