The Show
Andrew Dice Clay hasn't had a successful comedy career for nearly a decade, but that doesn't stop the five comics on this DVD from attempting to carry the now-extinguished torch of raunchy comedy. In all but one case, they trip, crash and burn, barely eliciting a laugh out of the audience. It's a study in bad stand-up, once again dragging down the once-meaningful National Lampoon name.

Dirty comic Rich Vos ("Last Comic Standing", "The Opie and Anthony Show") hosts this gala event, performing several minutes of weak material, a mix of old and new, going back as far as his "Def Comedy Jam" appearance. The crowd is barely into the set, as the crowd shots show well. He does set the standard for blue language and stereotype-based comedy, with jokes about blacks, asians and Mexicans. It's a line of jokes that will be repeated often, to the dismay of most.

Worse still, are the "interviews" after each set, conducted by a blonde Cameron Diaz knock-off named Magdalena. They are so cringe-inducing that even the ditz holding the microphone seems embarrassed to be doing them. Why the producers felt it was necessary to add sex-"appeal" to this disc is a question that will haunt me for about three minutes.

There. That's better.

Of the five comics performing, only Craig Gass, a frequent guest on The Howard Stern Show, is any good, as he performs some fun impersonations, including the Al Pacino and Gene Simmons characters that have earned him fans on the radio. If you do watch this DVD, it will make you thankful for scene selections.

The one female comic, Paula Bel, does her best to keep alive the angry female comic routine, which features such gems as insulting thin girls and men and boldly talking about sex. It all comes off as bitter and petty comedy from an older woman.

The evening's black representation, Daniel Dugar, has an act I've actually seen three times, by three different comedians, in the month of August. Talking about how black guys dislike oral sex, Dugar insists that, of course, he's different, and goes into great depth discussing his technique. Even if you overlook its lack of creativity, it's just not funny.

Actor Joey Diaz should have talked about his set with Dugar, as his act is more of the same, with plenty of similar sex talk. Unfortunately, it's no funnier, and even less original, following Dugar's turn on stage. His sweaty routine includes plenty of the racist jokes this special revels in, but, once again, the crowd doesn't really buy in.

The final comedian is Brian Holtzman, and he may in fact be the worst of the bunch. His act is all about being loud, and his screaming is hardly humorous. The crowd watches on, without much interest, and the set winds to a anti-climatic end of the show.

Worst of everything in this DVD, the crowd reactions are edited in, instead of being true camera cuts. In watching "National Lampoon Live: New Faces, Vol. 1", the same crowd reactions are used, though the people aren't visible in the crowd, and vice versa for this disc. It's pretty bad when the comics are so unfunny that fake laughs need to be used.

The DVD
On one DVD, you get the entire 76-minute show, presented in widescreen with a 5.1 soundtrack. There is a bonus feature accessible off the main menu, along with scene selections, in the form of full-body photos of each comic. It's a cute feature, but they should be labeled.

The Quality
This disc is the complete opposite of the Stephen Lynch DVD I reviewed recently. That disc had bad video with great comedy. This DVD is beautiful, with clear, seemingly shot-on-film footage, presented in widescreen. This is one of the best looking stand-ups I've seen. It's kind of a waste though, thanks to the material.

The audio mix is a bit weird, as the house P.A. is buried, the audience is pushed to the rear speakers, and the comedian is dead-center. But in the rear, you get some of the feed from the speakers, so an off-putting echo occurs, while at some times, the audience overpowers the comedian. It was a nice attempt at recreating the comedy club experience at home, but it doesn't work all the time.

The Extras
There's one bonus feature on this DVD, and it isn't much of a bonus. Self-described "hack comic" Jay Davis guides the viewer through just under 10 minutes of full-screen behind-the-scenes footage, with the comedians and fans at the show. There are some cute moments, but nothing amazing. Davis is very grating, on the level of a Ryan Seacrest or Billy Bush, and his interview subjects don't make the featurette any better.

The Bottom Line
The days of the Diceman and Kinison are, for the most part, over, but no one told the comics on this bill. It's too bad the audience gathered to watch them had to learn this first-hand. After watching this DVD, I share their pain. Spare yourself, and avoid this one.

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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.