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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

Tongue Untied

Wanda Sykes

Comedy Central · 2003 · 42 min

An exasperated look at early-2000s politics and personal relationships.

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.

The set list

7 bits

  1. Airport security and President Bush's post-9/11 approval ratings

    Argues Bush did exactly what she expected by running the economy into the toilet, entering war, and setting everything on fire, adding he did not know anything before 9/11 because he did not get smart until after.

  2. Investing in marijuana instead of the stock market

    Claims she protects her money from market volatility by investing entirely in weed because the price never goes down.

  3. Patronizing television pitches

    Rants against a studio executive's pitch where she would play a lottery-winning maid who stays on the job because she loves the family too much.

  4. The Catholic Church scandal

    Delivers an impassioned, curse-filled rant demanding the Pope use stronger, harsher language against pedophile priests.

  5. Condoleezza Rice at the hair salon

    Riffs on the national security advisor accidentally blabbing classified government secrets while chatting at the beauty parlor.

  6. Driving in Los Angeles

    Laments having to drive constantly in California because it gets in the way of her drinking.

  7. The closer (spoiler). Show it

    Why women fake pleasure closer

    Closes the hour by dissecting female sexual psychology and explaining why women pretend to enjoy sex.

How it plays

Tone
Critical, impudent, irreverent, and nonpartisan.
On stage
Spunky, honest comic combining sassy body language, a squeaky voice, and a mischievous smile with eloquent disgust and wicked dourness.
Pace
Lively tempo marked by whipsaw inflections, confident barbs, and animated rants.
About
airport security and post-9/11 politics, George W. Bush administration, Catholic Church scandal, drinking and drunk driving, gender communication and strip clubs, marriage and children

What the critics said

Praised by critics as funny, fresh, and insightful; reviews highlighted that her winning persona, sassy stage presence, and authentic emotional edge sold both classic stand-up topics and political satire.

In the room: A live theater audience that reacted with enthusiastic roars of laughter.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, allmovie.com, dvdtalk.com, nytimes.com, ew.com.

Backstory

Early 2000s post-9/11 America, the George W. Bush presidency, the build-up to the Iraq War, and the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal. The title references Marlon Riggs's 1989 documentary 'Tongues Untied'.

Details

Released
Taped
Palace Theater, Albany
Runtime
42 min
Where
Comedy Central
Director
Paul Miller
Topics
Before
Comedy Central Presents (1998)
After
Sick & Tired (2006)

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