DVD Review: Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam Collection- All Stars

DVD Reviews, Reviews

HBO changed comedy for those who didn’t go to comedy clubs. While comedians had always had a place on TV, their routines were often cleaned up to be family friendly. They stuck to safe subjects and seemed so wholesome during their five minutes on The Tonight Show or various variety shows. Even Saturday Night Live seemed dangerous, but they weren’t going to let Richard Pryor on the air without a censor eager to kill the audio if he went off the agreed upon script. HBO was a pay cable channel and people paid for it because they wanted the adult level entertainment. When HBO was making rapid expansion in the late ’70s, people were shocked at their first taste of beloved comedians working their late-night Vegas material on the same TV they chuckled with Johnny Carson. A perfect example of a shock was Buddy Hacket’s comedy special. People tuned in expecting the goofy guy from Herbie The Love Bug. Instead, they witnessed a cussing machine who told the dirtiest of stories. It was a bit too shocking for some sheltered viewers. But other viewers loved getting the real club experience without the two-drink minimum. This was why they subscribed to HBO. On March 7, 1992, HBO gave America a taste of what was going on with a new generation of comedy clubs aimed at the black audience. Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam was a thirty-minute series that aired after midnight when sensitive viewers should already be sound asleep.

Russell Simmons had found fame with his dealing with his brother’s rap group Run-DMC and record label Def Jam that gave us Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys. Blair Underwood played Simmons in the movie Krush Grove. He was branching out his brand into another concert performers with the Def Comedy Jam. The show was taped at the Academy Theatre in New York City. The audience was always ready for the most outrageous of routines. The show had a variety of hosts and averaged about four comics. They’d come out and perform five minutes. This is about the average length of a comic’s set on Letterman or Leno. The difference however is nobody had to water down their material to appear on HBO. It feels like they amped up freakiness. The audience is always ready to react to the routines. They aren’t the reserved crowd that Carson always complained about. The crowd at the Def Comedy Jam were ready to be part of the show. During one episode, comic Joe Torry tears into a suit and tie wearing audience member that today would have an audience posting nasty tweets demanding he get barred from HBO. But in 1992, the audience and the guy in the suit were laughing away.

What’s interesting is that during the early seasons of the Def Comedy Jam, an overwhelming majority of the comedians were considered unknown. After the shows aired and VHS tapes were passed around, many of them would become the next wave of major performers. This list included Martin Lawrence, D.L. Hughley, Bernie Mac, Chris Tucker, Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Harvey, Dave Chappelle and Tracy Morgan. The cool thing was that people were able to discover them without having to hear them filter their routines for Jay Leno’s talent scout. They could be as raunchy as the material needed to get. They had an audience that could relate to their childhood stories. This made watching the show essential viewing even if it came on at midnight on Fridays. This was one of those shows that made you figure out how to set the timer on the VCR. Now you don’t have to set the VCR with the 12 DVDs on Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam – All Stars. The collection doesn’t cut out their segments to form compilation episodes. This allows you to see how the audience reacts to all the performers that night. You might wonder why a few of the lesser comics didn’t also break through to bigger roles in tv shows or movies. The collection includes episodes from the original run from the ’90s and the revival in the aughties. Even the revival brought attention to Kevin Hart and Katt Williams. This is one of those shows that are worth going back to watch. You might want to watch the show by yourself at first. Even though the episodes are nearly 30 years old, the raw comedy still packs a shocking jolt. You might want to watch this after midnight when the kids are in bed.

Time Life presents Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam Collection – All Stars. Featuring Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Dave Chappelle, Bernie Mac and Cedric The Entertainer. Boxset Contents: 36 episodes on 12 DVDs. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: November 8, 2022.

Boxset Contents

Disc 1
Season 1, Episode 5
Original Airdate: April 4, 1992
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: A.J. Jamal, Simply Marvalous, Pierre, D.L. Hughley

Season 1, Episode 2
Original Airdate: March 14, 1992
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Ricky Harris, J. Anthony Brown, Adele Givens, Reggie McFadden

Season 1, Episode 4
Original Airdate: March 28, 1992
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Bill Bellamy, Laura Hayes, G. George, Ted Carpenter

Bonus: 2 Raw 4 TV

Disc 2
Season 2, Episode 1
Original Airdate: August 8, 1992
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Chris Tucker, Kevin Anthony, Alonzo “Hamburger” Jones, Bernie Mac

Season 6, Episode 1
Original Airdate: January 5, 1996
Hosted By: Chris Rock
Guest Stars: Ronnie Long, Dominique, Rudy Rush

Season 6, Episode 2
Original Airdate: January 12, 1996
Hosted By: Cedric the Entertainer
Guest Stars: George Willborn, Sonya D., Mike Bonner

Disc 3
Season 1, Episode 1
Original Airdate: March 7, 1992
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Steve White, Derrick Fox, Yvette Wilson, Joe Torry

Season 4, Episode 3
Original Airdate: July 23, 1994
Hosted By: Joe Torry
Guest Stars: Donnell Rawlings, Sommore, Wyatt the One Man Riot, J. Anthony Brown

Season 4, Episode 11
Original Airdate: September 17, 1994
Hosted By: Joe Torry
Guest Stars: Darrel Heath, Mugga, Tony Sculfield, Cedric the Entertainer

Disc 4
Season 2, Episode 4
Original Airdate: August 29, 1992
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Dave Chappelle, Mystro, Chocolate, D.L. Hughley

Season 1, Episode 3
Original Airdate: March 21, 1992
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Vince D., Rodney Winfield, Bernie Mac, Steve Harvey

Season 5, Episode 2
Original Airdate: March 10, 1995
Hosted By: Joe Torry
Guest Stars: J’Vonne Pearson, Dartanyan, Talent

Disc 5
Season 3, Episode 3
Original Airdate: July 24, 1993
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Cortez, David Edwards, Carl Strong, Adele Givens

Season 6, Episode 10
Original Airdate: March 8, 1996
Hosted By: Queen Latifah
Guest Stars: Billy D., Yvette Wilson, Reggie McFadden

Season 6, Episode 12
Original Airdate: March 22, 1996
Hosted By: Adele Givens
Guest Stars: James Hannah, Melanie Comarcho, Alex Thomas

Disc 6
Season 6, Episode 7
Original Airdate: February 16, 1996
Hosted By: Jamie Foxx
Guest Stars: Affion Crockett, Corey Holcomb, Barbara Carlyle

Season 3, Episode 2
Original Airdate: July 17, 1993
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Sheryl Underwood, Warren Hutcherson, Garfield, Chris Tucker

Season 5, Episode 6
Original Airdate: April 7, 1995
Hosted By: Adele Givens
Guest Stars: Red Grant, Willie Brown & Woody, Dana Point, D.L. Hughley

Disc 7
Season 2, Episode 9
Original Airdate: October 10, 1992
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Arnez J., Ellen Cleghorne, Aries Spears, William Stephenson

Season 3, Episode 5
Original Airdate: August 7, 1993
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Royale Watkins, Yvette Wilson, Faizon, Reggie McFadden

Season 5, Episode 12
Original Airdate: May 19, 1995
Hosted By: Ricky Harris
Guest Stars: Flex, Mike B., Tone-x, Wanda Smith

Disc 8
Season 6, Episode 11
Original Airdate: March 15, 1996
Hosted By: Mark Curry
Guest Stars: Kivi Rogers, Leighann Lord, Don “DC” Curry

Season 6, Episode 13
Original Airdate: March 29, 1996
Hosted By: Steve Harvey
Guest Stars: Capital Jay, Rich Vos, Arnez J.

Season 6, Episode 9
Original Airdate: March 1, 1996
Hosted By: Dave Chappelle
Guest Stars: Maija, Drew Fraser

Disc 9
Season 2, Episode 9
Original Airdate: October 10, 1992
Hosted By: Steve Harvey
Guest Stars: Jack Shepherd, Chocolate, James Hannah

Season 3, Episode 5
Original Airdate: August 7, 1993
Hosted By: Ricky Harris
Guest Stars: Freez Luv, Royale Watkins, Paul Mooney, Tracy Morgan

Season 5, Episode 12
Original Airdate: May 19, 1995
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Zooman, Edwonda White, Lester Bibbs, Ted Carpenter

Disc 10
Season 6, Episode 6
Original Airdate: February 9, 1996
Hosted By: Bill Bellamy
Guest Stars: Jay, Charles Walden, Earthquake

Season 3, Episode 1
Original Airdate: July 10, 1993
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Faceman, Tracy Morgan, Daniel Gardner, Chris Thomas

Season 7, Episode 2
Original Airdate: January 31, 1997
Hosted By: Cedric the Entertainer
Guest Stars: Thomas Ward, Alex Thomas, Craig Robinson

Season 6, Episode 3
Original Airdate: January 19, 1996
Hosted By: Joe Torry
Guest Stars: Sheryl Underwood, T-Rexx, Pierre

Season 2, Episode 2
Original Airdate: August 15, 1992
Hosted By: Martin Lawrence
Guest Stars: Andre Covington, Angela Means, Larry La La, Cedric the Entertainer

Disc 11
Season 8, Episode 4
Original Airdate: October 1, 2006
Hosted By: Mike Epps
Guest Stars: Kevin Hart, Melanie Comarcho, Katt Williams

Season 8, Episode 5
Original Airdate: October 8, 2006
Hosted By: Mike Epps
Guest Stars: Bruce Bruce, DeRay Davis, D.L. Hughley

Season 9, Episode 1
Original Airdate: January 6, 2008
Hosted By: D.L. Hughley
Guest Stars: Damon Wayans Jr., Vincent Oshana, Gina Yashere, Capone

Season 9, Episode 3
Original Airdate: January 20, 2008
Hosted By: D.L. Hughley
Guest Stars: Derron “Smokey” Edington, Tiffany Haddish, Big Rome, Tony Roberts

Disc 12
Shaq & Cedric the Entertainer Present: All Star Comedy Jam
Hosted By: Cedric the Entertainer
Guest Stars: Tommy Davidson, Aries Spears, DeRay Davis, Kevin Hart

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