by John Bear
Daily Lobo
In an attempt to fill the void left by Dave Chappelle's mysterious, yet highly publicized absence, Comedy Central introduces "Mind of Mencia."
Stand-up comedian Carlos Mencia is on the offensive with his show, not merely dancing on the politically correct line but curb-checking it, robbing it and then standing around telling ethnic jokes.
He does not waste any time, diving headfirst into a deep sea of blue material.
After opening the show with a long and spirited tirade about Sept. 11, 2001 being the greatest day in the history of America for African-Americans and Latinos because they were finally accepted as Americans - suspicion being passed to Middle Easterners - he says those whose feelings have not yet been hurt should stick around.
"A lot of you people are going to be offended by something I say tonight," he said during the opening segment. "And if we didn't get to you yet, don't worry."
The opening credits on the show are a send up of Chappelle's show with the blues players replaced by a mariachi band and the Taco Bell chihuahua. Even Mencia feigns being offended by this.
Each commercial break is supplemented with fake commercials featuring Middle Easterners demanding their Chili's baby back ribs, having a Snickers while hiding out in Afghanistan and yelling "Can you hear me now?" in Arabic while dodging bullets in a send up of those annoying Verizon Wireless commercials. He even dons some thick-framed glasses.
Mencia spends much of the show baiting Middle Easterners. He says he is justified in this because every other minority group was forced to go through a great deal of hazing in order to be accepted into mainstream American society.
He doesn't believe any group should get to slide by on political correctness that pervades the culture.
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Nonetheless, he will be getting angry letters - which, by the way, he has no problem with. He even has Peter Boyle from "Everybody Loves Raymond" come out and read them.
Mencia picks up where "Chappelle's Show" has tentatively left off. The show is, however, far more offensive than Chappelle's, if that is possible. It is definitely not for the squeamish.
Fans of Chappelle, however, will appreciate the unapologetic trampling of subjects that are everywhere in America but still taboo for one reason or another.
