Appearing
The Amazing Johnathan
Psychic Tanya
DVD Release Date: August 14, 2007
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 42 Minutes
The Show
If you’ve never seen the Amazing Johnathan before, then I must highly recommend checking out his act. Here is a man that successfully combines good magic, bad magic, and comedy all into one enjoyable experience. Even though almost every trick he does has not real semblance of meaning or miserably fails; he knows that. That’s the joke.
His assistant Psychic Tanya is a bumbling airhead who does nothing more then screw up simple tasks like bringing out some props or merely trying to walk across the stage. She also has a big problem with hitting on any volunteers Johnathan happens to bring on stage. And as will become obvious very quickly, that is a woman who can certainly take a vicious beating.
Johnathan really does some funny stuff and like I said, if you haven’t seen his shtick before, then surely you need to see what he is about. But if you’ve ever seen him perform, then you’ve seen at least 90% of what he will do in this special. There’s the torn $20 trick, the numerous card tricks, and even all of the jokes are the same. Not to mention that more then half of the entire show involves him having a volunteer from the audience on stage. This took a lot of focus off of him doing his own thing and the audience laughing at the awkwardness of the volunteer.
Another thing is just how uninspired Johnathan seemed to be on stage. I can recall seeing him perform on Comedy Central’s Lounge Lizards many years ago and cracking up hysterically at how funny and new his act was. Now it has been at least ten years and sure he’s funny, but it is only because I haven’t seen the act in quite a while. And back then he was laughing all the time, more active on stage, and just happy about what he was doing. Seems now he is slow, a bit surly in demeanor, and could really care less about anything he shows the crowd.
The Video
The show is presented in Full Screen format and looks great. The show was taped live and looks crisp, clear, and all the colors are bright. No pixilation problems or any glitches in the transfer to DVD.
The Audio
The show is heard in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and sounds very good as well. The odd thing here though is that the surround sound is barely used. You’d think that Johnathan would come through the front speaker while background noise and random shouts from the audience would come from the surrounding speakers. Not the case as virtually everything comes from every single speaker making surround sound pointless. And this is a slight gripe but the DVD is labeled as uncensored which it truly is but the word “shit” is bleeped out at one point in the middle of the show. Kind of threw me off, but was not a huge deal.
Special Features
Comedy Central Presents: The Amazing Johnathan – This is a thirty-minute special from back in 2001 and the difference in his attitude on stage is evident even just six years ago. Most of what you see in this special is exactly what is seen in the main feature with the exception of a few different tricks. But Johnathan looks as if he is having a good time on stage and really getting into it. When something goes a bit screwy and he laughs, you can tell he is genuinely laughing and enjoying himself. The “mystic snowball of India” is a great bit.
Premium Blend Appearance – A six minute set of Johnathan pretty much doing as many of the bits you’ve already seen in high speed trying to get all in that he can. Yet again though, he brings up a volunteer from the audience. This is really nothing you haven’t already seen elsewhere on the DVD.
Deleted Scenes – Close to twenty-five minutes of deleted scenes from the feature and I am really having a problem trying to understand why any of it was cut. It is true that this special originally aired on Comedy Central and they needed to get it down to under an hour, but you kind of think for the DVD that they could just put the whole thing back together. But that is not the big issue. The thing is that these scenes are his most entertaining bits period. It was new material, funnier jokes, and Johnathan even looked to be enjoying himself again. Watching these scenes was time better spent then the special itself.
Comedy Central Quickies – Mind Of Mencia: “Bow Down,” Reno 911!: “Chatty Junior,” and South Park: “Essays
Trailers – Drawn Together Season 2, Reno 911! Season 4, and Mind Of Mencia Season 2
The Inside Pulse
As a long time fan of the Amazing Johnathan, I couldn’t help but laugh at his stuff even though I had seen it many times before and multiple times on this DVD alone. But for someone just seeing him for the first time, you may get a few laughs but the material will get old fast since the special features virtually repeat the show twice but from a few years ago. The deleted scenes though, when combined with the full length show, really add up to be about a good hour and fifteen minute hilarious routine. He is a funny comedian that does some fantastic tricks so everyone should give him a shot at least much, but your best bet would be to start with a rental.
