Brad Stine is something of an anomaly in comedic circles; he doesn't get drunk or high on stage, he doesn't swear in every sentence, he doesn't attack decent people indiscriminantly, and he doesn't seem to care for the use of sexual humor in his act. Essentially, he wants to put on a show that EVERYBODY can enjoy, whole families included, just like the good old days before "cutting edge" came to mean an ever escalating series of one-upmanship on others in his field. I know that comes across as a pretty dangerous idea to those of you brought up on Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Cheech & Chong, and Rodney Dangerfield (all of whom were very talented in their day) but I think there's a big market for Brad's type of humor and like few other social commentator/observationists in the field, he seems willing to stay true to what he believes in yet provide a good show all the same.

Tolerate This had 18 chapters on the DVD and 16 on the audio CD. Here's a list for those wanting to gain an idea of the topics Mr. Stine uses to showcase as funny:
1) Hoosiers
2) Applause Is Weird
3) Running Late
4) Suit Running
5) Christians & Southerners
6) Common Courtesy
7) Man/Woman
8) Guys Yell, Girls Scream
9) Cheerleaders
10) Spiders Are Ferocious
11) In The Beginning
12) Eye Was A Shop-A-Holic
13) Boys Bike
14) Smokers Can't Help It
15) Atheists Are Irrational
16) 4th Grade Christian
17) Jesus' Brother
18) Put A Helmet On

The show was recorded live at Emens Auditorium, Ball State University, in Muncie Indiana on 3/12/2005 and the only two tracks not on the audio CD were Cheerleaders and Suit Running, both likely chosen due to the fact that they were the most visual in nature of the bunch and wouldn't work all that well in the format. Here's what his website, www.bradstine.com, has to say about him:
"Brad Stine enjoys shattering pre-conceptions. In modern stand-up comedy, cultural signifiers abound. Call a comic aggressive and confrontational, and it usually means coarse language and crude subject matter. Call a comic cerebral, and it usually means a liberal who makes reference to politicians and pop-culture figures. Call a comic clean, and it usually means someone mild-mannered, polite, and exceedingly safe. Brad Stine bulldozes those stereotypes with manic, wild-eyed, thought-provoking glee. He's as in-your face as any modern stand-up comedian, but he never utters a curse word. He's an educated, cerebral comic who is also a proud, patriotic conservative. "Modern comedy is full of acts who are pushing the envelope of society," Stine says. "But those who use comedy for social commentary tend to be liberal. I represent something different, something I think is more in line with most of America ."
So, yes, he's clean and conservative. As shown on his new DVD Tolerate This! , he's a unique comic who proves that clean and cutting edge indeed can come in the same package—and at full speed. "I think there's humor in expressing our frustrations," Stine says. "The observation of certain societal truths, when brought up in a comedic way, can help people see things more objectively. Comedy should be a way of expressing what you're about, and these are the things that are on my mind. Some people perform because they want to entertain. I want to bring a little more to the table and offer something creative and substantive."
Stine's distinctive brand of comedy has brought him standing ovations across the country—as well as praise from the media. He's been seen on NBC "Nightly News," CNN Paula Zahn Now , FOX News Hannity & Colmes Show , Tucker Carlson Show , MTV's Half Hour Comedy Hour , Showtime's Comedy Club Network and A&E's Caroline's Comedy Hour, Evening at the Improv and Comedy on the Road as well as a 10 page profile in the New Yorker Magazine.
A native of Indiana , he spent years in Los Angeles developing his career before moving his family to Nashville . He began his career blending comedy and magic, touring college auditoriums and comedy clubs, eventually evolving to where he wanted to concentrate on being a stand-up comic with a substantial message. Brad admits he also felt a compelling desire to prove himself to the Christian community. As he began to perform in churches, Brad felt his priorities shift and his burden for ministry change towards the church. "I perceived that something was happening to them that felt more important than what was happening to nonbelievers at my secular club gigs. The fact is, you're limited what you can really say of a spiritual nature in the clubs, but in the church, I was allowed to say hard things, and they listened and were influenced by it."
In Stine's book, Being a Christian Without Being an Idiot: Ten Assumed Truths That Make Us Look Stupid , he challenges Christians to examine themselves before judging others. He also dares them to adopt a lifestyle that changes the negative perspectives the world has about Christianity. His next Penguin Publishers book is tentatively scheduled to hit shelves in March 2006. His last DVD Conservative Unleashed scanned #2 on Soundscan's Top Christian Video Sales. Brad has always addressed the conservative movement in America . He says, "Conservatives have some representation on television, on radio and in books. But you don't hear it much in comedy. I think there's a gap there, and I'd like to provide some balance.""

Mr. Stine's basic routine embraces his beliefs in God but doesn't dwell on them endlessly as some others in the field do. This is similar to how pop Christian singer Amy Grant made herself a crossover artist, never denying who she is and bringing it up from time to time but not ending up as a one trick pony either. Having watched the DVD (and listened to the CD), I can honestly say I was entertained; laughing as much as I have with any other comedy show I've watched in recent months, and I wouldn't have been embarrassed seeing it in mixed company. One quote he used worked to espouse his philosophy about Atheists: "Who's more irrational, a man who believes in a God he can't see or a man who's offended by a God he doesn't believe in?". There was some play on words, some mugging for the camera, and it left me wanting more; perhaps even his books although his personality might not come across as readily on paper. I'm going to rate the DVD as Recommended although if you're looking for a comedy DVD that you can enjoy with others, you'll probably find this one on a short list given the state of what's on the market these days. Go enjoy it with your family and friends to see what I mean.

Picture: Tolerate This was presented in the original 1.33:1 ratio full frame it was shot in earlier this year in Indiana. It was crystal clear, the fleshtones were accurate, and the camera work managed to capture Brad's energetic style quite nicely. The guy couldn't stand still (not much any way) so I suppose my biggest issue was the use of a lot of close-ups that caused the need to track him endlessly but the crew did a better job than I could have nonetheless. There were no compression artifacts or video noise to be seen in the show (and I watched it twice).

Sound: The audio was presented with a choice of either a 2.0 Dolby Digital Track or a 4.0 Surround track (that's how it read on my equipment); both in the English language. I didn't notice a lot of difference between the tracks as each was clear and I could hear what he was saying very nicely. There was some separation between the channels and the dynamic range was fair but I didn't seem to notice my subwoofer doing anything so don't expect the latest THX release from George Lucas and associates when listening to this one.

Extras: The only extras were a short deleted scene where Brad bangs his head on a metal pipe fixture in a subterranean walkway of an industrial setting that lasted a minute or so, a commercial for a charity assisting poor folks called World Peace, and some other spam for stuff that no one really wants to see on a DVD as an extra.

Final Thoughts: Tolerate This managed to put a lot of things in perspective, including the need for a fair set of rules that we can all live by in regards to the spoken word. Why should some idiots like Michael Moore or Al Franken have free reign to mislead the masses and not bear any significant amount of intellectual scrutiny while those who consider themselves conservative or Christian be pegged as inferior, stupid, or throwbacks to a long dead way of thinking? I may not be kind to fellow conservatives at times and lightning bolts would strike me down if I tried to get into a church but as an alternative to the many idiots out there that think tree hugging should be the next Olympic sport, that grades are harmful to the self esteem of children, and all the other fallacies of the left wing fringe, Brad Stine's Tolerate This will come off as a breath of fresh air. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And if you aren't enthusiastic about the DVD, you can also try the CD (I got both and they each work to the strength of their respective medium).