This 3 CD/1 DVD release is like havin’ sex without havin’ an orgasm. Since I’m not one for foolin’ around, I decided to go straight for the orgasm…meaning…I decided to watch the DVD first. Watchin’ this release was like not being able to get it up right before you’re gettin’ ready to bump ugly. In my opinion, most of the performances simply fell flat. Opening the show was Heather Lawless, who’s kind of hot. But, she seemed like she was suffering from a serious case of stage fright. I also noticed that she had some writing on the palm of her hand. Could that be a reminder of what she was gonna talk about? Could be. She did have a moment or two where she had something funny to say. I just wish she would’ve said it with more confidence. It would’ve given the joke more punch. The Forgetabuddies were kinda funny. But, they seemed like they were tryin’ to borrow a bit of Andrew Dice Clay’s routine without the filthy words and without tryin’ to look like that’s who they were borrowing from. Demetri Martin, who looked like his side job might be performing in a Ramones tribute band, told a few jokes while strumming a guitar. He wasn’t laugh-out-loud funny, but, he was one of the more interesting people who graced the stage. Some dude comes up and does 30 seconds of stand-up, which is like a special feature of the show and, I don’t know, he acted like Matt Stone’s character in “Orgasmo,” which caught my eye right off the bat. One of The Forgetabuddies comes back on stage using his real name and a different partner…now, he was funny. He did a routine with a guy who was supposed to be a doctor who provides abortions three weeks after the baby is born. Okay, sure, abortion might not be the best subject to joke about…but…in this case, it worked. The highlight on the DVD was, without a doubt, God’s Pottery, who are supposedly “right with the Lord.” Not sure if they’re actual Christians or if it’s just part of their routine. But, they were great. They did a tune called “Jesus, I Need A Drink,” which talks about gettin’ stupid drunk on the Lord. They were a trip.
Having felt somewhat disappointed with the DVD, I figured the three CDs would feature much of the same stuff. To my surprise, they were actually a lot better than the DVD. Going through disc one, the highlights for me were provided by Demetri Martin and Eugene Mirman. Disc two was a lot better…probably the best of the bunch. Aziz Ansari, God’s Pottery, Jessi Klein…all of which were fantastic…especially Jessi Klein. I’d like to hear a full-length album from her. Disc three is pretty good as well. Jon Benjamin & David Cross do the abortion routine again. That’s still kinda funny. All in all, the real reason to check this out is for the audio performances. There’s a lot of great comedy to be found on these three CDs. I only wish the DVD was just as good. Makes me wonder though…I’ve always wanted to try my hand at stand-up comedy…and, if some of these people could do it, I sure as hell could get a laugh or two. Maybe I’ll get lucky and the people who put this CD together…Bobby Tisdale & Eugene Mirman…will see this review and invite me up. Fuck…I’d give it a shot.
Anyway, the all-around best routine to be found on this release is provided by Eugene Mirman. Long story short…someone sent him a nasty e-mail and he brought the guy on stage and gave it right back to him. This is featured on the DVD and the CD. So, you get the best of both worlds. That was a brilliant piece of comedy. Also, I don’t know a lot about the featured performers. But, I would assume that most of them are established in some way, shape, or form. Regardless, in the years to come, I think some of these people will move up in rank to become household names. So, give the album a listen…see who’s worth keepin’ an eye on.
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