Cristela Alonzo’s Middle Classy review: This hour-long show about race and stereotypes is a lot of fun

3.5/5

Story: In this Netflix special, comedienne Cristela Alonzo talks about what it means to be first-generation kid of immigrant parents and her rags-to-riches story. She flashes her pearly whites (which she spent a lot of money on) the entire time while telling us that how different and better off her life is now on the hour-long show.

Review: Very often, when watching comedy by American or British artistes, there are certain names and references that do not strike a bell, because they are too rooted in their culture. Cristela Alonzo’s second Netflix special, Middle Classy, is about her Latin American upbringing, and pokes fun at her Mexican roots, with stuff like the fact that half her relatives are documented and the others aren’t, which also means shared birth certificates, since they all anyway look similar. And yet, it never once feels alien; you relate to it at some level.

Cristela dedicates the entire hour to observational humour from moments spent with family and friends and even includes a dig at Netflix for sending her a blanket and candle for her birthday. There is stuff about her early years in poverty, learning English without a thick Mexican accent by watching TV, a college roommate’s mother’s ‘racism’, which seemed okay back then, but is ‘not acceptable’ today and so on and so forth. She then proceeds to tell us about how her fortunes have changed – she has medical insurance now – which means she has to get a check up when she is not unwell – and can afford to buy bottled water and items that are not marked down at Target now. Hell, she even bought herself all the toys she couldn’t afford as a child.

The jokes are not ground-breaking, but Cristela’s easy-going charm in delivering them is what makes them work. When she tells you intimate details about her personal life, you end up with a smile on your face and that’s the greatest victory for Cristela. Her material is relatable and very enjoyable.

What I liked most about the special was that Cristela doesn’t drop too many f-bombs or other expletives. Even the description of her first trip to the gynaecologist and eventual diabetes diagnosis was quite hilarious.

Verdict: Middle Classy is a big slice of Cristela’s life over the years that may not have you rolling over the floor in fits of laughter, but will definitely leave you with a smile. It’s totally worth the one-hour streaming time.