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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

We Are Still Here

Jimmie Walker & Michael Winslow

Comedy Dynamics · 2018 · 73 min

Two veteran comics split an hour between sound effects and nostalgia.

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Released , on Comedy Dynamics.

Michael Winslow mimicking the chime of an airplane flight-attendant call button with his mouth is the sort of stage trick that shouldn’t work for thirty minutes, yet he turns vocal noises into an entire vaudeville routine. When Jimmie Walker takes the mic, the show shifts into unvarnished road-dog material, recalling the era when a household television had three channels and a kid had to change the station using a pair of pliers.

Filmed at the Palace Theatre in Los Angeles in November 2017 and released by Comedy Dynamics in 2018, the double-bill brings together two performers from late-twentieth-century screen comedy who built durable second careers on the club circuit. Walker had spent decades on the road after his run on Good Times, deliberately bypassing political arguments in favor of traditional club rhythms and jokes about aging. Winslow, known for his vocal audio impressions throughout the Police Academy movies, supplies an uninterrupted stream of engine hums, guitar feedback, and simulated instruments.

The 73-minute release divides stage time between their separate sets before bringing them together for a collaborative finale. It arrived on streaming storefronts with virtually no critical coverage, serving as a live document for two touring veterans who took the title literally.

Notable bits & set list

3 bits

  1. Complaints about modern technology and political correctness

    Walker observes how far things have fallen since the good old times, decrying texting, cell phones, and PC culture, declaring: 'We need to cut the crap right now!'

  2. Michael Winslow's entrance and sound effects

    Winslow greets the audience with 'I'm Mike. I make noises. And so do you,' before launching into his vocal sound impressions.

  3. The closer (spoiler). Show it

    Gratitude to the audience closer

    Winslow concludes his performance by thanking the crowd: 'You gave me a real life and a career... I am indebted to you.'

How it plays

Tone
Nostalgic, lighthearted, observational, and clean.
On stage
Walker presents an old-school, clean observational persona described as his generation's Andy Rooney; Winslow performs as a vocal wizard and sound effects impersonator.
Pace
Split co-headlining format where Walker takes the stage first with topical commentary followed by Winslow halfway through with energetic vocal noises and impersonations.
About
Modern societal changes vs. the past, Cell phones and texting, Political correctness, Vocal sound effects and noise imitation, Gratitude and career longevity

What the critics said

Sean L. McCarthy of The Comic's Comic characterized Walker as an Andy Rooney-like observational comic lamenting modern society, while praising Winslow as remaining an effective vocal wizard who delivers his set with genuine warmth and gratitude.

In the room: Walker reported the crowd was very nice, supportive, and engaged with the material.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: comedydynamics.com, imdb.com, primevideo.com, tvguide.com, thecomicscomic.com, closerweekly.com, 800poundgorillamedia.com.

Backstory

Filmed as part of Comedy Dynamics' six-special 'The Legends of Comedy Tour' showcase at The Palace Theater in Los Angeles to spotlight older-generation comedians across streaming platforms.

Details

Released
Taped
2017, The Palace Theater, Los Angeles
Runtime
73 min
Where
Comedy Dynamics
Director
Brian Volk-Weiss
Topics

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