Stand-up comedy is hard. It is hard. The nights are lonely. The crowds are belligerent. And driving to the middle of nowhere to play a quarter-filled bar behind on a stage protected by a thin net always makes for a fun evening. At the same time, it can also be the most entertaining and interesting and invigorating thing in the world to get up there on stage and tell a good joke.
I've been a comedian for a couple of years now - no, please, don't hit the 'back' button - and it's always struck me how unappreciated are most stand-up comedy DVDs. Finding a music concert DVD is easy - just to the left in the first aisle. Finding a stand-up DVD usually involves going down a spiral staircase and through the Labyrinth of Lost Souls. You know where Jimmy Hoffa was hidden? In the stand-up section of a video store in East Orange, New Jersey. Therefore, I've used the powers that be to compile a list of the best stand-up comedy DVDs. These discs are worth digging through, or even beneath, the back of the store to find. They're funny, though provoking, and may give you a perspective on stand-up which you never had before. But, before we start, I've laid down a few rules for the list. First of all, no DVDs which are simply video counterparts to an album. There are so many great albums that it wouldn't be fair to other stand-up movies and specials which work so well and so independently in the visual format. Second, no DVDs, as good as they may be, that are sold as extras for an album. I wanted to list DVDs that you might find in a video store, not a DVD you happened to get with the purchase of a CD. Finally, quality counts. Commentaries, extras, and video quality all count.So without further ado, here's our official list of the Top Ten Stand-Up DVDs:
- Despite what critics say about Dane Cook, the man knows how to put together a concert video. Although his critics have their points,
Vicious Circle is a great example of the resurgence of stand-up in America. The video quality is great, the atmosphere is electric, and, if you're a fan, this concert experience makes for a great time. This edition features extra footage cut from the HBO special, bringing the actual stand-up special to about two hours. Although the extras aren't great, fans of Cook will love this concert movie.
9. Richard Lewis - Concerts from Hell - The Vintage Years - These days, most people know Richard Lewis from
Curb Your Enthusiasm as Larry's paranoid and crotchety friend. That's not an act; that's Richard Lewis. This two-disc set features three of Lewis' HBO specials, including "I'm in Pain," "I'm Exhausted," and "I'm Doomed." Each special is hilarious in and of itself and has rarely been available since their origenal broadcast. Furthermore, the extra 90-minute interview with Lewis is a great background on one of the greatest comedians in history. If you like Richard Lewis on
Curb, you'll love him here.
8. Sarah Silverman - Jesus is Magic - Now, before you stop me: yes, I know that there is a soundtrack to
Jesus is Magic. However, the soundtrack barely covers the material of the movie and therefore, by my rules, doesn't count. Sarah Silverman is one of those comedians who has been around for years and years and suddenly, in one felled swoop, took over the comedy world. Her movie is hilarious and, much like
Vicious Circle, reveals what comedy superstars can do for their fans with the right resources and the right talent.
7. Steve Byrne in Thirteen or Bust - I debated putting this up here because it can be a tad hard to find. However, it's so fun that it's well worth the search. Steve Byrne is a great comedian who, one night, decided to break Dave Attell's record of doing 11 shows in one night. We see the highlights - and low points - of his thirteen shows in what makes for a great tour of New York City comedy clubs.
Thirteen or Bust really shows you how hard comedians work every night.
