We're pretty sure it's called "acting"

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on December 6th, 2006

AP movie writer David Germain embarasses himself in his review of “Unaccompanied Minors” by complaining about what the director has done to Lewis Black:

How do you defang and declaw caustic standup comic and commentator Lewis Black? Stick him in a PG-rated holiday family movie, then stand back and watch the laughs not pile up.

We suspect that Germain was also sorely disappointed that George Carlin didn’t school the kiddies on the seven dirty words while narrating Thomas The Tank Engine? It’s a PG-13 movie!

Perhaps this is Germain’s wink and a nudge to his young readers that he, too, is “hip” to the “youth culture.” His way of telegraphing that “Hey, kids (those under 50), I know who Lewis Black is!” Either that, or AP is hiring 15-year-olds to review movies.

Is it not a time-honored tradition for edgy comedians and others to put aside their acts for roles that do not necessarily incorporate their onstage personae? Is it inconceivable that Black might star in a movie and not be waggling his finger and saying “fuck” while speaking truth to power? Where has Germain been?

And why is Black portrayed as a passive party to all this? We’re fairly certain that Black himself put aside the claws and fangs (in exchange for a hefty paycheck) and that the original script made it quite clear that Black’s character was several shades lighter than that which we saw/heard onstage at Carnegie Hall.

And, had he taken movie role after movie role that had the trademark Black claws and fangs, simps like Germain would be tearing him apart and calling him a “one-note” performer.

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