The Show
Doug Stanhope sums up his act pretty well in one funny line, "When I come on stage, it's like I'm leading you into battle. Not all of you are going to be here at the end." With an act that ranges from the mildly offensive to the verge of being obscene, Stanhope reveals he's more than the substitute host of The Man Show. He's also a decent observational comic, hitting on many different topics, including drugs, alcohol, human mutations and suicide-bomber moms. Good, clean family fun.

With a filthy mouth, Stanhope rips through little over an hour of angry comedy taped in an underground comedy club in Seattle, smoking and drinking during the entire show. Aiming his jokes on the things he finds to be stupid in life, he lays out a series of hopes and dreams, from overhauling Subway's breakfast policies to changing the country's economic model to a more enjoyable currency. The late Bill Hicks covered much of the same ground, especially drugs and stupid people, but was less abrasive and more pointed in his observations. Stanhope seems to be picking up the torch Hicks passed to Dennis Leary, only to see him drop it when he became an "actor."

The audience seems to be having a great time, laughing often and loudly, but you have to have a certain bent to enjoy this disc. Stanhope isn't for everyone, but he'll deliver if you can get into his act. After all, not every comic tells you about his girlfriend's abortion. It's safe to say that he's not going to be getting a sitcom deal anytime soon, so this is the best way to check out his act.

The DVD
Shout! Factory has put together another edition of their Ad Lib Breakout Comedy Series DVDs, with a two-disc set that checks in at the bargain list price of $14.98. For the standard price of a CD, you get a DVD with a 70-minute comedy set, along with a small slate of extras, and a CD with just the audio of the same 70-minute set. Comedy Central has put out similar two-disc releases, but there were different sets on the CD and DVD. While the audio CD is a nice bonus at this price, different jokes would have been nice. The menus are anamorphic, with play and extras options. There are no scene selections available, though an insert breaks down the the show into 27 "tracks." Presumably, this is for the CD.

The Quality
The black-and-white anamorphic widescreen video is of relatively poor quality, coming in a level above that of a security camera. the background behind Stanhope is an abyss, with just the wall sconces and Stanhope's face, hands and shirt visible for most of the video. The disc is often blurry and soft, with a good deal of grain. Considering Shout! Factory's usual output, one can only hope this look was intended. The video on the extras isn't much better, especially during the archive clips.

The audio is two-channel Dolby Digital, and is mixed well, so the jokes are clear, and the audience reaction doesn't overpower. This track is appropriate, but nothing special.

The Extras
The majority of the extras on Disc One are Stanhope's "Street Rants," of which there are five. Standing on the street, with his back-up, Banjo Randy, he riffs on topics like identification, justice and the founding fathers of America. They are short, and some are funnier than anything in his act. Anyone interested in the evolution of a comic will like "Behind the Mullet," which includes three early videos from Stanhope's career, all of which see him sport "hockey hair." They aren't bad, but they show how his act has grown, and how his wardrobe has changed. The final extra is inexplicable, a "screen saver" featuring Banjo Randy. It's just a looping bit of video featuring the banjo player, that's available in full-screen or widescreen. I'm not really sure what the point is, but it's here.

The second extra is a 70-minute CD of the act Stanhope performs on the DVD. It's well-produced, and might be something you'll play in your car if you enjoy his show.

The Bottom Line
Stanhope is a decent comic, but not one of my favorites. His act is pretty cynical and "edgy," which doesn't tend to make me laugh. Some of his jokes were funny, but for the most part, it feels more like ranting than comedy. While Bill Hicks performed similar material, he did it hilariously, because he knew he was supposed to be a comic, and did it with a wink. Stanhope is dirtier and less intellectual, which may just be a sign of the times, but it doesn't make his comedy any more impressive. It's worth a look for any fan of joke-tellers, and the price certainly doesn't hurt. If you like Stanhope's work on Comedy Central, pick this up without a doubt. Otherwise, proceed with caution.

---

Francis Rizzo III is a native Long Islander, where he works in academia. In his spare time, he enjoys watching hockey, writing and spending time with his wife, daughter and puppy.

Follow him on Twitter

---

*The Reviewer's Bias section is an attempt to help readers use the review to its best effect. By knowing where the reviewer's biases lie on the film's subject matter, one can read the review with the right mindset.