The laughs were plentiful on Friday, September 17th, when legendary comedian Bruce Bruce graced the stage of the Improv in Washington D.C. I have been a fan of the comedy styling of Bruce Bruce for nearly two decades, and my first time getting hip to Bruce Bruce goes back to his days as the host of New Orleans 10th Anniversary Party Gras edition of BET’S Comic View.
Ira Coleman served as the MC of the night and Bruce’s opening act. Coleman took the stage around 7:40 and instantly won the crowd over with his rapid-fire jokes about his non-celebrity status, in addition to jokes about topics ranging from growing up down south to his parenting skills. Coleman impressed me so much with his comedy that I instantly followed him on the gram once his set was complete.
It was then time for the man of the hour to grace the stage. Bruce Bruce was met with thunderous applause and let the crowd know he was happy to be back in the DMV area. Throughout a 90-minute set, Bruce Bruce touched on numerous topics.
Joke topics included his weight, politics, and Hollywood. He even gave a TED talk to the men in the audience about the art of chivalry. This show was my first time seeing Bruce Bruce live, but it will not be the last. The next time he’s in town, I highly encourage you to check him out.
Final Grade: B
This past Friday marked the 40th anniversary of “The Voice,” a.k.a. Whiney Houston’s self-titled debut album hitting stores. So, in that regard, it was only right to give Nippy her flowers for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
For this weekend’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to take a trip to Motor City and show some love to soul singer Dwele. It was 2005, and I was living in the UK as part of my Air Force enlistment. Dwele had just released his second album, “Some Kinda,” enjoying some chart success with the lead single “I Think I Love U,” by Mike City.
The remainder of the album maintains a classic R&B vibe, showcasing the group’s signature sound. One of the standout tracks is “Maybe Tomorrow,” featuring the iconic Phyllis Hyman. It transforms difficult circumstances into positive outcomes—essentially making lemonade from lemons.