The Cookout

A rookie director, a team of writers, a cast of some has-beens, a few never-will-be’s and a couple of crowd-pleasers make this offensive 90-minute sit-com more foul than funny with every character as a caricature of a cultural, racist or sexist stereotype. Unknown R&B man Storm P tries to make a name for himself by starring as the first basketball player picked in the 2004 NBA draft. Hollywood won’t be impressed by his flat portrayal of a spineless mama’s boy with a knack for blowing cash on the scantily clad gold digger attached to his side. But more importantly, viewers won’t be impressed by the unrealistic bombardment of exaggerated characters that attend the predictable and anti-climatic title celebration. Fat Albert’s sidekick, Dumb Donald, is reincarnated as a dimwitted wannabe thug to help his leader with his stupid eBay sneaker scheme. Farrah Fawcett is pampered in pink with a primped poodle fearing the supposed gang-related new neighbors because they’re black. Even the typically comedic Queen Latifah struggles for a laugh. The Cookout is a wash out.