Comedy icon Damon Wayans, whose current tour is titled the “Just Sayin' Tour”, graced the stage of The Bier Baron Tavern and Comedy Loft in D.C. this past weekend for six sold-out performances. The night began with host A.D. Hodge warming the crowd up with a set centering on the moment before you approach thirty. Hodge was constant with his joke-telling, and I look forward to watching him grow as a comic.
Franqi French was up next with a comedy style centered on storytelling and life experience. While I felt that not all of French's jokes landed, she was quick to recover and move on. What I enjoyed most about French's set was how she brought it all together in the end and tied the stories together.
Around 8:00 PM, Wayans took the stage to the adoration of a crowd, ready to laugh until their sides hurt. Wayans told jokes that centered on everything from growing up in New York to playing the dozens and being a grandfather through an almost two-hour set. Wayans delivered joke after joke in rapid succession. Honestly, I expected Damon to revert to some of his In Living Color characters to appease the crowd, but the moment never arrived.
On the contrary, it was great to hear some of Damon's childhood stories and the gratitude he has for his older brother for helping him break into show business. Wayans capped off the night by letting the audience know he initially had dreams of becoming a rapper and then preceded to perform an impressive rap.
Hopefully, the tour is a success, and the right people see how sharp Damon's stand-up game is, as I would love to see him in a Netflix special.
Final Grade: A