Joan Rivers: Don't Start with Me

Since the early 1980s the brash, self-deprecating comedic stylings of Joan Rivers have endured, entertaining audiences of all ages with her quick wit and desirable, 'nothing's sacred' approach to comedy. In stand-up show Don't Start With Me, Rivers delivers a balanced, but not quite uproarious, selection of gags, ranging from praise for the gays to condemnation of the handicapped and everything in between.

No sector of society- rich or poor, black or white, famous or a nobody- is safe from Rivers' barbs. Highlights include her criticism of Goldie Hawn's vanity, Anne Frank's writing skills and the time she and Sean Penn rowed a boat through New Orleans. The entire show is tinged with a touch of 'well, what did you expect?', which helps create a feeling of immersion. Unfortunately, Rivers' schtick does occasionally teeter on the edge of intrigue. The result is not offensive, per se, but actually boring, which is arguably a lot worse.

Fans of Rivers' topical, slightly female-oriented sense of humour will draw much pleasure from only a 50-minute show, while those less affiliated with the comedienne may find some quirks in her performance a little repetitive and, barring that, simply too lacking in context to hit the mark.

*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*

I am not one of these "highbrow" movie critics or a professional or skilled reviewer by a long shot. In fact I only review stuff usually when it strikes me as especially bad or great. I do not like slow, heady dramas and I have no formal training in how a movie or program should be constructed. I only know what I like…like most folks. Personally I think movie critics are usually pretty boring people…you kind of have to be to do the job properly, it requires a "clinical" perspective on what most of us just see as "entertainment"…not anything that really makes much of a difference in real life, unless it is of course non-fiction or documentary.

So with that preface…there's this:

"Don't Start With Me" is Rude,crude, disgusting, completely socially unacceptable…and one of the best "insult" standup performances I have ever seen. Joan Rivers was an absolute hero for free speech.

I have to give ten out of ten stars because any DVD that makes me have to stop it in order to gather myself and take some deep breaths deserves it. Plus at 78 years old she gets at least half point bonus for kicking butt.

If you are sensitive to ANYTHING you may not like this DVD. No one…I mean no one…not even the handicapped are spared in this standup…and that includes her as she takes shots even at herself.

Prudish?…live in a proper, maybe religious bubble away from all harsh words and profanity? In college or recently graduate from one of our anti-free speech political correctness paranoid university indoctrination centers? You may want to steer clear of this DVD…you can't handle the truth! Joan Rivers, and George Carlin both said they stopped performing at colleges because in those indoctrination centers there lives no real humor and everyone has a victim card to pull out…Chris Rock recently said the same thing.

If you have a spine, a real sense of humor and can handle any…and I mean any of the most outrageous concepts of human existence AND your skin is thick enough to not be offended by ANYTHING…even offended for others…you may like this DVD.

And I mean even if you have breast cancer and a special needs child, or anything of the sort and can't handle a joke about it...stay in your lane and rent something your mind can handle because this is not it.

The world will sadly miss Joan Rivers…straight up free speech and the ability to take a joke is a dying thing in America…enjoy it while you can before we are all boring drones…by law…

Joan Rivers was also a Great American Patriot…as you will see at the end of this show…if you have the guts.

I love anything Joan does and this was an hour well spent but this was not my favorite. It was good stand up but that's all it was. I am more of a fan of Joan improvising and I loved the documentary about her.