Wanda Sykes: Not Normal Review: Talking Big On Politics, Race and Social Differences

By Daniel Hart
Published: May 21, 2019
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Netflix stand-up Wanda Sykes: Not Normal
3.5

Summary

Netflix stand-up Wanda Sykes: Not Normal is politically hard-hitting, yet comfortably amusing, as the actress and comedian lands the jokes with proper execution.

You know instantly in Netflix stand-up Wanda Sykes: Not Normal that the American actress and comedian is preaching to a particular demographic in America that do not entertain Donald Trump at all – no exceptions. Wanda Sykes delivers a no-nonsense hit list of problems with politics and race in the USA today. She does not hold back, and that forms the success of her jokes. Wanda is vicious, but crowd-pleasing at the same time, without diluting the content of her opinions.

In the opening of Wanda Sykes: Not Normal, the comedian theorises that Trump is ageing American people when talking about the stress of being President; the great myths are that Barack Obama, George Bush and Bill Clinton markedly aged considerably in the first two years. Trump isn’t; he is ageing America while he relatively looks the same. If there was ever a metaphoric statement for the Celebrity-in-Chief ruining the soul of America, then this it.

Once Wanda Sykes gets past her Trump bashing, which is a teaser for things to come, she swiftly moves to general problems with race and politics. The audience often applauds Wanda Sykes when seeking the unfair differences in American society; she calls out to the crowd, “why can’t black people be heroes” and follows up suitably with funny positive adverts, “I may be black, but I’m also green”. Her landings are considerably accurate.

But she also plausibly discusses the differences between white and black people in Netflix stand-up Wanda Sykes: Not Normal; there’s a story that stands out when she explains head lice. “Hell no, I don’t have head lice” when responding to her white acquaintance.

The Emmy Award Winning writer clearly understands her audience, which is stated right at the start; Netflix stand-up Wanda Sykes: Not Normal is an excellent addition to the streaming platform thumbnails, adding to a plethora of consistently good one-off specials.

Netflix, TV, TV Reviews