Claudia Wallace and Antoine McKay Magically Solve White People’s Problems at The Second City in 2005

Welcome to The Second City Archives, in which we post an exclusive clip each week of some of comedy’s biggest superstars performing early in their careers on the legendary Chicago stage. Second City has generously given us a glimpse into their extensive archive of live performances, and over the coming weeks we’ll be sharing some rare and retro comedy never before seen on the web.

With all the Trump headlines in the news this month – not to mention Trump’s comments on Frederick Douglass that seemed to imply the president thinks he’s still alive – it seems like the US decided to forget about honoring Black History Month this year altogether. Thankfully, Second City sent us a great clip this week from the 2005 revue Iraqtile Dysfunction that educates the audience about one small facet of black history – specifically, stereotyping black people in film as wise, magical figures like the Oracle in the Matrix movies whose only job is to solve white people’s problems. “If you haven’t figured it out by now, we’s mystical black folk,” Antoine McKay tells the audience. “That’s right,” Claudia Wallace adds, “and we’re here to help white people when they can’t help themselves!” Watch the full scene above.

Claudia Wallace and Antoine McKay Magically Solve […]