Lewis Black: Black on Broadway

Yup. If you know anything about him, that's his whole shtick. I think people laugh because they think that otherwise he might get angry at them. Seriously, try to imagine him delivering the same "jokes" without being mad. You'll realize he's not funny. He's very uncreative.

Lewis Black has proved himself a biting, comic genius through his segments on the Daily Show, with his few though precious comedy specials on Comedy Central (one of them, Taxed Beyond Belief, is uncensored on the DVD version), and his albums. The stuff he has for his HBO debut is nothing short than awesome, as he breaks down concepts in society. He takes on the rich, water companies, milk, the war in Iraq, Homeland security, and flying, among other points of interest. While his style might not be for everyone, his dead-pan exaggerations and sarcasm, sudden outbursts of anger (akin to Sam Kinison but on a different playing field), and frankness, carries alot of weight in current times. One could say he's a logical extension of the kind of comedian George Carlin. But Black is, like Carlin, original on his own terms. Worth to catch on TV! A

Do you look at the nutritional content label on a bottle of plain water and expect to see anything but zeros? If yes, then Lewis Black isn't for you. If no, then you will find a soul-mate in Lewis Black.

His humor is based on every-day observations, and pointing out the head-shaking, leg-twitching, convulsion enabling wrongness of those observations.

But unlike some comedians, he doesn't yell at you, he yell's with you. He's just as flabbergasted as you are, but makes you laugh about it, instead of cry.

Make sure you watch until the final credits. It's rare that a performer comes back on stage for a bow, and you actually feel that he is grateful that you listened.

I enjoy watching a Lewis Black DVD from time to time. Of course, I can't watch it in front of anyone who's easily offended, as he used the dreaded f-word about 200 times during his routine. Plus, he is so intensely angry, I try not to watch him too often...or else I start thinking and talking like Black!

What you have here is Black doing his routine in a theater on Broadway a decade ago. It's neither his best nor worst work...though I've found he's one of the most consistent stand-up guys out there and haven't yet seen him when I didn't enjoy him. Among the many topics he discusses his hatred of politicians*, the stupidity and lack of accountability of the CIA in regards to Iraq, his sharing his dream with what he could do if he became an insanely rich CEO, milk and the stupidity of bottled water. All of it is quite funny and it's well worth seeing...as usual. My only complaint was the camera-work at the end of the show...where it appears the cameraman was drunk. I wonder what Mr. Black would say about that!

Preface: I am a huge Sam K. fan, and have been looking for his successor since his death.

LB is hilarious. This DVD can be watched time after time, especially after a cocktail. Sam and LB are in the same comedic vein.

I think LB is probably funnier if you empathize with big city life. He is a New Yorker, so some of his stuff will make sense only to other NYers.

Sam was mostly about relationships that end badly. LB is more about politics. Not left or right; he pokes fun at both parties.

HTH, Jay