One of the Initiated Sandra Bernhard

Black text next to an illustration of a woman wearing sunglasses and wrapped in red and white stripes on a red background

“Without You I’m Nothing” is a film released in 1990 based on the 1988 Off-Broadway, one-woman show by Sandra Bernhard. The film’s narrative centers on the idea that Bernhard’s manager has sent her back to L.A. to perform at small jazz clubs because of her overwhelming success on the stages of New York City. Combining singing numbers and stand-up, this film is described as a work of performance art that explores ideas about performers and artists, as well as narcissism and self-loathing. The closing scene of the film shows Bernhard draped in an American Flag, only to reveal her near-nudity underneath, while she performs a go-go dance number to Prince’s “Little Red Corvette”. This shot of her covered by the America Flag went on to be the marketing image used to promote the film.