Search - Just for Laughs: Stand Up, Vol. 1 - Best of the Uptown Comics on DVD

Tickles the Funny Bone

R. Schultz | Chicago | 02/14/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a large sampling of the routines of African-American comics performing at Montreal's Annual Comedy Festival. All the comics who come to that kinder, gentler Country have apparently been told to keep their acts relatively clean for the purposes of the Festival. I appreciated that. I think I was able to enjoy the jokes more and like the comics better than if I'd been plopped down in the middle of their raunchier American routines.

There was also a lack of any pointed cultural and political commentary though - and that I did miss. There was no telling truth to power here. Even Wanda Sykes, who so often shreds the hypocrisy of our oh-so-appropriate, commiserating reactions to all sorts of tragedies - just maintained a more bland, personal tone.

George Wallace started to develop what could be for him a trademark catch-phrase similar to Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a redneck... Wallace talked about "Things you never see." Under this heading, he mentioned, for example, the fact that you never see a BlockBuster's being built. You always just drive by and - there it is. And you're left to lamely comment, "When did they put that there?"
That was a good observation. It has left me looking for other things that just mysteriously appear.

So I recommend this tape. It will give you a good evening's worth of fun. However - skip the Bonus Materials on the DVD. That spoiled my good humor. Somebody named "Binder" conducts an interview with Sinbad that is so lame, it's unbelievable. Sinbad struggles valiantly to make the best of it - but I don't know if Binder is a Canadian joke or if he's for real. Either way - steer clear of the whole mess. Just let the comics' prepared routines leave you laughing."