RUSSELL SIMMONS' DEF COMEDY JAM - DVD review

Disclaimer: This review will contain potentially profane and vulgar language which may offend some audiences. Discretion is advised.

I find comedy a very hard genre to appreciate. More often than not, I find the humor to be completely juvenile, offensive, unnecessarily profane or simply not funny. I'm unique in that regard. So with some trepidation, I wandered into "Def Comedy Jam," a long running HBO program showcasing up and coming comedians. Hosted by D. L. Hughley ("Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip") and produced by hip hop producer Russell Simmons, each half hour installment in this season features three or four stand up comedians riffing on everything from the state of male/female relationships, race relations, drugs, sex, living in certain US cities and anywhere else a person can find comedy.

The list of "Def Jam" alumni is long and distinguished. Tracy Morgan, Martin Lawrence, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Cedric the Entertainer…and that only scratches the surface. (Mark Curry, Katt Williams, Jamie Foxx…) This program is a breeding ground for new artists not only because it provides them an unfiltered forum to hone their skills to a national audience, but Simmons name lends validity to each act.

At the outset of every installment-there are ten in this season, originally aired earlier in 2008-Hughley primes the audience with a five minute routine, giving way to the amateurs. Thirty-seven rookies are given a chance here, followed by a brief send off by Hughley and Simmons. Music is provided by Kid Capri, a man who seems to be too old to be called "kid." In any event, this is going to be a polarizing program, no doubt about it. With curses and slurs coming fast and furious, it is the one comedian who keeps his act family friendly who stands out.

That would be Roy Woods, Jr., the opening act of Episode 4. His routine consists of African American comedy stand-bys like civil rights and racism. But it's not what he says which makes an impact; it's what he doesn't say. Whereas the males and females preceding him use a litany of profanity, Woods, Jr. thinks about what he's going to say, giving the audience an arguably better experience than anyone else on the two discs. Profanity is a way to make people laugh without putting effort into it. For instance, someone can say "George Bush sucks" and not have the intelligence to back it up. However, if the line references the money spent on the Iraq War or the various speaking problems he has, comedy ensues without being vulgar.

Which isn't to say some of the other comics aren't funny, complete with their muthafucka's and nigga's. It's just that at the end of the day, 300 minutes of nothing but talk about crack whores and muthafuck'en Uncle Dope and the nigga sitting across from you…it looses it's "funny," for lack of a better word. This language isn't limited to the males on stage; the handful of female comics also through around all manner of vocabulary.

There is a wide swath of topics brought up here, especially by Hughley in his monologue's. He takes shots at Don Imus, Michael Vick and Star Jones; erectile dysfunction medication; Republicans; diaper wearing astronauts; and a whole host more. It's quite a shock hearing curses coming out of his mouth, especially for me when the only previous work of his I've seen was the aforementioned "Studio 60." Hughley is an agreeable host, upbeat and smart in the ways of stand up comedy. In some episodes, he's actually the highlight of the program.

Without a doubt, "Def Comedy Jam" is geared toward a certain demographic. There is an attempt to diversify the audience and the comedians, yet this is almost certainly an urban-skewing production. I think that's where most of my problem comes with the season included here. I can't relate to the humor, to the experiences or the language. It turns into a deadly combination, not to mention a dreary proposition after the series gets past the first episode.

The technical aspects of the actual production are beyond repute, though. It never looks like a cheap affair, most likely owing to both Simmons' and Hughley's participation. Is this a crown jewel in HBO's schedule? Probably not, but it brings in a different demographic than their more critically acclaimed dramas, with the exception of perhaps "The Wire." Are there any standout acts included on these discs to rally around and follow? Maybe Gina Yashere, though not because of what she says. She's billed as the first Brit on "DCJ," giving her a place in obscure television history. Rasheed and his Uncle Dope routine, along with B. Cole's Head Day (a spin on Sweetest Day which reminded me of Love Day from "The Simpsons"). Sadly, Rasheed passed away in November of last year, thereby depriving us of any new Uncle Dope installments.

VIDEO:
The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation is about as good as it could get, considering the age of the material. Any problem with a production as recently produced as this has been would have earned major negative marks. I'm happy to report-maybe I expected it, too-there is nary an issue here. The black levels are appropriately deep while all admittedly limited color palette comes across very nicely. My only very minor quibble is occasional and isolated distortion on microphone shafts. Yes, I did say is was a minor quibble, right? In reality, it doesn't amount to anything.

AUDIO:
All we have is a 2.0 English track; not shockingly, it's strong, clean and crisp. Again, I don't see how any could have expected anything else as with the transfer. I am a bit surprised, though, by the decision to not supply an enhanced 5.1 mix. Not that "Def Comedy Jam" needed it; it just seems as though standard practice is to soup up the audio even when it isn't needed. At any rate, what we're given is suitable for the material. Both discs are closed captioned, though not subtitled.

EXTRAS:
A slate of five extra sketches ranging in length from two to four minutes comprise the extras. The first two are "man on the street" segments with one of the comics; the other three are short sketches with the (intentional?) side effect of making your skin crawl. All of them engage in stereotypes, never rising above the level of the last sketch on any given episode of "Saturday Night Live." You know, the one the writers just threw together to fill out some time. Don't believe me? How do "Every Black Show" and NOD America" sound? (The last stands for "Nigga on Demand"…)

PARTING SHOTS:
In one word: blech. This is by no means my cup of tea, though I won't disparage the comics too much since some audiences will enjoy the humor. Technically speaking, the two disc set is recommended. Just know what you're getting yourself into.