Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was ... review – a star is born again
This new special featuring Jamie Foxx is a remarkable piece, where the Oscar and Grammy winner shares his experience with a "mystery illness" that almost took his life. You could see it as a heartfelt tribute to God, his supporters, and even to himself, as he emotionally expresses his thankfulness for this second chance. Alternatively, it could be interpreted as a showcase of Hollywood's larger-than-life persona expressed through comedy and music. It also raises questions about contemporary masculinity. Regardless of how you look at it, it definitely leaves an impact.
The newsworthiness of the show, awkwardly titled What Had Happened Was ..., stems from its exploration of the stroke Jamie Foxx suffered in April 2023. This event not only took him out of the public eye but also sparked rumors about his death. In Foxx’s own words, he experienced a kind of death. Restricted to a wheelchair and unable to perform basic tasks, he had to let go of his old, self-centered self in order to allow a more humble version to recover and move forward. He credits his recovery to a straightforward nurse from Chicago who guided him, along with support from his sister, daughters, fans' prayers, and the divine influence that played a role in his journey.
We find out that the stroke Jamie Foxx experienced was seen as a form of divine retribution for not attending church regularly. Fortunately, he has since shown such remorse for his past actions that the show transforms into a spiritual gathering by the end, with him leading the audience in a heartfelt singalong. Prior to that, there are extended shots of him breaking down in tears, pleading with a higher power (“Please, Lord, let me get through this”), alongside his confident stand-up routines where he declares that “Jamie motherfucking Foxx … doesn’t need any therapists.” The rapid transitions between the different aspects of contemporary masculinity are quite jarring as he swings from emotional moments on stage with his 14-year-old daughter to making jokes about no longer being intimate with “white girls.”
It’s clear that Foxx has been deeply impacted by what he’s gone through, and he continues to be a remarkable performer. Whether he's playing the piano, singing, impersonating celebrities like Trump, Denzel Washington, and Jay-Z, or telling stories, he captivates his audience. While it might come across as exaggerated and overly emotional, his gripping account of his near-death experience is genuine and impossible to ignore.
