Should You Watch: The Tony Rock Project

Maybe I should ask CAN you watch this new sketch-comedy series, since it airs on My Network TV, an outlet whose buzz level currently falls somewhere between pro darts and Dom DeLuise.

But just in case you do have a MyTV affiliate in your area--and you can find it on your TV--let me share my experience of watching the debut episode. What follows is a list of the things that I learned from that premiere:

*Prince is a bit eccentric.
*It's funny when people of different ethnic backgrounds dance to music not traditionally associated with their own ethnicity.
*Cops sometimes pull over African-Americans without just cause.
*Guys use cheesy pickup lines.
*Gary Coleman has a temper.
*It's funny when white chicks try to "talk black" and/or "act black."

So, then, let me review what I learned so far from "The Tony Rock Project." I learned...ABSOLUTELY NOTHING because this unoriginal show offers nothing we haven't seen before--possibly decades before--and funnier.

You should watch "The Tony Rock Project" if:

*You can't afford HBO, which shows big brother Chris' specials, but you have to get your Rock fix somehow.
*You're too busy Friday nights to watch "Everybody Hates Chris," but you have to get your Rock fix somehow.
*You've never seen "The Rundown," "Game Plan", or WWE television from about 1996-2003, but you have to get your Rock fix--you get the idea.
*You've never seen "In Living Color," "Saturday Night Live," or any standup comedy routine from the last 30 years.
*You believe the absence of "Chapelle's Show" leaves a void too great in the Mocking Prince media slot.

As for me, I don't think I'll watch the second episode this Wednesday, but I'm almost curious to see if this groundbreaking program tackles such hot-button issues as rap videos with women in skimpy clothes or the quirks of Michael Jackson.