There are plenty of reasons why New Year’s Eve is the biggest comedy
night of the year. It follows on the heels of that great Trifecta that
is Christmas-Hanukah-Kwanzaa, right about the time your post-holiday
depression has reached its nadir. On a normal year, there’s plenty to
gripe about: lonely standard time; inclement weather; the ten pounds
you gained over Christmas; and that last gift that broke your
pocketbook. Add to that an economic recession which made 2008 look like
a bleaker year than most. We no longer have the money to laugh the
night away, but it’s understandable that most of us want to do it
anyway.
Around the last week of December, stand-up comedians start taking
over small theater venues throughout the Bay Area: Paul Mooney does his
week-long run at the Black Rep; Will Durst and friends descend on Dean
Lesher and Julia Morgan; in San Francisco you have Bobby Slayton, Marga
Gomez, Bucky Sinister, and W. Kamau Bell. Even Oakland has a couple hot
tickets to offer, namely Mike Epps‘ Black Comedy Explosion at
the Paramount, and at Tommy T’s, former Raiderette Anjelah
Johnson doing her latest sketch, “The Nail Shop Lady.”
If nothing else can drag you out of the house this New Year’s Eve,
try those five titillating words: Anjelah Johnson’s Nail Shop Lady. No,
she’s not all that funny. But when you think about it, the 26-year-old
former NFL cheerleader has such an interesting and twisted pedigree,
her sense of humor is really the last thing you need be concerned
about. Johnson has two signature routines, both based on some timeworn
caricature that she appropriated and made her own. First, a sassy
fast-food worker named Bon Qui Qui with an exaggerated Rosie Perez
voice. Second, a nail salon operator whose accent is bizarre and hard
to place — it sounds about 20 percent rural Southern, and 80
percent like an American comedian trying to imitate a first-generation
Vietnamese person. For some reason, this one seems to kill every time.
It might be that the spectacle of Johnson performing the joke is
funnier than the joke itself. That’s worth $85 to $99 … right?
If the prospect of watching an ex-Raiderette for two hours doesn’t
pique your interest, there’s always good old Mike Epps, with his
parodies of Michael Jackson and Sir Mix-a-Lot, and his rather candid
memories of special education class. He’ll take the stage at Oakland’s
Paramount Theater (2025 Broadway) on Dec. 31 (11 p.m., $39.75,
$65.75, $75.75, ParamountTheatre.com). Anjelah
Johnson’s “Nail Shop Lady” comes to Tommy T’s Comedy Steakhouse
(5104 Hopyard Rd., Pleasanton) Dec. 31-Jan. 4. $25-$100. TommyTs.com
