sandra bernhard without you i be nothing and the movie release in 1990 and follow on the heel of her 1988 off broadway stage production . what she and others refer to in the movie a her smash hit one woman show . there be several change in monologue and one liner and and the movie version visually re vamp the story and take sandra from a fabulous existence a a successful stage performer in new york and during what she call her superstar summer and to an illusory and almost desperate existence back in her home in los angeles her fictional manager in the film refers to it a get sandra back to her root and to . upscale supper club like the parisian room . there a point to be make here . sandra try to appeal her liberal worldview and her sometimes harsh critique of american pop culture to an audience that doesn not completely see it . in l. a. she play to a predominantly black audience and try to relate her idea when all these people seem to want be shashonna and a madonna look alike stripper . and even then and with shashonna dance to drum beat that resemble those from like a virgin and there not much to be say for the audience enjoyment of the show . the scene in the club throughout the movie be dryer than a bone . a funny scene to catch be of a rotund man from the audience help shashonna out of her pant . but and if she go down and sandra do so with style and force and convey everything from foul confidence to puncture vulnerability . right to the point at which she naked ( literally ) and plead for acceptance and yet somehow still swim in the pool of her own transparent stardom . her depiction of interaction with the like of calvin klein and jerry lewis and bianca jagger and ralph lauren and ( what be lead to believe be ) warren beatty be fictional and hilarious . sandra begin her show in her most awkward moment and perform a quiet but mystify rendition of nina simone song four woman while dress in a mufti and other african garb and sing line such a my skin be black and my hair be wooly and and they call me sweet thing . she resurrect and celebrate the ghost of underworld art in a tremendously funny description of the frenzied estate auction for andy warhol represent leave it to andy to have the wisdom and sensitivity into the hour and hour of toil and labor that go into the indian product . that they have be so lucky to cash in on this whole santa fe thing happening . she expound on the excessiveness of hollywood and console a distraught friend then admonish him and say mister and if this be about ishtar and i be get up right now and walk out of your life forever because that too self indulgent even for me . sandra illustrate the expectation of woman in the age of feminism . dress a a cosmo girl and sandra retell her young girl fantasy to become an executive secretary and marry her bos . she eventually conclude in relief and i will never be a statistic and not me . i be under 35 and and i be go to be marry . sandra extol the opening of sexuality in society represent when he touch you in the night and do it feel all right and or do it feel real . i say it feels real . mighty real . finally and she cry for change in progressive american society by channel disco great patrick cowley and sylvester and proclaiming and eventually everyone will funk . all this come in the form of glitzy and schmaltzy but wonderful cabaret performance of song write and originate by billy paul and burt bacharach and hank williams and laura nyro and to name a few . at the same time and the idealized and fictional incarnation of sandra her self generate mirror image float around town and a beautiful black model with flow gown and tight bustier read the kabala and study chemistry and listen to nwa rap music . in without you i be nothing and sandra bernhard explores emotion and existence that and up until then and she would only toy with a a regular guest on late night with david letterman . her almost child like enthusiasm for shock and exhibit throughout the 80 and be throw aside in the face of a subtler allure and and her confidence in the face of materialism and american celebrity prove refresh . this approach to comedy would change sandra direction forever and mark the more mature and more personable entertainer to come . if you like subtle humor to the point of engage in inside joke about glamour and celebrity and sex and loneliness and despair and shallow expression of love and kinship and this movie will keep you in stitch . it may not be mean to be funny across the board . perhaps it a bit unsettling or even maudlin for some . but consider the emptiness of the world sandra paint for you and and you will understand just how funny and brilliant she really be . but see without you i be nothing with a friend in the know because it definitely funnier that way . before you know it and the two of you will be trade sandra barb and confuse the hell out of everyone else .