Jay's Way

On Saturday Night Live, during the years when Lorne Michaels wasn't there, the two biggest names were Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo.  They were both known for their impressions, but Murphy went on to be maybe the biggest star the show ever produced, while Piscopo, though you could admire the technique behind his work, didn't have the comic life that Murphy offered.

Jay Pharoah, who turns 28 today, is now starting his sixth season on Saturday Night Live, and seems to be falling into the Piscopo camp.  He is known for his impressions, but has yet to make a big impression otherwise.  I recently watched his Showtime stand-up special Jay Pharoah: Can I Be Me? to see if he had anything to offer on his own.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like he's got much beyond sounding like others.

He's energetic and professional enough that the proceedings don't flag, but his observations aren't particularly witty or incisive, and you end up waiting for the next impression.  Along the way, we get his Chris Rock, Dave Chapelle (he's better doing other comedians being funny than he is being funny himself), Kanye West, Barack Obama, Denzel Washington, Jay Z, Will Smith and, sure enough, Eddie Murphy.  But while the work is flashy, there's no depth, and not much originality.

So it appears, at least for now, Pharoah, though undeniably talented, isn't a major talent.  He's found plenty of other people entertaining, and can show you why, but he hasn't yet found himself.