09-07-2025
Nate Jackson puts the audience on blast in 'Super Funny'
Comedian Nate Jackson's first Netflix comedy special, "Super Funny," is available to stream now on the platform. Photo courtesy of Netflix
July 9 (UPI) -- Comedian Nate Jackson's first Netflix special, Super Funny, is out now, and the performer says he knew a show that largely revolves around roasting his audience would be a "risky" endeavor.
Jackson, whose resume also includes appearances on Nick Cannon Presents: Wild'N Out, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Peacock's upcoming The Office spin-off, The Paper, earned more than 4 million TikTok followers with his brand of audience-roasting comedy.
The new special kicks off with Jackson explaining his "three rules:" If he looks at you, and you keep eye contact, you're fair game; once the roast has started, looking away will not save you; and don't be offended on behalf of other people.
In a recent phone interview, the comedian told UPI his largely-improvisational style comes with no small amount of risk.
"We don't know what might happen," he said. "I don't think anybody in production feels wholly comfortable. Like, all right, we're all going to show up to a city, we're going to set up gear, let's press record and see what we get. Fingers crossed. And so I take a risk every time I do it, but I definitely took a risk on the special."
Jackson said taking chances on audience interactions is a necessary aspect of his craft.
"I'm taking chances to make moments and the whole point of the moment is to get the source material, then make jokes on the spot. I'm using traditional stand-up format once I have the information. It's set up, punch line, act out, mix up, act out, callback -- like all that is still there, but I need the source material to be like, "OK, so what is the context of what we're about to make up together?'"
Making matches
While much of Jackson's comedy revolves around "roasting," or mocking, members of his audience, his special -- like his live shows -- also includes moments of attempting to create matches among the single members of his audience.
While his attempt during the special -- spoiler alert -- falls flat, Jackson said that's not always the case.
"There were two older gentlemen, middle-aged white guys in Indianapolis that came to the show wearing these big gold chains that were not indicative of usually what old white guys are wearing for jewelry. So it caught my eye, and I was like, 'Why are you guys doing that?'" Jackson recalled.
The men explained they were having a "guy's night out," and one of them was single."I was like, 'Well, are there any ladies having a ladies' night out that's single?' And there were two ladies in the middle of the room. I was like, 'Well, let's split it up.' Sir, you go back there with her. And the single lady, you come down here with him."
Jackson said the single man and the single woman were in the front row together when he returned to Indianapolis a year later."They were now engaged," he said.
Romance also makes its way into Jackson's live shows in other ways.
"I had five different wedding proposals on the tour where somebody's reached out like, 'Hey, I'm going to propose to my girl. Can we coordinate it somehow?'" he said.
Seeing both sides
Jackson said one of his favorite places to perform is at his own Super Funny Comedy Club in Tacoma, Wash. He said running the club has taught him a lot about the business of comedy.
"I guess we could say I've learned from the other side of it. There's more to it than just being funny," he said.
One of those things he learned is how to deal fairly with the talent -- something that doesn't always happen in the business.
"You can have success in the comedy business and run a club and still be cool. You don't have to be everybody's favorite person, but you can still pull it off being cool," he said.
Jackson said being "cool" doesn't necessarily mean giving in to every demand a performer might have, however.
"I also have the other side of it where I can talk to the talent and be like, 'You're doing too much. You know what I'm saying? First of all, this is a beautiful rider, but you don't need all this [expletive]. Unless you're about to eat a smorgasbord and go on stage all full of food and barely be able to tell a joke, why do you need this much stuff? Just pick something off the menu, get some food, and you'll be fine.'"
Jackson said one of the most important aspects of running a comedy club is making sure to appreciate the performers.
"We see the disconnect when we come into a place and there's somebody that doesn't even appreciate the talent. You do realize everybody's here for us, right? That's who people are here for, and I realize that in my own club. The people are coming to see the talent, so you want to make the talent happy."
Acting
Jackson has appeared as an actor in the series Young Rock and will appear in multiple episodes of the upcoming Peacock series The Paper. He said most directors he has worked with have been happy to allow him to improvise on set, once a stick-to-the-script take is in the can.
"We're all looking for gold, we want the best in the project. You want to find those moments," he said.
He said his ad-lib take usually "ends up being in the thing when I see it."
Jackson said he would ideally like to eventually find a project that lets him use more of his improv skills to tell a story.
"I don't get to pick and choose yet. I still have my stripes and dues," he said. "I'm just thankful to be working. That's first and foremost. I'm thankful to be working. I'm not trying to outshine the director or the writers or the stars of the show or nothing like that. But I would like the type of work where I can show what God put me here to do."
Nate Jackson: Super Funny is available to stream now on Netflix.
