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ED2011 4/5 Reviews ED2011 Comedy Reviews
The W. Kamau Bell Curve – Ending Racism In About An Hour (Bound And Gagged Comedy)
By James Hampson | Published on Friday 12 August 2011
Accosted by flyer-throwers on my way in, I said I was heading to ‘that racism show’, quick to add at their stunned faces, ‘The one about ending it!’ Bell starts off both ideological and humble, stating he will not use meek language such as ‘minority’ and ‘Caucasian’, then shows a 2005 clip of himself predicting Obama will never be President. Using a slideshow and Jon Stewart-esque cuts to clips for maximal effect, Bell has us hanging on every word. He plays to a 98% white UK audience and hits it where it squirms with lines like, ‘You guys never really bought into the Black thing,’ which are left hanging for subtlety’s sake. Yet, for Bell, the room swells with warmth.
Pleasance Courtyard, 3 – 29 Aug (not 10, 17), 9.30pm (10.30pm), £6.00 – £12.00, fpp165.
tw rating 4/5
[jh]