Modified On December 16, 2004
Remember those releases you signed when you appeared on those television shows back in the early nineties? Well, there’s a new four-DVD set out called “Koch Vision Presents 32 of the World’s Funniest Women—Live and Uncensored,” and it sounds like a repackaging of a ton of those sets. Only this one is all females. The review in HomeTheaterMag.com is less than complimentary:
The premise behind Funny Ladies is a good one: a four-DVD set featuring uncensored standup routines from some of the best female comediennes in the business. Most of the material dates from the early nineties, and the outfits and hairstyles are often funnier than the stand-ups themselves. Unfortunately, the real joke is on anyone who purchases this travesty of a collection.
While the content on this DVD might be dated, so too is the approach that the reviewer takes– being cruel just for cruelty’s sake is sooo last decade! And the reviewer, though he may be working for a publication that purports to bring readers “the very latest in audio, video, surround sound, movies and music,” doesn’t seem to be all that knowledgeable about subjects outside their narrow purview. And apparently there’s no memo that cautions HTM writers against displaying their colossal ignorance when it comes to other matters… like standup. Gary Maxwell (the mook’s name) just looooves Margaret Cho, Ellen DeGenere and Janeane Garofalo but he refers to the other comediennes as “a bunch of other hacks you’ve never heard of.” Nice! Cruel and stupid!
Who are identified as unknown hacks? Just on disc one: Andrea Martin, Susie Essman and Judy Tenuta. Elsewhere there’s Rita Rudner, Kim Coles and Wanda Sykes. And, except for his brief mention here on SHECKYmagazine.com Gary Maxwell might better fit the description of unknown hack than any of those ladies. We’re done now. Mr. Maxwell can slither back into oblivion.
Ellen Cleghorne, Susie Essman, Stephanie Hodge, Cathy Ladman, Caroline Rhea, Carol Montgomery, Nora Lynch, Henriette Mantel, Nancy Parker, Carrie Snow, Sarah Silverman, Mary Jo Pehl, Judy Toll, Andrea Walker, Shyma, Leah Krinsky, Roberta Kent, Kim Coles, Judy Gold, Karen Haber and Laura Kightlinger are also featured.