Bernhard comes loaded for bear (and Oprah)

PHOTOS BY GOD'S GIFT TO THE CAMERA ... TOM KIMMELL

Sandra Bernhard strutted onto CC's Armstrong Hall stage Wednesday night, saying how happy she was to be here, in the shadow of NORAD, home of the Air Force Academy. She was thrilled about getting back to her conservative roots.

Of course, the sassy uber-liberal icon was here to take on the conservatives, spitting her playful venom at Rush Limbaugh, President Bush, Ann Coulter, Dick Cheney and others.

But what really blew me away was that she was the first white comedian I've ever heard take on liberal black icon Oprah Winfrey. She made fun of how Oprah, when campaigning for Obama in the South, developed more ghetto in her voice. Only Berhard could get away with mocking Oprah.

This free stand-up show, compliments of CC's IDEA program, would have been worth at least $60 a head. Berhard was hilarious, and her musical interludes were like Jack Black's ... done with a half-satirical tone, but displaying an intensity and commitment that shows she could tour on the stength of her music alone, if she wanted to.