Tracey Ullman as Renee Zellweger Her portrayal of Tom Brokaw is so visually spot-on, it's actually a little creepy. Tracey as Len Goodman, from Dancing with the Stars. Tracey as Tom Brokaw Tracey as Tracey The cast of Reno 911!

THIS ISSUE > ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT > TV

Most Americans first met the multi-talented, fresh-faced Tracey Ullman via her 1984 pop video hit “They Don't Know,” which featured an unlikely cameo appearance by Paul McCartney. But how long has Ullman been tickling our funny bones and tweaking our imaginations with her seemingly limitless cast of characters?

Her first U.S comedy sketch show, Fox Television's The Tracey Ullman Show, introduced The Simpsons as a cartoon short; The Simpsons recently aired its 20th anniversary episode.

My, how time flies when you're pretending to be somebody else!

All these years and rubber prosthetics later, Ullman and her character study tour-de-force The State of the Union have been picked up by Showtime for a second go-'round.

Though the multi-Emmy-winning Ullman brought home no statuettes for State of the Union 's three nominations for its first season, the show itself is, perhaps, its own reward. Viewers feel a certain sense of victory when we detect a glimmer of Ullman under all that makeup and masking as she portrays America in the age of Obama—love it or lampoon it—as only she can.

In her sophomore season, there is much making-up and masking: the chameleon-like Ullman's repertoire consists of send-ups of Renee Zellweger, Arianna Huffington, Andy Rooney, Jodie Foster, and other famous and not-so-famous targets. But her cross-dressing portrayal of Tom Brokaw is so visually spot-on, it's actually a little creepy.

Ullman shares SOTU 's executive producer credit with her husband, Allan McKeown, but writes the season's seven episodes herself.

April 12, 9 p.m. Showtime (sho.com).
____________________________

TV Shorts

Reno 911!
Improv artists Ian Roberts (Upright Citzen's Brigade) and Joe Lo Truglio (The State) join the cast for the sixth season of our favorite “reality” cop show. Scott Thompson (Kids in the Hall), Patton Oswalt, and other comedy titans guest star. April 1, 9:30 p.m. Comedy Central (comedycentral.com).

Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire
What's potentially gayer than Matt Lucas (Little Britain USA) playing the evil Chancellor Dongalor in this live-action Dungeons and Dragons-like fantasy comedy set in an ancient realm? Probably the bisexual Cyclops (aka Biclops). April 9, 9 p.m. Comedy Central (comedycentral.com).

TV Land Awards
We wonder how out and open the out and openly gay Neil Patrick Harris plays it as emcee of the seventh annual small-screen classics awards. If it's anything like his recent turn hosting Saturday Night Live, we're in for a treat. April 26, 8 p.m. TV Land (tvland.com).

The Millionaire Matchmaker
In M M 's second season, contemporary yenta, Patti Stanger, tries her hand at finding the perfect love match for gay millionaire/public relations guru, Kevin Grainger. One of the first hook-ups is set at Grainger's ante-bellum estate in Kentucky. Cha-ching! April 30, 9 p.m. Bravo (bravotv.com).

Got a comment?—feedback@outsmartmagazine.com.