Chris Fleming’s HBO Special Blends Physical Comedy and Observational Humor Chris Fleming, the thirty-nine-year-old comedian known for his theatrical flair and androgynous presence, has made his debut on HBO with a special that marks a shift toward mainstream comedy while retaining his signature eccentricity. The show, his first for the network, aims to expand his audience beyond his cult following, which has long been drawn to his irreverent takes on gender norms and mundane routines. Fleming’s work has always leaned into the absurd, but his HBO special—titled Prances, Scuttles, and Undulates—offers a more accessible blend of observational humor and physical comedy, while still leaving room for the surreal. Fleming’s standup bit about Trader Joe’s, which has garnered over a million views on YouTube, has become a cultural touchstone among his female fans. In the piece, filmed at Los Angeles’s Dynasty Typewriter, he humorously contrasts the shopping habits of men and women, suggesting that women navigate the store like “witchy laboratories of gastronomic discovery,” guided by an almost mystical connection to the store’s ever-changing snack inventory. Men, he jokes, are drawn to the same blue-corn tortilla chips since pre-Obama, while women “swan dreamily” through aisles, “guided by their foremothers” toward the most obscure products. The bit’s success lies in its ability to resonate with women who feel both seen and honored by its playful generalizations, a rare feat in comedy that often sidelines feminine experiences. Fleming’s physicality on stage is as integral to his act as his words. He moves with a theatricality that blends glam-rock aesthetics with modern dance, often adopting exaggerated gestures to amplify his humor.#hbo #chris_fleming #trader_joes #dynasty_typewriter #lin_manuel_miranda
