‘Jackie’s Back’: The Best Mockumentary You’ve Never Seen Turns 25
Do you know what you’re doing for Jackie Washington Day next month? You know, July 15, Jackie Washington Day! It’s the annual holiday that celebrates legendary music superstar Jackie Washington, singer of such unforgettable hits as “Wednesday Night Fever,” “Love Goddess,” and “Take Your Jeri Curl and Go.”
On second thought: Maybe it’s better if you don’t have any plans. After all, people are known to randomly drop dead on Jackie Washington Day.
At least that’s the popular consensus among the procession of talking heads in Jackie’s Back, the brilliant yet under-the-radar 1999 mockumentary starring Jennifer Lewis as the titular diva, Jackie Washington. Directed by the great Robert Townsend, Jackie’s Back was originally released as a TV movie on Lifetime in June of 1999. That means that the film is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and given that the film is now also streaming entirely for free (with a few ads) on Tubi, there has never been a better time to heap praise on this little-seen gem.