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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

Latin History for Morons

John Leguizamo

Netflix · 2018 · 1 h 31 min

A chalkboard-driven history class on forgotten Latin heroes.

Watch it free on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

A high-energy, chalkboard-wielding solo show born from a father’s attempt to help his bullied son find a historical role model. John Leguizamo plays a frantic history teacher to an audience he openly labels as morons, using physical comedy and rapid-fire lessons to fill in the gaping holes of standard American education.

Taped at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey, the special captures the stage production that earned Leguizamo a Special Tony Award during its Broadway run at Studio 54. The show tracks 3,000 years of history, including the Aztec and Inca empires alongside Latin soldiers who fought in the American Civil War. The lo-fi classroom set features a large chalkboard, a single chair, and piles of research books scattered across the stage.

The central narrative follows Leguizamo trying to arm his middle-school son against schoolyard bullies by finding a notable Latin hero for a class presentation. Along the way, he mixes historical facts about European conquistadors with physical character comedy and personal family dynamics. While some critics felt the theatrical staging and personal B-plots were slightly forced compared to the educational material, the show’s blend of stand-up and lecture format received widespread praise for challenging historical erasure without losing its humor.

The set list

6 bits

  1. Defending his son against schoolyard slurs

    Confronting a school bully's father to point out that 'beaner' is inaccurate since his family is Colombian and Jewish, not Mexican.

  2. Debunking the European conquest narrative using Guns, Germs, and Steel

    Waving Jared Diamond's book to explain that conquistadors prevailed through smallpox and epidemic germs rather than inherent genetic or intellectual superiority.

  3. Moctezuma meeting Hernan Cortés

    Delivering a prissy, comedic impression of the Aztec emperor surrendering to Cortés because he is 'so butch', justifying the caricature with 'gay immunity' because his brother is gay.

  4. Unsung Latino contributions to the American Revolution

    Outlining how General Bernardo de Gálvez sent weapons, Cuban women sold jewelry to feed patriots, and 10,000 Latinos fought in the Revolutionary War.

  5. Getting sucker-punched during a street altercation

    Recounting getting hit because he took too long trying to curate an insult that would not offend women or the mentally disabled.

  6. Dancing like a white man in 'Trumperica'

    Attempting to dance awkwardly to fit into modern political times before involuntarily reverting to Latin rhythms.

How it plays

Tone
Irreverent, educational, satirical, and heartfelt.
On stage
An energetic, manic academic everyman balancing paternal desperation with charmingly brusque educational lecturing and sharp satire.
Pace
Rapid-fire, frenzied, and high-tempo, interspersed with expressive dance breaks like salsa and merengue.
About
Omission of Latino figures in American history curricula, Ancient Latin civilizations and empires (Mayans, Incas, Aztecs, Muisca), Latino contributions to the American Revolution and U.S. wars, Fatherhood and racial bullying, Colonial genocide and cultural erasure

What the critics said

Praised as a vibrant, educational, and uproariously inventive tour de force driven by Leguizamo's vocal and physical mimicry, though some critics felt certain comedic caricatures and parenting narrative tropes felt dated or sentimental.

In the room: Deeply engaged and emotionally responsive; resonated especially with Latino audiences and youth feeling seen and empowered by their unwritten history.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: netflix.com, playbill.com, imdb.com, broadway.com, nytimes.com, vulture.com, ew.com, en.wikipedia.org, smithsonianmag.com, wbur.org.

Backstory

Inspired by Leguizamo's eighth-grade son being subjected to racial bullying at his private school; Leguizamo conducted extensive independent historical research into 3,000 years of Latino history to help his son find a hero for a school project and counter the absence of Latino history in mainstream curricula.

Details

Released
Taped
New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark
Runtime
1 h 31 min
Where
Netflix
Director
Aram Rappaport
Honors
2018 Special Tony Award2018 Tony Award Nomination for Best Play
Topics
Before
Freak (1998)

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