The official trailer has broken for OUTSTANDING: A COMEDY REVOLUTION – a new feature-length documentary that streams on Netflix June 18 after having its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival this Friday. Written and directed by Page Hurwitz, OUTSTANDING: A COMEDY REVOLUTION is the first feature length documentary to examine the history of queer stand-up comedy. Union Editorial’s Katherine LeBlond and Union Partner/Editor James Haygood serve as Co-Executive Producers. Union’s involvement also includes bringing editor Rodrigo Brazão, as well as Post Supervisor Veronica ‘V$’ Garcia, Consulting Producer Kaitlin McLaughlin, and Assistant Editor Dion Riley, to the project.
“Being a part of a film like this, where you get to work with many of the most iconic and funniest folks on Earth, is the stuff that Hollywood dreams are made of,” said LeBlond. “Representation is so important, and who better to remind us than a bunch of comedians whose voices are synonymous with positive change?”
The documentary considers the importance of LGBTQ+ stand up as an instrument for social change over the past five decades, actively reflecting and challenging cultural norms and values. Ultimately, the film reveals that queer comedians — whether they intended to or not — helped change the world, one joke at a time.
“There was a shift,” director Hurwitz said in this morning’s People.com (which debuted the trailer), “not only among comedians, but in the larger culture, as more people started to come out and started to fight for equality and for their place in the spotlight.”
OUTSTANDING: A COMEDY REVOLUTION combines interviews, memorable stand up performances, archival materials, and verité footage featuring top LGBTQ+ comedians Billy Eichner, Bob The Drag Queen, Bruce Vilanch, Fortune Feimster, Gina Yashere, Guy Branum, Hannah Gadsby, James Adomian, Jim David, Joel Kim Booster, Judy Gold, KJ Whitehead, Lily Tomlin, Mae Martin, Margaret Cho, Marsha Warfield, Matteo Lane, Patti Harrison, River Butcher, Robin Tran, Robin Tyler, Rosie O'Donnell, Roz Hernandez , Sandra Bernhard, Scott Thompson, Solomon Georgio, Suzanne Westenhoefer, Suzy Izzard, Tig Notaro, Todd Glass, Trixie Mattel, and Wanda Sykes.
Historians Dave Holmes, Kate Aurthur, Roger Mason, Shar Jossell, and Susan Stryker are also interviewed.
The film is written and directed by Page Hurwitz. Executive Producers are Hurwitz and Wanda
Sykes for Push It Productions; Katherine LeBlond for Union Editorial; and Brian Graden, Dave
Mace, and LB Horschler for Brian Graden Media.
