Wisecrack

wisecrack - Tenderfoot tv

When documentary maker, Jodi Tovay, goes to an Edinburgh Fringe comedy show, she’s shocked by a story she hears. Comedian Edd Hedges tells his audience about the horrifying night when his childhood bully stabbed two people to death, including his own mother, and then knocked on his front door. It’s dark, gripping and… a bit funny? I know this, because most of Wisecrack’s first episode is a recording of the same set that Tovay heard that day. You are brought into the story just as Tovay was. And you completely understand why she wanted to make the resulting podcast, which digs into the events of that evening.

What makes this podcast so interesting is that it’s gripping despite knowing who the crime’s victims and perpetrator are from the first episode. Rather than being a whodunnit, it evolves into a sensitive exploration of storytelling ethics and ownership. The at times tense relationship between Hedges and Tovay becomes a compelling subplot, as the comedian wrestles with letting a journalist interpret his material, all while confronting the ironic reality that the story he's been telling isn't really his to tell. It poses uncomfortable questions about who has the right to tell someone else's tragedy, whether through comedy or journalism. It's unlike anything I've heard, and that alone merits your time.