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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

I Might Need Security

Jamie Foxx

HBO · 2002 · 65 min

An Oakland hour anchored by a strong musical finale.

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Jamie Foxx possesses a frustrating amount of talent, and he spends a good chunk of his 2002 HBO hour proving it. While the traditional stand-up material here is standard early-2000s observational fare, the back half shifts into a musical performance that most touring comics could not attempt. Sitting at a grand piano, he delivers vocal impersonations of Babyface and Luther Vandross, along with Prince singing the Brady Bunch theme song. It is a flex of sheer musical capability, culminating in an original R&B ballad centered entirely around the phrase “fuck you” that Chance the Rapper eventually sampled for a 2018 track.\n\nFilmed at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, California, the hour catches a performer between two phases of fame. He had already established his dramatic acting chops in Any Given Sunday and Ali, but was still a couple of years away from winning an Oscar for Ray. The stand-up material reflects his changing status. Rather than straightforward club comedy, the act relies heavily on his newfound proximity to A-list celebrities and an extended story about traveling to Africa after a movie shoot.

The set list

4 bits

  1. Singing impressions of Babyface, Luther Vandross, and Prince

    Demonstrates his vocal ability and comedic range by mimicking the distinctive singing styles and mannerisms of iconic R&B artists.

  2. Michael Jackson moonwalking on MTV

    Physical impression depicting a sluggish Michael Jackson clumsily attempting to moonwalk.

  3. O.J. Simpson's walking style

    Physical comedy impression characterizing O.J. Simpson walking as though he is trying to scrape blood off the bottom of his shoe.

  4. Africa trip routine

    Comic narrative and observations regarding a segment on visiting Africa.

How it plays

Tone
Outrageous, uninhibited, musical, and topical.
On stage
Multi-talented performer, physical impressionist, and powerhouse singer blending stand-up with vocal musical chops.
Pace
High-energy, physically expressive, and dynamic.
About
Celebrity impressions, Music and singing, Pop culture and scandals, Race and current events

What the critics said

Enthusiastically received as an exceptional showcase of Foxx's multifaceted comedy and musical talents, widely praised by critics as Foxx at his absolute funniest.

In the room: A sold-out, electric Oakland theater crowd brought to their feet by the musical impressions.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: allmovie.com, wikidata.org, letterboxd.com, paleycenter.org, latimes.com, rottentomatoes.com, dvdtalk.com.

Backstory

His first solo comedy special for HBO, recorded in the wake of the 9/11 cultural environment.

Details

Released
Taped
Paramount Theater, Oakland
Runtime
65 min
Where
HBO
Director
Chuck Vinson
Topics
Before
Straight from the Foxxhole (1993)
After
What Had Happened Was... (2024)

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