It's no secret that comedy is subjective - some find scatology hilarious while others merely scratch their heads and wonder why. Some split their sides paging through anthologies of "New Yorker" cartoons that leave others bemused as to their hilarity. For me, comedian Richard Jeni just doesn't do it - and I feel it's something I should mention upfront. Probably most well-known for his role as Jim Carrey's buddy in 1994's The Mask, Jeni has been a fixture on the club circuit and has several HBO specials under his belt, his latest (and first since 1997) Richard Jeni: A Big Steaming Pile of Me. is sporadically funny but carries an air of desperation about it, struggling to fill an entire hour with jokes.

More than once during Richard Jeni: A Big Steaming Pile of Me., I felt as though I was watching a C-grade Robin Williams knock-off - very little of Jeni's material, although poking fun at topical subjects, feels fresh or spontaneous. His riffs on women and PMS, male circumcision or even 9/11 have a very dated, belabored feel to them, despite the special having aired only earlier this year. Filmed at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California, Jeni makes what I feel is another crucial misstep early on: warning the audience of his edginess and tendency to "piss people off." I don't ever recall Jeni having a reputation for being a daring, button-pushing comic and while there are moments where Jeni threatens to push the envelope, he never ventures into the raw territory of a Bill Hicks or David Cross. Plus, if you've gotta warn someone about your "edginess," then that's just a big red flag right there.

That's not to say that this is family-friendly comedy - Jeni, perhaps in an effort to make up for his lack of shocking material, liberally sprinkles his bits with profanity, but again, given the more extreme end of stand-up, Jeni comes off as, well, dated. It's a bit like watching your dad do material that was funny 15 years ago.

Those who like their comedy faintly predictable and only mildly offensive will likely find much to enjoy with Richard Jeni: A Big Steaming Pile of Me. It does make me wonder, however, if perhaps HBO has lost its nerve when it comes to comedy - Bill Maher's weekly talk show is the lone example I can think of that still shows the cable channel has an urge to walk the bleeding edge of comedy. I mean, they cancelled "Mr. Show with Bob and David" and I think the last time I watched a HBO stand-up special and was truly knocked over was probably David Cross' 1999 special "The Pride is Back." So maybe my dispassion for Jeni is somewhat misplaced - maybe it's not only the comedian, but it's also the network.

The Video:

Richard Jeni: A Big Steaming Pile of Me. is presented in a perfectly clear 1.33 fullscreen transfer that looks sharper and cleaner than the original broadcast image; the sweat on Jeni's uppper lip is unmistakable and the swooping, restless camera never betrays any artifacts. A respectable image.

Presented in Dolby 2.0 stereo, Richard Jeni: A Big Steaming Pile of Me. is offered as broadcast - for a stand-up comedy concert, the stereo mix is perfectly fine. The crowd noise is mixed well and Jeni's jokes are heard loud and clear for the duration of the performance.

No extras are included.

Richard Jeni: A Big Steaming Pile of Me. doesn't break any comedic ground and certainly doesn't push the envelope, but Jeni is a stand-up veteran and this hour of jokes is, at the very least, competent - if not entirely gut-busting. Easily a rental if you're bored some Saturday night, but otherwise save this one for the hardcore Jeni aficionados. Rent it.