Search - Inside the Comedy Mind - Gold and Platinum Collection 2-Pack on DVD

Go deep inside the lives and minds of comedy giants

T. Davis | Seattle, WA | 12/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Back in the early 90s, the late comedian Alan King performed a great public service by engaging some of the finest comics, actors, writers, directors, and producers of the 20th century in wide-ranging personal interviews that are a pleasure to watch and quite revealing to boot. A few of the comedy legends on his show were his foreruners, and some were his contemporaries, but many were rising stars whose generation brought a new sensibility to comedy. King displays exemplary warmth, wit, and wisdom as host.

The two volumes in this collection, which are also available separately, include 20 half-hour programs (since commercials have been excised, the total length of each DVD is four hours). The "Gold Collection" contains extended interviews with Neil Simon, George Burns, George Carlin, Mel Brooks, Buddy Hackett, Rob Reiner, Carl Reiner, Dennis Miller, Garry Marshall, and Jerry Seinfeld. The "Platinum Collection" features Billy Crystal, Bob Hope, Jack Lemmon, Carol Burnett, Steven Wright, Howie Mandel, Charles Grodin, Norman Lear, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robin Williams.

The interviews, while often funny, are not simply an opportunity for stars to crack wise, as they might on the Tonight Show. They are instead thoughtful, timeless explorations of the craft of comedy. I found them fascinating viewing, and I recommended them highly.

As generous as this sampling is, there were at least 57 people who guested on this series. I'd be interested in watching even more episodes, and I look forward to a DVD release of the full series. Here's a more-or-less complete listing of the guests that appeared during the show's three-season run:

1) Carl Reiner
2) Jerry Seinfeld
3) George Carlin
4) The Smothers Brothers
5) Milton Berle
6) Steven Wright
7) Carol Burnett
8) Gary Marshall
9) Don Rickles
10) Richard Lewis
11) Billy Crystal
12) Roseanne Barr
13) Robert Townsend
14) Martin Short
15) Norman Lear
16) Catherine O'Hara
17) Dennis Miller
18) Harvey Korman and Tim Conway
19) Whoopi Goldberg
20) Keenan Ivory Wayans
21) Joan Rivers
22) Rob Reiner
23) Robert Klein
24) Buddy Hackett
25) Louie Anderson
26) Dudley Moore
27) Martin Mull
28) Chevy Chase
29) Michael J. Fox
30) Tony Randall
31) Bob Hope
32) Howie Mandel
33) Jack Lemmon
34) Elayne Boosler
35) Paul Mazursky
36) Andrew Dice Clay
37) David Brenner
38) Andrea Martin
39) Robin Williams
40) Dennis Leary
41) George Burns
42) Robert Wuhl
43) Larry Gelbart
44) Henny Youngman
45) Rita Rudner
46) Charles Grodin
47) Kevin Nealon
48) Mel Brooks
49) Gary David Goldberg
50) Paul Reiser
51) Jerry Lewis
52) Blake Edwards
53) Henry Winkler
54) Chuck Jones
55) Neil Simon"