Akintunde: The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But … (DVD Review)
13 May, 2012 By: Ashley RatcliffStreet 5/15/12
Arrow
Comedy
$16.99 DVD
Not rated.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet Akintunde, the charismatic comedian with a funny-sounding name (pronounced “Ah-kin-toon-day”). Thankfully, he’s also a genuinely funny man in his own right.
Known as the “Minister of Comedy,” the Christian comic presents his Sunday best in this commendable hour-long stand-up special. Akintunde shares his “grown man rules” about using public restrooms, gym shower rooms and pet ownership; offers relationship advice; and even talks politics.
At 40 and with five children, the comedian uses aging (he’s got a shiny, bald head) and experiences with parenthood to garner uproarious laughter from the audience.
I, personally, am not a fan of overly raunchy, sexually explicit stand-up comedy routines, so it was refreshing to see Akintunde show his comedic prowess with wholesome stories about clean-but-still-entertaining subject matters. Especially amusing is the bit about how he scared the living daylights out of his deep-voiced son as a loving act of payback, and how his attempt to dazzle his wife and kids with an illegal fireworks show in front of the family home one Fourth of July went horribly awry.
To me, the funniest part of The Truth was about the comic praying through his struggles because it’s something I definitely can relate to. At the same time, his quips about church may seem like inside jokes to those who don’t attend “black” churches. Nonetheless, Akintunde has a wider appeal due to the feel-good nature of his style of comedy.