Donnell Rawlings – From Ashy to Classy

Donnell Rawlings is a very funny fast paced comic. The title of his Comedy Central special and stand-up comedy DVD From Ashy to Classy is a reference to a character Rawlings played on The Chappelle Show.

Rawlings is a current affairs commentary type comic with an original and funny take on things. He also has a great talent for imitation and observation. You are going to love Donnell Rawlings. This DVD is a must

It is already difficult to make material about Tiger Woods’ wood problems and Obama stand out from the rest of the stuff but Rawlings does exactly that at the beginning of this comedy DVD. This segues nicely into an Indian bit and one on racist Gummy Bears.

The audience keeps laughing all the way through the bit on the differences between early on and later on in a relationship. Then again, Donnell Rawlings keeps the audience laughing all the way through, period.

You are going to love the Michael Jackson bit. Yes, the topic is deader than Michael but Rawlings makes sure the beat goes on.

Still funny but obviously recycled is the We Are the World bit. It does segue nicely into a very good Springsteen routine. It would have been nice to have more on Springsteen the sexual predator.

Donnell Rawlings then goes for some excellent material about growing up poor. His cop bit is one of the funniest I have ever heard.

The one weak element on this stand-up comedy DVD is the camera work. The camera misses an important physical visual support in the Michael Jackson routine, another during the Springsteen imitation, and the same joke twice in the Atlanta section.  It also cuts to audience reaction too often.

From Ashy to Classy
Donnell Rawlings
Stand-up Comedy DVD
Image Entertainment 2010
62 minutes

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