Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson play a married couple, Rainbow and Dre Johnson, on Black-ish, but in person, the two have a settled-in, teasing-sibling vibe. Forgoing any awkward interactions, in this episode of Lip Sync Battle, it was just nice to watch each one of them try to out-ham the other. But that said, we’re here for a fake-singing competition, and there can only be one. Let the bloodletting begin.
Battle 1: Anthony Anderson’s “Do Me!†vs. Tracee Ellis Ross’s “Super Bassâ€
What works on Lip Sync Battle is a feeling of originality. I know, I know. It’s all a copy! But even copies can be original. And because Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s performance of Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass†is so entrenched in LSB history, it means that Tracee Ellis Ross has to bring something extra-special to her performance. It’s solid: The lip-sync itself is tight, but she could have hammed it up more. It’s Nicki, after all! Anthony Anderson’s choice of Bell Biv DeVoe’s “Do Me!†is a refreshing number for that reason. It’s smooth and sexy, and really feels like it comes from the loins, you know?
Winner: Anthony Anderson, by a come-hither stare.
Battle 2: Anthony Anderson’s “Forget You†vs. Tracee Ellis Ross’s “Love Is a Battlefieldâ€
Anthony Anderson has a nice swing with CeeLo’s “Forget You.†It’s fun to watch, but ultimately a little forgettable. And who is Tracee Ellis Ross? That’s right, she is the daughter of the legendary Diana Ross, and there is no way she is going home without pulling out all the stops. She does Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield†and puts all of her physical-comedic chops to bear on the performance. All of that, plus the on-point choreography, and Ross had this in the bag.
Winner: Tracee Ellis Ross, by a buggy eye.
Overall: More like Tracee Ellis Boss, right?