Posts by Jeremy Butler

Is it “absence makes the heart grow fonder” or “out of sight, out of mind”? That is the principle question of Tyler’s Perry’s newest stage creation, I Don’t Want To Do Wrong. As usual Tyler Perry continues to demonstrate his mastery of wearing multiple hats, acting as writer, director, and producer. It only requires watching this play a quarter of the way through before realizing that in the world of stage work, Perry has no equal. Balancing comedy, spirituality, and an important message, there’s no wonder why Tyler Perry has become the king of playwrights.

I Don’t Want To Do Wrong is written in Perry’s traditional format for an ensemble play, parallel stories running simultaneously. The main story follows Yolanda (Kislyck Halsey), a medical student and young wife of Jamal (Tony Hightower), a soldier away fighting in Iraq. Due to financial strains, Yolanda is forced to move back in with her mother and father, Rev. Wallace and Hattie (Brilliantly portrayed by House of Payne alum Palmer Williams Jr. and Madea’s Christmas’s Patrice Lovely). In her husband’s absence, Yolanda succumbs to desire and begins having an affair with fellow student Marty (Andre Pitre). Things spiral out of Yolanda’s control when Marty falls in love with her and wants her to leave her husband for him. That coupled with Jamal’s sudden and unannounced return from Iraq spells disaster for Yolanda, who learns the hard way that there’s a cost when you try to have your cake and eat it too.

Stand-up special or biography? As it turns out it was a little of both. Before this DVD I did not know who Paul Rodriguez was; now I am proud to say I’m a bit of a fan. His stand-up, Just for the Record, gave an informative insight into his rise from migrant worker to professional comedian. He exudes an air confidence from beginning to end, but more than that, he breathes soul into his act with stories that make you feel something within yourself and that is something I have not felt from a comedy special in a very long time.

Rodriguez has been a fixture on the comedy circuit for years, getting his start at “The Comedy Store” in West Hollywood, where such notables as Richard Pryor and Robin Williams performed regular sets. Rodriguez first gained notice on the ABC television series, A.K.A. Pablo. Despite the show’s cancellation after only seven episodes, Rodriguez continued to work regularly with guest star roles on Golden Girls, as well as a yearly long stint as the host of The Newlywed Game.

Not my brand of comedy. When it comes to stand-up comedy I am no expert, but I have seen enough comedy specials to understand the mechanics of how they work. That being said, to be successful in comedy it takes comedic timing, the right level of energy, and relatable material. Louie Anderson latest comedy special, Big Baby Boomer is lacking in each of these departments.

I have a vague memory of Louie Anderson from my early childhood. I remember watching the animated series, Life with Louie, Anderson’s two time Emmy award-winning show on the FOX network that was based on his childhood in Wisconsin. Though I wasn’t exactly a fan of the series growing up, I can now acknowledge its place among similar shows of that generation. However, comedy has changed, and it would appear that Louie Anderson’s acclaim as one of Comedy Central’s “100 greatest comedians of all time” is long gone. The evidence for that statement is all over his newest stand-up special.

Started off rocky but pulled it together in the end. That’s my assessment of Suddenly Single, the latest play from established playwright David E. Talbert. Plays are a difficult field to be successful in, as an actor as well as a director; much more challenging than making a film. With a film, thousands if not millions of dollars are spent creating several different detailed environments to better illustrated the fictional world in which the characters live. With a play however, you get one set, and you have to tell an entire story within the confines of that one set.

Play productions of this day and age are also hampered by a rigid and predictable storyline that many must follow; A good individual is wronged by someone, usually a loved one, and suddenly down on their luck. The person wallows in self-pity briefly but usually with the help of friends or family, gains a clear perspective on their former life and realizes that it wasn’t as perfect as it had seemed. Eventually, this person rises above their circumstance and overcomes adversity and the story comes full circle with the person that wronged them usually suffering some karmic payback of some kind .That’s the storyline but in recent years, it has become less about the story and more about the journey. Much of that in no small portion is owed to the newly crowned king of playwrights, Tyler Perry. The downside to that is many new plays run the risk of instantly being compared to Perry’s work, many of which simply not being up to the task. David E. Talbert however, is.

“This movie will be a cult classic.” –Kevin Hart

That’s the quote on the front of the Budz House DVD cover. Well, I never thought I’d see the day that I’d be willing to disagree with Kevin Hart, but here it is. I was hoping that my first official review for this site would be a positive one, but sadly that is not the case. I try to go into every movie without expectations; however, when I picked up Budz House I couldn’t stop myself. I’ve seen Wesley Jonathan in other projects, most notably the basketball drama, Crossover, where he gave a rock-solid performance. Faison Love has a reputation for gracing films with his special brand of comedy. However, when it comes to Budz House, I found very little to make it worth the time spent watching it.