Great stand-ups separate themselves from the pack with confidence and unique viewpoints. Minneapolis comedian Ali Sultan has both, making him the ideal candidate to be featured in the first episode of “Roots of Comedy With Jesus Trejo,” a new series about what drives up-and-coming talent.
The half-hour episode, airing locally at 10 p.m. Friday on TPT, includes snippets from a performance recorded last summer in the Comedy Room at Sisyphus Brewing, one that also features other top talent from the Twin Cities. But Trejo is more interested in delving into his guests’ personal lives, tagging along as Sultan shows off impressive footwork at Ninth Street Soccer and Coffee, goes boating on Lake Minnetonka and coaxes mom into whipping up an Ethiopian dinner. It’s a nice presentation of the Twin Cities, but it’s an even better showcase for Sultan as he moves one step closer to national fame.
Future episodes spotlight other promising comics, like Arizona’s Tatanka Means, Colorado’s Eeland Stribling and Texan Vanessa Gonzalez.
Also this week...
‘Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple’
Bruce Springsteen makes an obligatory appearance to salute his most famous sideman, but this 150-minute documentary is more focused on Van Zandt’s time away from the E Street Band, flexing his considerable muscle as an activist, actor and businessman. Even die-hard fans may be surprised to learn of his collaborations with Darlene Love and Chita Rivera. Some of Van Zandt’s songs, like “I Am a Patriot” and “It’s Been a Long Time,” are so sharp that you wonder why the Boss doesn’t let his buddy trot them out more often during his marathon concerts. 7 p.m. Saturday, HBO
‘Remembering Gene Wilder’
Wilder didn’t make that many great movies, but there are enough classics to his credit to merit this affectionate documentary, which leans heavily on excerpts from the audiobook version of his memoir, “Kiss Me Like a Stranger.” Even film buffs may fidget through the deep probe into 1979′s “The Frisco Kid,” co-starring a young Harrison Ford. But there are enough juicy anecdotes about the making of 1974′s “Young Frankenstein” and 1971′s “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” to help you get through tales about the flops. Netflix
