Jamie Foxx, in exhilarating Netflix special, lets loose on his recovery, the rumors and a Chicago therapist who took no guff
In April 2023, Jamie Foxx experienced a serious medical complication and was hospitalized in Atlanta, where he was in a coma for some three weeks. As Foxx explains in the exhilarating and inspirational and hilarious and poignant Netflix special “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was …,” when he emerged from the coma, the next step was a stint at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago.
“They flew me to Chicago for my rehab, Chi-town,” Foxx tells the adoring and enthusiastic audience as he commands the Coca-Cola Stage at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, looking every inch the megastar in his buttery leather ensemble with a gold medallion, moving about the stage with grace and strength. “They took care of me, Shirley Ryan …”
Foxx shares how he was wallowing in an echo chamber of self-pity, narcissism and denial, refusing to work with physical therapists (“I’m Jamie Foxx, I don’t need no f- – -ing therapists, why did this s- – – even happen to me in the first place?”), even though he could barely walk a step on his own. Enter a therapist named Holly, who according to Foxx told him: “You gotta knock this s- – – off. This whole ‘Jamie Foxx’ s- – -. Stop this arrogant bulls- – -. That stroke doesn’t give a f- – – about who you are. I’m Holly, motherf- – – – -.’ ”
The healing began.
‘Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was …’
Now, that story might be hyperbolic or even apocryphal, but a Chicago therapist named Holly telling Jamie Foxx to knock it off so they could get to work sure rings true to me. Forget about tough love; the Chicago way is, “You want love? Tough. We’re here to fix you.”
Taped over the course of three shows in early October, with Foxx also writing and executive producing, “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was …” is part stand-up special, part confessional, part setting-the-record straight and a whole lot of church, with Foxx giving all thanks to God throughout the show and even enlisting the audience to serve as choir as he sings, “God is good, all the time …”
In an Instagram message posted in mid-October, Foxx noted he hadn’t been on stage in this type of format in 18 years, but “when people ask me is this a stand-up comedy show I say no it’s an artistic explanation.” That sounds about right. As is the case with any one-person show, “What Had Happened Was …” is an unapologetic ego trip; at one point, Foxx goes through a slideshow of some of his most famous roles and even recites a familiar line or two.
That’s the thing, though; if anyone deserves a one-person celebration of their life and career, it’s Jamie Foxx, especially given what he’s been through. In a little over an hour, Foxx reminds us that he’s a natural raconteur, a brilliant mimic (he kills with impersonations of Wesley Snipes, Denzel Washington, Katt Williams and Donald Trump, among others), and a talented musician whose voice sounds stronger than ever.
Foxx also addresses the insane rumors and conspiracy theories surrounding his unspecified illness, which was shrouded in secrecy because his sister and his daughter valued his privacy and didn’t want his fans to see him while he was in recovery. “The Internet said that Puffy tried to kill me,” he says. “I know what you’re thinking: Did he? Hell naw. … I left them parties early. I was out by NINE.”
Also: “You motherf- – – – -s really thought I was a clone!” Foxx exclaims. “There ain’t enough clone juice in the world to clone me.” With the screen behind him showing Foxx on a boat on the Chicago River, he says the Internet reacted to the picture by saying, “That ain’t no godd- – – Jamie. That’s a clone’ … and then they saw me jump out of a black car to save a Black woman’s purse … and what did the Internet say? ‘That ain’t no godd- – – Jamie. That’s a clone.’ And then you saw me with a white girl: ‘THAT’S Jamie.’ ”
This leads into a flat-out funny musical number in which Foxx claims to have given up white women, singing, “No more white girls, no more potato salad and raisins … no more spray tan … no more white women, no more white girls …
“In public.”
This is also a great-looking and expertly edited special, with director Hamish Hamilton finding perfect crowd reaction shots to sprinkle in. At times the backdrop features photos from Foxx’s life and career, or graphics such as an EKG monitor. A live band provides musical accompaniment for some brilliant and moving musical interludes, including an appearance by Foxx’s guitar-playing daughter, Anelise, and if you can make it through that moment without being moved, you might need the services of Holly the therapist to get your blood pumping again.
The Emmys have a category for Outstanding Variety Special, while the Golden Globes recently introduced the category of Best Performance in a Stand-Up Comedy on Television. It might behoove Jamie Foxx to clear a little extra space on the mantle for some new trophies.
