The Show
It seems like the hillbillies have finally decided to cash in, throwing every guy in plaid they can against the wall to see what sticks. The four horsemen of the redneck apocalypse had their day in the sun with Blue Collar Comedy Tour, a concert film featuring a quartet of country comedy's biggest names: Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy. While the first three deliver comedy with a southern flavor, Larry brings us the South with a comedy flavor. He is by far the most "redneck" of the bunch, and he revels in it. From his lamentations to the lord to his off-color remarks, he's the most offensive and most down-home of the Blue Collar crew.

This 66-minute show, shot in Michigan (sorta Yankee, sorta Southern), is standard Larry, with jokes about being Southern, gays, blacks, NASCAR and anything else that he can try to make funnier by saying it with a drawl. In his trademark baseball cap and torn-off plaid shirt, he's preaching to the choir, as the many crowd shots show. There are more camouflage caps and spit cups in these seats than at an NRA convention. It's likely that the night this show was filmed was the first time many of these people stepped into a theater on purpose.

On his website, Larry claims to not be a racist or homophobe, but his act certainly makes it seem otherwise. It's been questioned if he's just doing the same thing Norman Lear did with Archie Bunker on "All in the Family," making the joke teller the joke. He certainly seems over the top enough, like Archie. And, beneath the exhortations to "Git-R-Done," he seems like enough of a goof that you can listen to his un-PC punchlines without wanting to shut the DVD off. Unfortunately, it's unlikely we'll find out if this is the true Larry, because there's certain to be a big audience out there that takes Larry at face value, and agrees with him more than many people would like to imagine.

You have to have a definite bent towards the cousin-marrying sense of humor to get much out of this show, which, on a whole, is rather repetitive, as Larry cycles through his time-wasting bits, including his frequent apologies to the Lord and over-the-top metaphors. But then, my wife (the Jeff Foxworthy fan) has a master's degree, and she couldn't hold in her laughter at Larry's jokes. Believe me, she tried, in an attempt to maintain my respect. But when he strays from his redneck roots and delivers some truly universal comedy, it's hard to not find yourself at least smiling.

The DVD
The show is presented in widescreen on one DVD, with animated menus and an introduction by Larry. On the menus, there are scene selection options and special features. I was hoping for subtitles, as Larry can be hard to follow at times, but alas, there were none.

The Quality
The widescreen video is vibrant and clear, with Larry's red shirt contrasting solidly against the blue background of the stage. As a stand-up act, there's not much to look at, but what's here looks good.

There are two audio tracks available, with stereo and 5.1 soundtracks on hand. There's not a lot of difference between the two, due to the limited nature of the source material, but the 5.1 track has a fuller sound, with the audience sound coming from the sides and back speakers.

The Extras

There are two extras included, and one is just about the biggest waste of time I've seen on a DVD in recent time. The Larry Gallery includes several photos of the non-photogenic comedian, which should appeal to some unknown demographic. The other extra is entitled "Bathroom Humor," which is an interview with Larry that's conducted in a bathroom stall. It's not very informative, but if you love farts, it's gold.

The Wrap-Up
There's a specific audience for Larry the Cable Guy, and there's nothing I could say that will prevent them from enjoying his Southern-fried comedy. As for the rest of you who are curious, well, if you're easily offended, this is not the DVD to check out, as Larry, though attempting to be a loveable doofus, doesn't pull any punches. Admittedly, I laughed a few times during ths show, which, considering my lack of tolerance for "Blue Collar" comedy, is impressive. This is purely a rental if you like this kind of stand-up.

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*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.