My Cultural Diet

I’ve been a fan of Jamie Foxx ever since the In Living Color days. With his standup comedy, musical releases, and acclaimed performances in Ray, Collateral, Django Unchained, and They Cloned Tyrone, Foxx has become one of Hollywood’s most versatile and charismatic personalities. But in the spring of 2023, Foxx’s career, and even his very life, seemed to be on the precipice after a mysterious health scare left him hospitalized for weeks. Various rumors circulated during that time, including ones that he’d been cloned or replaced. So on this Netflix special, Foxx sets the record straight. Falling somewhere between a standup routine, a concert, and a sermon, What Had Happened Was… is a bit meandering due to Foxx’s numerous bits and impressions. But it’s also deeply emotional and spiritual, even with all of the crass and profane jokes. Foxx breaks down in tears on multiple occasions as he recalls his stroke and subsequent hospitalization and rehab as well as the profound realizations he had concerning his life, career, and faith. When he leads the audience in a round of “God is good/All the time/All the time/God is good,” it might just be the most worshipful moment Netflix has ever streamed.

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