Roy Wood Jr. doesn't want to be known as just a "race" comic, but for the moment, that label describes him at his best.
As a correspondent for "The Daily Show With Trevor Noah," Wood has contributed a variety of smart pieces, but his take on being a frustrated black man in a post-Obama America have stood out.
Those attending his performance Friday at the Minneapolis Woman's Club probably had a similar take away.
Wood, 38, slowly, yet comfortably paced the stage during his 65-minute act as he tackled a variety of issues inclulding his love for McRibs ("I know it's probably squirrel, but it's delicious"), the price of smoothies ("They're so expensive, I'm surprised rappers don't mention them in their songs') and the burden of student loans ("Why do I have to pay you for things I don't rmember?")
But the centerpiece of his act was a 10-minute riff on how, following the November elections, he has come to feel sorry for real racists and how they must be ticked at those who just recently joined the bandwagon.
"They were drinking the Kool Aid while I was making it," said Wood, putting himself in the shoes of a Klu Klux Klan member who must be irked that white-surpremist meetings are never held close to the freeway. He also had a hilarious anecdote on how a die-hard racist in his Alabama neighborhood was willing to set his alarm clock early just so he could heckle an interracial couple during their morning jog.
It would be unfair to define Wood just as a comic who just scores on racial issues. A the same time, few performers today have more amusing, thought-provoking takes on the subject. I'm happy that former "Daily Show" correspondent Jordan Klepper is getting his own show on Comedy Central, but I was hoping Wood would be the first member of Noah's support team to land his own series, especially after the network gave up too early on Larry Wilmore.
Wood just might be his rightful heir.
