Jamie Foxx must realize that much of his libidinous lover-man shtick comes across as burlesque-at least that's how it seemed at points during his Milwaukee Theatre performance last Thursday.
Foxx couldn't help but smirk at the ridiculousness of posing like a model in his $2,000 leather jacket. As the Jumbotron behind him displayed a close-up of his face, Foxx went off on a self-deprecating rant about his "black, weed-smokin' lips."
The routine grew broader as the night went on, and the ladies-along with most of the guys accompanying them-were loving it. Were Foxx a bit less of a star, his R&B revue would be perfect for one of those females-only Valentine's shows. But Foxx is a huge multi-hyphenate (comic-singer-actor), and his take on horny post-R.-Kelly soul sells beaucoup units. If this show was any indication, he handles his fame with a mixture of humility and self-aggrandizement. He admits to having made enough money that he doesn't mind you pirating his music, but he'll also show a trailer for his next movie during a costume change.
Foxx and his five-piece band began and ended in up-tempo mode and filled the middle with gooier love jams. Despite the abundance of singles on which he has had guests or he has guested, his three background singers rarely assisted with a duet.
Without the egotistic falsity of a staged encore, the night concluded with a spirited version of his recent and biggest hit so far, "Blame It." Was he smiling at the prospect of romancing one of the hotties in the audience fawning all over him? That might have been where his burlesque ended.
