Tracy Morgan is known primarily for his work on Saturday Night Live and for playing a skewed version of himself on 30 Rock, so a lot of people might not be as familiar with his stand-up career. Or they might at least remember the controversy that exploded after he stated on stage that he’d be upset if his kid turned out to be gay. But this is Tracy Morgan we’re talking about, so of course he’s going to continue taking to the stage undaunted, and now he’s back with a new hour-long special, Tracy Morgan: Bona Fide, on Comedy Central.
If there’s a thesis statement for Bona Fide it’s that these are dark times. The two secondary through lines are “white people are different than black people” and “Tracy Morgan has a craaazy family.” Not exactly unique stuff for a stand-up, and Morgan may disappoint people expecting some of the absurdity that he brought to his role on 30 Rock and that he brings to his appearances on late-night talk shows. He only dips into that realm late during an extended bit about role-playing with his significant other, and even then you have to dig through some gratuitous crassness to appreciate the bit’s absurd streak.
To the extent Bona Fide is successful, it is because of Morgan’s energy. He is a dynamic performer to be sure. When he is stalking the stage and yelling in that trademark delivery of his, there is something there worth watching. He does elicit a few strong laughs based on a few particularly well-worded, well-delivered lines. Morgan also acts out a few jokes with impressive, humorous detail. Alas, these high moments are few and far between. There is a lot of chaff within that wheat.
Some of the jokes feel destined to be dated, which may not be much of a concern for a comedy special. There will probably be others. Still, jokes about Michael Douglas’ cancer don’t seem likely to age well, especially since Morgan doesn’t really have anything funny to go to from there. Too often, he leans on being sexually explicit in lieu of jokes. He does impressions of family members that don’t have any joke to them, and the viewer probably doesn’t have any frame of reference for these impressions, making this an exercise in futility. On occasion, Morgan loses his energy, and takes a seat, the sweat clearly pooling on his shirt. To borrow a phrase from Morgan himself, these are the dark times. Without his energy in full effect, Morgan does not have the material to carry himself.
The fact is that there is nothing here in Tracy Morgan: Bona Fide that you probably haven’t seen before, and Morgan doesn’t do any of it particularly well. He rose above the poverty he grew up in to do things like party with Prince, and he certainly seems interesting in talking about. If only he had taken the time to really mine it for humor. Even if you have the energy and performing chops of a Tracy Morgan, sometimes it’s not enough to sustain anything beyond a decent hour of stand-up comedy. At least this time he likely won’t generate any controversy. He didn’t do anything nearly interesting enough to do so.