DVD REVIEW
Anjelah Johnson: That’s How We Do It!
Rating: 2 1/2 stars (out of 5)
By Ryan P. Carey
Mad TV alum and former Oakland Raiders cheerleader Anjelah Johnson’s new DVD, That’s How We Do It! delivers a very character heavy performance. Johnson brings back her Mad classics like “Bon Qui Qui” and the Vietnamese manicurist. She also portrays new parodies like the overly excited airline flight attendant or hip-hop hype man — the latter for which Johnson breaks out some sweet beat-boxing skills. She even gives us some real-life Raiders cheerleader material.
The best moments on That’s How We Do It! are when Johnson jokes about her unique real-life experiences. Unfortunately, this is a low percentage of the material. Her knack for doing Latino, black and Asian characters pleases the crowd, but gets a bit drawn out, and relies on images we’re already familiar with rather than generating anything creative.
Directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, the DVD ends with a dance routine for which a full squad of cheerleader-esque performers work it onstage for the audience. Johnson shows off her dance team chops in this slightly odd choice of venue. At times, it seems that the DVD is trying to sell Johnson as a product as a multi-talented girl-next-door who can dance and do impressions and beat-box and has an admittedly gorgeous smile. My concern is that this special would be far less entertaining as a CD, which means that there’s a definite style-over-substance approach to her comedy.
That’s How We Do It! is enjoyable and entertaining for comedy fans who appreciate an America’s Got Talent style of comedy.
Ryan P. Carey, D.D.S. is a Philadelphia-based comic and senior contributing writer for STAGE TIME. Check out his blog at http://dolphindentist.blogspot.com.
