OWF's Christmas Gift Guide 2010: Stand-Up DVDs
Swiftly(ish) on the tail of Part One of our Christmas Gift Guide (dedicated to all manner of Blu-ray and DVD wonders) comes the second installment - in something of a footnote to the Blu-ray guide itself.
This being the Christmas period, tis the season to be jolly and no-one knows it better than the people who set the release dates for the yearly round of stand-up comedy DVDs. That particular market explodes in the weeks leading up to the festive period, and the ultra-competitiveness of the releases creates a micro-market in itself that is typically full of very good comedy offerings. With that in mind, I've chosen to do a separate list for stand-up DVDs, offering what I see as the best comedy releases of the season...
First off, something a little different. If you like your comedy odd and your comedians even odder, you'll probably already be aware of the special brand of weird that The Mighty Boosh team deal in, and this new Live DVD is Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding on finest oddball form. You'd be forgiven for thinking this behind the scenes documentary might spoil some of the magic, given that the two comedians actually play character on tour, but the doc remains as Boosh-like as the live shows it chronicles. Great stuff, and a great whimsical glimpse behind the capes, monkey suits and crimps that never threatens to give too much away.
Comp: We have three copies of Journey of the Childmen to give away... all you need to do is 'like' us on facebook and you are automatically entered.
The beard may be slightly less luxurious, and the wrinkles a little more prominent, but the old sparkle remains in Billy's eyes, and you still get the feeling of a master at work. Quite rightly, voted the Greatest Ever Stand-Up comedian, by a selection of floating heads on one of those list-shows that are shown on a loop this time of year, Connolly still has the ability to leave me helplessly gasping for air with his warm and inclusive anecdotes, and that familiar style that makes you believe that the comedian is simply holding court among friends.
The king of dry delivery - Jimmy Carr is another member of the new modern school of inappropriate material delivered with a boyish disarming charm. No matter what he says, Carr's almost snooty demeanor, and his tendency to laugh at some of his own jokes makes it impossible to hold him responsible, even when he's breaking almost every taboo that still exists in our reasonably awakened society. Carr is also a champion when it comes to dealing with hecklers- a skill he has to call upon a few too many times during the DVD since his audience seem to think they are part of the act - and there is a great deal to be enjoyed in his pithy, cutting put-downs that shame and silence the idiots who shout. Another fine example of why Carr is held so highly in comedy circles, showing his versatility and his willingness to adapt his style to add a freshness that often comes so hard to comedy veterans. £11.93 at Amazon.Comp: We have three copies of Jimmy Carr: Making People Laugh to give away, simply like us on facebook and you are automatically entered.
One for fans of the Angry Man Comic style, Rhod Gilbert's first DVD was hugely popular last year, and the follow-up continues that success thanks to the same animated style (he gets hugely irate over some of the most trivial things!) and fans will certainly enjoy his rambling anecdotal style. For all of the ire, and the apparent petty exaggeration of the simplest foibles, Gilbert's routine is cleverly planned and quite complexly linked to a final pay-off, which gives it a quite pleasant narrative completeness, and justifies some of the more dark and serious passages that feel a bit out of place first time round. Not the straight-forward chuckle-inducing funny man of tradition, but a very good story-teller all the same, which is a massive advantage to begin with.
Comp: We have three copies to give away, all you need to do is 'like' us on facebook and you are automatically entered.
Dry, witty and incredibly clever (despite some of his more "colourful" subject matter), Sean Lock is at the forefront of the modern breed of comedians with an inimitable grumpiness that makes his observationalist work so much funnier. The fact that he segues from a mild gripe about the modern condition of being to a painful, squirm-inducing controversial comment also frames his on-stage presence with a volatility and a genuine level of genius that few of his contemporaries can match.
I was lucky enough to catch this show live in Newcastle, and I'm pleased to say I laughed like a braying ox- albeit apart from the unfortunate section when an audience member felt she was entitled to participate and dully found herself on the sharp end of a Geordie crowd baying for her blood. But then not everyone knows the rules of being a fully functioning member of an intelligent society do they?!
The crown prince of controversial comedy returns to the stage, with some jokes so close to the bone they're positively skeletal. But then that is part of Boyle's roguish charm- he is plainly unconcerned about how people might judge him in light of his EXTREMELY hellish subject matter, and he says everything- even the blackest of things- with a smile of innocent joy that makes him both utterly forgiveable and terribly funny. Not for the faint hearted, or those inclined to write letters of complaint- you'll only injure yourself.
Comp: We have three copies of Frankie Boyle's exceptional second DVD to give away, all you need to do is 'like' us on facebook.
The comedy discovery of the last couple of years, Kevin Bridges has shot to huge fame thanks to appearances on seemingly every comedy programme currently airing. His observationalist humour, and extra-dry style, combined with the natural comedy of his lilting Scottish accent (there's definitely something in the relationship between Scottishness and being funny!) make him a joy to watch, and The Story So Far (his first solo release) shows why he is thought of so highly. Definitely a firm favourite!
Science- Ricky Gervais' fourth stand-up DVD - may not exactly be setting the world alight, but it must still be considered for what it is, and where it has come from. This is the man who has already brought us The Office, Extras and three excellent stand-up shows, and the pedigree counts for something, and while it is no where near Gervais' best, Science still raising more than a few laughs.
It is probably an essential purchase more on the strength of Gervais' former works than the actual content, which is a huge shame, as I never wanted to have to say that anything new by the man ever failed to match up to his otherwise flawless track record. The faux-arrogance might be grating now, and the structure lacking, but every shortcoming is a comparative shortcoming when viewed in light of what Gervais has already done. In comparison to a lot of other comics working, Science is still well worth a look.
Arguably the funniest comic character creation to grace British screens in the past few years, it is impossible not to become instantly enamoured by Leigh Francis' greatest invention, especially when he laughs. And in the past six months Celebrity Juice, Lemon's dangerously funny celebrity panel show has stepped up to another level (even moving from ITV2 to ITV1 for a second showing) and it was hard to move for being shouting catch-phrases. This may have happened to me more than most, as I bear a passing resemblance to a far more "cuddly" version of Keith Lemon, meaning people take great pleasure in going out of their way to scream "Potato!" at me.
This keep-fit comedy may seem like an idiotic idea, but it fits with the silliness of the character, and his lack of self-awareness, and is packed with genuine belly laughs. £11.99 at Amazon.
Comp: We have three copies of the surprisingly pleasing comic hit to give away, all you need to do is 'like' us on facebook.
Officially the funniest man on this list- though not as widely known as he certainly deserves to be, Tommy Tiernan is a bona fide comedy God (he ranks second only to U2 in terms of live tickets sold in Ireland, which is some good going) and his recent appearance on Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow was the best performance I have seen this year- I make no exaggeration when I say that it reduced me to helpless tears, especially the skit about having afternoon sex to the soundtrack of children's nursery rhymes. A wonder to behold.
This is Tiernan's first DVD release for eight years, and going on past experience alone it would have been an essential purchase for comedy fans. But Tiernan is at the peek of his game at the minute, and this is his best DVD to date, so that essential status increases exponentially.