"With skill and urgency, Carmichael creates a truth that reflects not just himself, but the painful pasts we all share — and figures out how to not be as sick as his secrets."

| Nov 19, 2022

As Carmichael visibly strives to be okay with the vulnerability that comes with his new candor — a rare spectacle in itself that manages to fascinate rather than drag down the hour — the audience adapts itself into part of the act...

| May 9, 2022

Like Jerrod Carmichael, we try to heal from the self-hatred—and when we do, hopefully there is less suffering when we look at the names we left behind...

| May 9, 2022

It's a profoundly immersive experience that pushes the boundaries of stand-up and confessional art.

| May 9, 2022

He may be cold, as he says, and selfish, and angry, and sad. He’s also masterful, and hilarious, and more thoughtful about what comedy is and what we ask it to be than anyone else working right now.

| May 9, 2022

It’s as apt an encapsulation of existing as a queer person as we could hope for.

| May 9, 2022

The show feels like a very personal experiment, made public, and it’s a touching, brave one.

| May 9, 2022

A stunning and unnerving act of storytelling.

| Apr 19, 2022

In his honesty and tenderness, Carmichael has created a special that blurs the line between comedy and confession, exposing how humor can relieve incredible tension while obscuring so much truth.

| Apr 18, 2022

The man is a brilliant storyteller.

| Apr 14, 2022

Rothaniel is short, fascinating, mildly claustrophobic, and pleasurably loose.

| Apr 13, 2022

Carmichael’s approach to his coming-out is to turn his comedy stage into a place of healing and acceptance, in which the audience becomes his confessors.

| Apr 8, 2022

It’s a remarkable hour of human comedy that lingers long into the night; I couldn’t recommend it more highly.

| Apr 8, 2022

Carmichael bobs and weaves through personal history with an imaginative form of exhibitionism that has more in common with the climax of All That Jazz than any conventional standup routine. The stage isn’t a veil -- it’s a magnifying glass.

| Apr 6, 2022

It’s hard to describe how well he does this without just writing out his set, which is pointed, quiet, hilarious, and heartbreaking all at once.

| Apr 6, 2022

You’ll want to watch this before or immediately after you see Carmichael host SNL. And then you’ll also want to go back and watch his Home Videos if you haven’t already, or perhaps again to gain even more insight into the Carmichael family.

| Apr 6, 2022

Rothaniel is ultimately one of the saddest comedy specials you’ll ever see—and one of the most emotional and masterful performances by a comedian ever committed to tape.

| Original Score: 9.5/10 | Apr 6, 2022