Tongue Untied

Wanda Sykes steps onto the stage with her trademark exasperation, turning early-2000s anxieties into a series of incredulous rants. She immediately leans into the frustrations of the era, from the tedious realities of post-9/11 airport security to the presidency of George W. Bush, whom she notes has delivered exactly what she expected. Sykes is at her best when she matches her political irritation with her physical presence, shifting seamlessly from national policy to the indignities of getting too drunk and trying to evaluate herself in the mirror. Filmed at the Palace Theatre in Albany, New York, the special caught Sykes at a pivotal moment in her career. Having already won a writing Emmy for The Chris Rock Show and begun her memorable run on Curb Your Enthusiasm, she was rapidly establishing herself as a premiere solo act. Her observations range from macro-level critiques of the Catholic Church and the stock market to a cynical breakdown of marriage, which she compares to a sterile business partnership where children are merely the inventory.