Comedian Tig Notaro just released a standup set she did a few months ago during which she spoke candidly about her cancer, her mother’s death, her pneumonia, and her breakup… just a devastating series of events for anyone to go through. Even moreso when it happens within a few month span.

The whole set is heartbreaking but funny, depressing but uplifting. Definitely worth listening to. But there’s one part in particular that stood out to me.

It takes place about 20 minutes into the 30-minute set, after Notaro has talked about all the shit she’s had to deal with. She talks about the cliché people often tell you when you’re struggling with life…:

What’s nice about all of this is that you can always rest assured that God never gives you more than you can handle. [Pause] Never. Never. When you’ve had it, God goes, “All right, that’s it.” I just keep picturing God going, “You know what…? I think she can take a little more.” And then the angels are standing back, going, “God, what are you doing? You’re out of your mind!” And God was like, “No, no, no, I really think she can handle this.” “Why, God? Like, why? Why?” “I don’t know, I just, you know, trust me on this. She can handle this.” God is insane, if there at all.

What an honest reaction to an awful comment. If and when things get better for Notaro, it’ll be because of doctors, friends, and her own high spirits. Not because God is looking out for her best interests.



