Tommy Davidson

Sly Stallone is beating the dead horse also known as Rambo one more time, and fans everywhere are cringing in their theater seats. But there’s one way to improve Rambo: See Tommy Davidson’s stand-up routine first. That’s right! The very same Tommy Davidson made famous by In Living Color, Boo and Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls has Stallone down pat, complete with equestrian lip curl and deep, gravelly voice. Seeing Rambo with a mental image of Davidson might make it a little more bearable.

When he’s not goofing on the Italian Stallion, Davidson’s doing Sammy Davis, Jr. beat-boxing to a little hip-hop and detailing why bad guys like Freddie Krueger wouldn’t last five minutes in a black neighborhood. In the bit, he speaks to an imaginary person, pointing at Freddie. “Hey, Raymond, look at the dude with the hat on. …Hold on, here he come, here he come. What’s up man?” Then he’s Freddie Kruger: “What’s up with you? Ha, ha, ha.” Imaginary man: “Ha, ha, hell. … you better get out my face, looking like a walking pork rind…Take off that fake Michael Jackson glove with them butter knives sticking out of it ‘fore I bust your A… I’m serious, Fred, I ain’t in the mood…I got a lot on my mind, baby. It’s a black thing, you wouldn’t understand.”

Sure, Stallone and horror movies are easy targets, but that doesn’t make Davidson any less funny. See Rambo, ah, we mean Davidson, at 8 p.m. today, 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The Improv, 7620 Katy Freeway. For information, call 713–333–8800 or visit www.improv2.com. $22.
Thu., Feb. 7, 8 p.m.; Feb. 7-8, 8 & 10:30 p.m.; Sat., Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m., 2008