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| Available at Amazon.com |
Jokes For A Cause.
Back in 1986, a charity organization was created by Bob Zmuda called “Comic Relief.” Hosted by Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, and Billy Crystal, Comic Relief featured some of the greatest comedians of the past 20 or 30 years. At that time, they were trying to raise money for the homeless. Then, 20 years later Comic Relief found a new cause thanks to Hurricane Katrina. They held a benefit in Las Vegas for the victims of Hurricane Katrina in hopes that they could help rebuild New Orleans. Once again it was hosted by Williams, Goldberg, and Crystal, and featured some of the top comedians of today. Now you can find both the “greatest” performances from the years past and the latest performances of Comic Relief in one set.
Comic Relief: The Greatest and the Latest is a two-disc set. The first disc offers a “best of” compilation of the early Comic Relief performances, while the second disc features the entire 2006 Hurricane Katrina benefit event. All of this is hosted by Williams, Goldberg, and Crystal as mention before. Together they really are a great comedic team. Even 20 years later, they still play off each other beautifully and really keep all the Comic Relief events flowing.
As for the actual comedians featured in this set, well as you might expect the comedy is hit or miss, especially on the second disc. There are tons of comedians featured, though, so you are sure to find someone that you will find funny. What is really interesting to see is the early performances of Dane Cook, Jon Stewart, Dave Chappelle, and others who have become big stars in the world of comedy today. It’s always nice to see where such comedians got their start. Of course, this set also has the benefit of spanning a couple of decades so you really get to hear the best jokes from the best comedians at their peak of their careers many times.
If you compared the “greatest” with the “latest,” there really is no comparison. Despite all the events being hosted by the same three comedians and even featuring some of the same comedians (albeit twenty years later), the “greatest” is just that and the “latest” is really not as great. There is non-stop laughs in the first disc; no time for slow moments. Sure, not everything is funny but the pace is quick enough that you don’t have time to dwell on the negatives. The 2006 Comic Relief event is the opposite. There are both some really funny segments from some great comedians, but at the same time there are some less amusing ones. Unfortunately every comedian gets to have their time to “shine” in the spotlight, and as a result the second disc moves only at a slower pace.
That being said, this is all for a good cause. Laughing at jokes may not solve all the problems in the world, but it sure can provide a good distraction for a few hours. Any fan of comedy will find someone to laugh at. The vast majority of the stuff featured on both discs is funny, but many viewers will more than likely not be laughing from beginning to end. Still that shouldn’t deter you from checking out some of the best comedians of the last twenty years and today doing what they do best.
The video is given in 1.33:1 fullscreen color. All of the Comic Relief events were originally broadcast on cable television. The transfer here to DVD is not that spectacular, but there are no real problems. About as good as you can expect given the source material.
The audio included is available in either English Mono sound, Spanish Mono sound, or Portuguese Mono sound. There are subtitles available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, and Thai as well. The music and dialogue come out loud and clear, so no major problems either. Still not the greatest musical score for a Peanuts special.
Rebecca Romijn Katrina Story –
This is an extra segment from Comic Relief 2006. Rebecca Romijn narrates a short piece on the music of New Orleans, and the rebuilding of that whole culture. It runs for four minutes.
Jeffrey Tambor Katrina Story –
Another extra segment from Comic Relief 2006. This one has Jeffrey Tambor narrating a short piece on the bonding of families because of Hurricane Katrina.
S. Epatha Merkerson Katrina Story –
Another extra segment that runs for four minutes from Comic Relief 2006. S. Epatha Merkerson narrates a short piece on the food of New Orleans and the rebuilding of that aspect of New Orleans.
Wayne Brady: Live From New Orleans –
Wayne Brady does a hardcore rap about New Orleans in New Orleans. This runs for three minutes and Wayne gets words from the crowd that you probably won’t find in a typical rap song. Decent enough.
Billy Crystal’s Tribute To New Orleans
This is a comedic/music segment from Billy Crystal that runs for 11 minutes. Billy is playing some character that plays the clarinet.
Every comedy fan, with maybe the exception of people who only like “Blue Collar Comedy,” will find something to laugh at here. This doesn’t contain non-stop laughs. However, you do get the opportunity to check out both the best comedians at the top of their game and some early performances from comedians who have become big stars in the world of comedy. That’s enough to recommend at least a rental here.
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Shout! Factory presents Comic Relief: The Greatest and the Latest. Created by Bob Zmuda. Starring Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, and a number of other comedians. Running time: 260 minutes. Not rated. Released on DVD: February 5, 2008. Available at Amazon.com.
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