Sykes Had Tough Act to Follow, Says Comedy Pro
D.C. Comedy Pro Richard Siegel Reviewed Sykes Performance for WHCInsider
What is the hardest job in the country? It’s to follow President Obama. Wanda Sykes, grabbed the microphone, commanded the stage; she was bold, not over the top, brash not X-rated, cool, calm, collected and yes, very funny. She stunned the audience numerous times, as people would look around, dressed in their black tie attire, wondering if it was okay to laugh. No subject was out of bounds. Wanda knew how far to go, knew her boundaries, attacked every target, but did not get too racy nor leave any subject alone. Sykes talked about Obama’s nipples when he appears without a shirt, and of course, discussed the “legacy” of Bush, the guest who stayed in your house and got out of town before you noticed that he broke everything.
As I watched Wanda confidently address the country and the journalists, I felt like a proud parent. I have watched Wanda grow from an open mike comedienne and comedy contestant in the 80s to what she is today, a major force in comedy. Her style has changed, as in the early days her sarcasm was one of her most powerful weapons. Tonight, it was her charm, confidence and charisma that stood out.
A few jokes got gasps, about teachers sleeping with their students, and the Bush shoe jokes fell flat. But I admire her nerve, taking on Rush Limbaugh, as the 20th hijacker, messed up on OxyContin, Dick Cheney for his defense of torture, Biden for his tendency to speak off-the-cuff. There are many who will challenge her material and ability, simply because she tackled her subjects with voracity. Nothing was taboo including President Obama’s basketball skill. But as Lenny Bruce did in the early days of comedy and Colbert did a couple years ago with his attack on George Bush, being a pioneer in comedy doesn’t make you popular.
The proud parent watched as his child grew up, 20 years later, relying on her charm and her scathing words to follow a rock star. She didn’t need her sarcasm or her X-rated material. All she needed was her stage presence, impeccable delivery, guile, irreverence and solid material. I will watch the critics and pundits certainly attack her because of her shock value. But I will watch more closely at Wanda Sykes’s career, as she soars to new heights as a social commentator and the powerful comedienne she has become.
Check out Siegel’s comments elsewhere on WHCInsider about Wanda’s first comedy contest: How Local Girl Wanda Sykes Made Good Using Bad Words
