Like the Def Comedy Jam, The Kings of Comedy, and other omnibus showcases, former NBA great Shaquille O'Neal has his own, Showtime sponsored tour, and with the DVD of Live From Atlanta, we can see both the positives and the negatives of such a set-up. Featuring five stand-ups and some equally hilarious work from host Faizon Love, we are treated to an 85 minute overview of what urban humor looks like in 2013. Back in the days of Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx, black comedy was a combination of foul mouthed rants and razor sharp social commentary. Over the course of time, many in the business have removed the consciousness and kept the curse words. Here, it's tough to tell if the material has been edited to emphasize the epithets, but one thing is crystal clear - everyone except British comic Gina Yashere has no problem - let me repeat, NO PROBLEM - dropping the N-word whenever and wherever they feel it's needed.

In fact, Ms. Yashere's entire act is based around the crazed culture shock of being from a far more PC country (England) and facing the outrageous self-racism of America. She doesn't get the N-word, calling women "bitches and hos" and the whole rap culture. She's more clever than laugh out loud funny but she has a point. In fact, each act here has a theme, a specific POV that each specific comedian in trying to get across in 18 to 22 minutes. For Finesse Mitchell, it's all about getting older and being unable to sexually satisfy your partner the way you used to. Red Grant, on the other hand, is all about the concerns of copulation and cunnilingus. He's also a fan of fellatio and all other fornication prospects. Lavar Walker is the most "conservative" of the company, discussing his previous career as a pharmacist and what a royal pain in the ass it was (too many elderly people being old and infirmed) while Robert Powell illustrates the often controversial material that gets his repeated "fired" and then "rehired" by Shaq.

For his part, Mr. Love is all about his size, its limitations, and how suave and cool and collected he can be while carrying around such heft. Shaq is present, sitting in the front row of Atlanta's Symphony Hall with his obvious entourage and snickering along with every dirty (and non-dirty) joke. The audience, of course, loves every single smackdown, occasionally lapsing into the Arsenio era of appreciate - the dog bark. Yet it's not hard to see the pandering here. The comics know a couple of cracks at the vagina or someone's sagging ball sack will garner guffaws. When Ms. Yashere starts attacking these easy targets, you can feel the good mood of the room recoil in "don't make me think" rebuffs. Still, there's enough good stuff that you can turn off your brain for 90 minutes and not feel horribly ill-informed. Sure, Mr. Grant's act is very one note (how many times can you talk about BJs) and the "old people are irritating" element of Mr. Walker's work grows tired, but these are also very funny people who pass the most important test of any stand-up - they make you laugh.

THE DVD:
Lionsgate does a good job with this DVD. Filmed in HD with excellent camerawork and technical accomplishment, the 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen image has a decent amount of depth and some excellent colors. There are no obvious flaws or flaring of the kind you'd typically see of a live concert presentation recorded back in the '90s and early '00s. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix does a nice job of replicating the stand-up experience, even if the audience aspect of the sonics is stuck way down low in the mix (apparently, the comedians want to make sure their jokes are heard, not the laughs that result). As for added content, we get a sneak peek backstage, as well as something called a "Cypher." To me, it looks like The Dozens, a traditional African American party practice of getting everyone in a room and then letting them cut each other down, comically. There's some funny stuff here.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Overall, your enjoyment of Shaquille O'Neal Presents All Star Comedy Jam - Live from Atlanta, will be based solely on one thing (and rightfully so) - how funny do you think each comedian is. If you love Finesse Mitchell's take on erectile dysfunction, if Lavar Walker's angry old man fuming over his medication bill shtick leaves you in stitches, if Red Grant's oral fixation, Robert Powell's employment woes, and Gina Yashere's stranger in a strange land bits bring a smile to your face, then this disc is easily Recommended. Those not interested in paying for such a privilege can easily turn on their TV and find some outlet for similarly styled snickers. Comedy has indeed come a long way from the one-liner and the set-up/punchline story. While not consistently creative, Shaq's All Star Comedy Jam - Live from Atlanta knows how to split your sides and tickle your ribs, if not stimulate your brain. Other parts of your body, on the other hand...

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