Spotlight: Comedy’s Current Queen

“Her refreshingly honest commentary on life is funny because it is what we all think but are afraid to say.”

By Joy Michiel

What you see is not what you get with Whitney Cummings. She looks like a model, but talks like a sailor for that rare combination of beauty and filth. With a shtick that focuses on the trials and tribulations of chemistry, sexism and the art of the couple, Cummings was thrust into a blinding limelight last year becoming involved in two hit sitcoms. She stars in, writes and executive produces her own relationship-themed autobiographical sitcom, “Whitney,” and also co-created and co-wrote another sitcom, “2 Broke Girls.” She also writes her own blog and does stand-up. Clearly, this leggy brunette is an overachiever.

Cummings has found an approach to the relationship wars that's just unique enough to make her take on it compelling. She's a "guy's girl" who surrenders none of her femininity in order to be accepted by the male half, and she's just as honest and critical of women as she is of men. While her act is quite liberal with male bashing it is not maliciously motivated. She also does not fall back on the "we're smart, you're not" monologue. And though much of her material is foul-mouthed and frank about sex and porn and gross guy habits, Cummings never gives off the vibe that she's being dirty for the sake of being dirty. She's not just going for shock value — this is who she is and how she talks.

A year ago Cummings was a little known comedienne with a few minor television and movie credits under her belt. Her rise in the comedy world has been so fast and high profile that it's easy to forget that she's still young and hasn't been doing comedy for that long. She is as close as you can come to an overnight sensation.

While the irrepressible and irreverent Cummings says making people laugh is what fills her up, being a jokester wasn’t the original plan. Her initial goal was to become a journalist. She readily admits to an obsession with injustice and as a curious kid, was always asking a million questions. That’s what you do as a journalist — you investigate something. She just happens to do it on stage in front of drunken strangers.

She is an observational comic. Her refreshingly honest commentary on life is funny because it is what we all think but are afraid to say. Her self-disparagement also is refreshing, as is her serious caution to women not to mutilate themselves to be attractive. You often get the sense that she is flying by the seat of her pants and some of this stuff just comes out. She's at her best when she's being herself.

Whitney Cummings is an attractive woman who takes numerous shots at herself throughout, referring to her figure as boy like. Even though she’s a knockout, with her engaging and dynamic sense of humor, she’s hard not to like.

Whitney Cummings plays MontBleu Resort Saturday, Feb. 4, at 10 p.m. Tickets range from $45 to $55. For more information, call (775) 588-3515.