First thought, I remember May's breakout on LAST COMIC, he was unforgettable and totally original. He did not win but, hey, if you pay attention to these "talent" shows (thank you Ted Mack from the 1950s) the right people almost never win, thankfully there are talent scouts around to pick up the good ones....
Second thought. This special is brilliant. May is brilliant. In the opinion of this reviewer, who BTW worked in LA in the 80s as a comedy scout, all the great standups have gone. (Except possibly Coz, who now sits down during his "stand-up" but still has the gift of storytelling.) That leaves a gap. It is large gap but May is a large guy and if he can maintain consistency he could potentially fill the gap. He can tell a story, he can segue, he sing, he can make you laugh.
Last thought: a friend loaned me another May concert on DVD. I don't have the date. He wore a bright orange jumpsuit, so die-hard fans will know what I am talking about. He was terrible. I mean horrific. He was self-conscious, oblivious to the mood of the crowd, and stared blankly at the camera as if he could not believe the jokes weren't landing. He was not the same guy as he was here.
So there is a consistency thing. If he overcomes that, he could be one of the greats.
