Stand-Up Comedy from the 2000s

Jimmy Carr: Comedian
      2007 | U.K. | Laughs: 7.2 (Watch Once) | imdb: 8.0
      who was involved?

Three years after I'd watched the Jimmy Carr: Live set, a friend convinced me to give Jimmy another go. Since I laughed, I wasn't disappointed, although I was left a little dissatisfied. As with the other show, this is not the kind of comedy that feeds your brain, as do those by (say) Bill Bailey or Doug Stanhope.

My review is essentially the same as that for Jimmy Carr: Live. Rapid-fire jokes, good laughs, but, oddly, not a set I'll want to watch again as it fails to challenge and nourish, leaving me a bit dissatisfied. (Last viewed: April 2017)

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Bill Burr: Comedy Central Season 7, Episode 2
      2003 | USA | Laughs: 7.2 | imdb: 8.0
      who was involved?

Discovering this set fourteen years later was a good surprise. A stand-up comedian's powers often decline as they get more settled in life and exhaust their themes, so I was curious to study some ancient material, when Bill was presumably near his peak. This Comedy Central special didn't disappoint. Sometimes old shows age poorly, but most of the material here is of the imperishable kind—universal subjects such as differences between men and women, always a good theme for Bill. Sure there was a short piece about George W. Bush, but I could handle it, I still remember who W is. The only bummer was that the show only lasted twenty minutes. If you can get your hands on this tape, it's a fun short watch. (Last viewed: June 2017)

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Louis C.K.: Comedy Central Presents
      2001 | USA | Laughs: 7.2 | imdb: 7.5
      who was involved?

A nice short set with material that mostly works—a good introduction to Louis CK's clever thinking, devoid of adult themes for a (welcome) change. (Last viewed: January 2013)

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Dara O'Briain Talks Funny: Live in London
      2008 | U.K. | Laughs: 7.1 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 7.9
      who was involved?

This show is not in the same league as the hilarious Live at the Theatre Royal from two years earlier, but it is still funny. At the beginning, Dara takes some time to explain the format of what's about to follow—a bit like presenting a user's manual to the show. When presenting complex data, the famous three-step formula is "tell them what you're about to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you just told them". In comedy, there's no need for this, and it makes for a weak opening. In this recording, the way in which Dara weaves audience interaction with rehearsed material also feels less fluid than in Theatre Royal. But Dara set high standards in that earlier show, and Dara Talks Funny is still well worth a watch, as it easily outshines the gutter comedy that seems to dominate the field these days. Our favorite part was Dara's repeated friendly jabs at a teen who aspires to become an electrician but hasn't yet learned the basics of the trade. (Last viewed: October 2013)

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Bill Bailey: Tinselworm
      2008 | U.K. | Laughs: 7.0 | imdb: 7.3
      who was involved?

This is my least favorite Bill Bailey show so far, though Bill's standards are so high that the set is still very good in the context of contemporary stand-up comedy. In the first place, doing a good stand-up show at Wembley must be a challenge. The venue is so large and impersonal that comedians must find it hard to "feel" the audience. I've seen a few stand-up shows shot there: none were excellent.

If you haven't seen much of Bill Bailey yet, I suggest you start with one of his earlier shows, which were filmed in more intimate settings.

A good portion of the material in Tinselworm was recycled; another portion was new but not quite as crisp as usual. Yet there were some very funny bits, and bits of Bill's trademark dazzling brilliance that I just love regardless of whether I find them comical.

I was impressed by a segment where Bill tackles the idea that our beings are all made of different fragments—perhaps a psychologist would call that some kind of Gestalt line of thinking. What impressed me was that I'd never seen that idea pursued so aggressively or successfully in popular culture. That alone earns a "hats off" for Bill: he doesn't treat his audience as a pack of morons.

Despite the show's real shortcomings, there is a lot to like, and true fans won't want to miss out on the good bits. (Last viewed: December 2013)

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Eddie Izzard: Stripped
      2009 | U.K. | Laughs: 7.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.8
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Belongs in the "watch once" section. Izzard at the top of his mental powers, but not of his comical powers. Stripped of his former dazzling costumes, bare of make-up, less animated, Izzard puts his brilliant mind on display. You laugh less, but you admire him more. How can the man carry on for a hundred minutes? Well, the reliance on stream-of-consciousness to move the show along is too heavy, and the segment on the Greeks far too long. Perhaps this is a good show for the English: it's a bit on the brainy, sophisticated side, which makes me wonder if Eddie is trying to get on track for a knighthood. His unsparing caricature of the queen (one of the show's choiciest bits) could improve his chances with a fair-dealing monarch. Among the other bits that made me laugh, I remember those about computers, religion, the stone age and the sect of the Hashishins. (Last viewed: September 2010)

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Jim Jefferies: I Swear to God
      2009 | Australia | Laughs: 7.0 | imdb: 8.2
      who was involved?

Jim has an extremely foul mouth and often lingers on extremely foul themes. Nevertheless, the filth doesn't seem as gratuitous as in the mouths of most stand-up comedians—except perhaps for this set's very weak ending. The segment on religion was excellent. Despite the needlessly crude language, the rest of the show gave me good reason to laugh as well, and I spent a pleasant hour. (Last viewed: December 2012)

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Dave Chappelle: For What It's Worth
      2004 | USA | Laughs: 7.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 8.6
      wikipedia | who was involved?

I discovered Dave Chappelle in the movie Half-Baked, which I hadn't expect to like, but did. I'm a bit sad because I really would like to give Chappelle four stars. When he's good, I love him. He's obviously really bright (good comedians have to be), and it shows in his style, the style of an independent thinker. But why does Dave have to spend half the show talking about the contents of his underpants? Is it to reach a broader audience, or does he really like smut talk? Anyway, for me, if you have such a hard time getting out of your underpants, I don't know if you can get four stars. (Last viewed: March 2011)

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Ralphie May: Austin-Tatious
      2008 | USA | Laughs: 7.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.7
      who was involved?

Stand-up comedy show recorded in Texas. I watched this by mistake while looking for material by an Australian comedian who, I was told, went by the stage name "Austin Tatious" (I later learned it was spelled Austen Tayshus). I usually don't like comedians who spend most of their time below the belt, but Ralphie really made me laugh. Coarse language and adult themes. (Last viewed: July 2010)

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Jimmy Carr Live
      2004 | U.K. | Laughs: 6.9 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.8
      who was involved?

Jimmy Carr seems to belong to the tradition of stand-up comedians who deliver unrelated jokes in rapid-fire, rather than the tradition of those who take the audience through an exploration of loosely connected themes. I find this style harder to follow, and it may well be harder to perform as well. Jimmy also interacts with the audience. His use of written material, his businesslike presentation and the desk on the stage reminded me of Bob Newhart's Button Down Concert. But where Newhart is likeable, Carr is (by choice) unlikeable, less because of his foul mouth than because he picks on easy targets, as Ricky Gervais often does. It's hit-or-miss, but when it hits, it really works. I laughed and smiled, I was entertained and I'm glad I watched this set—but I probably won't run out to look for more of Jimmy's material. (Last viewed: December 2013)

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Brian Regan: The Epitome of Hyperbole
      2008 | USA | Laughs: 6.8 | imdb: 7.8
      wikipedia | who was involved?

This is not one of these shows that makes you think, nor is it one of these shows that leaves you panting from having jumped around the world from theme to theme. But it's clean—so clean in fact that kids could watch it—and it's funny. I smiled for most of the show and laughed quite a few times. There was nothing memorable, but I was entertained for an hour and that's all that matters. (Last viewed: December 2012)

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Louis C.K.: Shameless
      2007 | USA | Laughs: 6.8 | imdb: 8.6
      who was involved?

This was the first time I saw Louis CK, and it was a great surprise. I had confused him with someone else and had expected not to like him, but I really enjoyed his set. Now don't get me wrong, I was not rolling on the floor laughing—it was more on the level of chuckling, but that was enough for me because the chuckling was triggered by material I found original and stimulating.

In this show (and perhaps others of his shows) Louis doesn't spend time complaining about the government, comparing black people to white people, or cracking jokes about airport security. He talks about ordinary situations, such as standing in traffic, being at home with his family, hating people when visiting the post office or a coffee shop. He also touches on a number of adult themes, but with what to me seem to be new angles compared to the horde of crass comedians out there.

Louis's humor hinges on candid observation, much like Jerry Seinfeld's, but it allows mature language and themes. In fact you could say that he's a Jerry Seinfeld for mature audiences. Much of the pleasure stems from Louis being very candid (and smart) about taboo topics. Like Jerry, Louis has a limited range of voices and facial expressions, but that seems to be enough (although more would probably help convert some of the chuckles into laughs).

I look forward to watching more of his shows.
(Last viewed: January 2013)

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Bill Maher: The Decider
      2007 | USA | Laughs: 6.7 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.2
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Three-and-a-half stars. The title's "decider" is George W. Bush, which should tell you that much of the show dwells on political themes. Much of the material is often circumstantial (what Senator X did), rather than universal (how dogs behave): in five years, you won't remember half the people he mentions. Since I don't closely follow the news, I prefer the more general segments, such as those about pharmaceutical companies and about religion (a pet topic of Maher's, who wrote Religulous). Maher smiles, he doesn't bark, which makes him endearing for someone commenting on such heavy topics. Some may find the show therapeutic: it's good to know that you're not alone. (Last viewed: August 2010)

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Michael McIntyre: Live & Laughing
      2008 | U.K. | Laughs: 6.6 | imdb: 7.5
      who was involved?

One thing must be said in favor of Michael McIntyre: he gets A+ for effort. For the duration of this 85-minute set, he never seems to take a breath from walking around the stage, gesticulating and delivering material at a fast pace. Inevitably (or perhaps fortunately), some of it works, although at first I found the hit ratio quite low—somewhere between a quarter and a third. For most of the show, I enjoyed the chuckles and the rare laugh but found the rest of the time a bit long. Michael ended stronger though, redeeming the show overall. For my taste, Michael's humor is a bit simple, in the sense that it's something my grandparents might have liked, except for the saucy bits. You know how humor evolves over time as life becomes more and more complex? As the packed theater shows, Michael is hugely popular, so this set might just be your thing. (Last viewed: January 2013)

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Louis C.K.: Chewed Up
      2008 | USA | Laughs: 6.6 (Watch Once) | imdb: 8.6
      who was involved?

The first twenty minutes felt weak and needlessly vulgar, but the show picked up steam, and I was soon chuckling. Nothing big happened, no big laughter came out, but it was pleasant listening to Louis talk about the hardship of being a parent, and, probably because we are about the same age, about some of the transformations he has been undergoing since reaching forty. (Last viewed: January 2013)

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