Kate Berlant's 'Parmesan': A Study in Absurdist Satire

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  Media and Entertainment on Fri, Oct 16th, 2026 by Salon
      Locale: UNITED STATES

The Precision of the Absurd: Analyzing Kate Berlant's "Parmesan"

In the landscape of contemporary comedy, few performers navigate the intersection of high art, social discomfort, and absurdist satire with as much surgical precision as Kate Berlant. With the release of her HBO special, Parmesan, Berlant has not only solidified her place in the avant-garde comedic canon but has produced a work that critics are already ranking among the finest specials in the platform's extensive history.

Parmesan does not follow the traditional trajectory of a stand-up special. There is no rapid-fire delivery of punchlines, nor is there a conventional narrative arc based on personal anecdote. Instead, Berlant utilizes the medium of the "special" as a canvas for a meticulously crafted performance piece. The work is a study in tension, exploring the fragile boundary between professional poise and total psychological collapse.

Central to the success of Parmesan is Berlant's mastery of the "cringe" aesthetic. While many comedians use awkwardness as a tool for relatability, Berlant employs it as a weapon of satire. In Parmesan, the discomfort is not a byproduct of the comedy; it is the comedy itself. By leaning into the unnatural silences and the strained social dynamics of the performance, Berlant exposes the artificiality of the public persona. She creates a vacuum of social expectation, forcing the audience to confront their own desire for the performer to "get to the joke," only to find that the joke is the very anticipation of the punchline.

The thematic resonance of the title, Parmesan, mirrors the specific flavor of the comedy: something salty, pungent, and potentially overwhelming if not handled with care. The special functions as a critique of modern celebrity and the curated nature of public identity. Berlant has long specialized in characters who are desperately trying to maintain a facade of competence while being fundamentally undone by their own neuroses. In Parmesan, this theme is elevated to a meta-commentary on the nature of the HBO special itself—the prestige, the lighting, the perceived importance of the "event"—contrasted against the chaotic, fragmented reality of the human psyche.

Critically, Parmesan is being lauded for its rhythmic pacing. The timing is not measured in beats per minute, but in the gradual escalation of tension. The special operates like a coiled spring, tightening throughout its duration. This commitment to the bit—the refusal to blink or break character—demonstrates a level of discipline that elevates the work from a mere sketch to a piece of endurance art. It is this uncompromising vision that has led to the special being ranked among the best, as it pushes the boundaries of what a comedy special can be.

Furthermore, the production values of the HBO special complement the absurdity of the content. The polished, cinematic quality of the filming acts as a foil to Berlant's erratic and volatile energy. This juxtaposition emphasizes the gap between the "institution" of the network and the "anarchy" of the performer.

Ultimately, Parmesan is more than a comedic exercise; it is a reflection of the current cultural moment, where the line between performance and reality has become permanently blurred. Kate Berlant has managed to capture the anxiety of the modern age by embodying it entirely, turning the mirror back on the audience and questioning the very nature of entertainment. By rejecting the traditional structures of the genre, Parmesan achieves a rare feat: it becomes a definitive example of the genre by dismantling it completely.