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I'ma Be Me

Wanda Sykes

HBO · 2009 · 1 h 30 min

Stand-up about political relief, public coming out, and new motherhood.

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The election of Barack Obama gave Wanda Sykes a specific kind of relief: she could finally stop acting so dignified. With a Black man in the Oval Office, she figures the pressure is off the rest of the community to be perfect representatives. That tension release sets the tone for a set built around major life shifts. She talks about publicly coming out as gay in the wake of Proposition 8, marrying a French woman, and suddenly finding herself living in a house full of white people. The contrast between her inherited identity and her chosen one yields the strongest material of the night, particularly a routine about how coming out as gay is fundamentally harder than being Black, mostly because nobody has to sit their parents down and break the news of their race.<br><br>Filmed at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., the 2009 HBO broadcast caught Sykes at a pivot point. She was 45, a new mother to twins, and about to launch her own late-night talk show on Fox. The performance earned two Emmy nominations and wide critical praise. She ties broad policy topics to highly specific personal grievances, peaking during a detour about being the only person wearing a shirt on an all-male gay cruise.

The set list

6 bits

  1. Having a Black president and African-American stereotypes

    Observes that Barack Obama's election frees her from caring about white scrutiny, allowing her to dance in public, buy whole watermelons, and visit Popeye's.

  2. Media questions about the 'real' Michelle Obama

    Calls out media rhetoric expecting Michelle Obama to act stereotypically 'sassy' and performs an impression of Michelle having a metal rod in her neck to keep from juking and jiving.

  3. Performing as an entertainer on a gay cruise

    Details her experiences on a week-long cruise, noting the surreal dynamic of seeing naked gay men waiting in line for breakfast.

  4. Illegal immigration

    Jokes that if an intruder broke into her house and vacuumed, she would be confused but would not call the police.

  5. Viagra and male aging

    Argues that older men should require written notes from women before receiving prescriptions for 'broke dick,' comparing it to double standards in women's health care.

  6. The closer (spoiler). Show it

    Getting a first bikini wax and bodily aging closer

    Describes naming her muffin top and having to put Icy Hot on her waxed skin.

How it plays

Tone
Irreverent, edgy, political, raunchy, and topical.
On stage
Pointed, swaggering, outspoken, loud, and in-your-face with an unapologetic attitude and sharp delivery.
Pace
Confident energy with a natural, flowing progression moving from topical political commentary into personal revelations.
About
Barack Obama and the First Family, African-American stereotypes and race relations, Coming out and LGBT rights, Marriage and motherhood, Aging and bodily changes, Health care reform

What the critics said

Praised for Sykes's swagger, strong comedic timing, and hilarious impressions, though some critics felt certain punchlines were safe or recycled from previous appearances.

In the room: Strong, enthusiastic laughter echoing throughout the theater as she was described as killing the crowd.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, essence.com, allmovie.com, imdb.com, thecomicscomic.com, nypost.com, huffpost.com, exclaim.ca.

Backstory

Filmed following the election of Barack Obama, California's Proposition 8 vote, Sykes's recent public coming out as a lesbian, marriage, entering motherhood with twins, and her controversial routine at the 2009 White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

Details

Released
Taped
Warner Theatre, Washington
Runtime
1 h 30 min
Where
HBO
Director
Beth McCarthy-Miller
Honors
Nominated for 2010 Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy SpecialNominated for 2010 Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special
Topics
Before
Sick & Tired (2006)
After
What Happened...Ms. Sykes? (2016)

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