Comedy

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March 28, 2013 by Simon Sweetman

Steve Martin: The Television Stuff

Steve Martin The Television Stuff Shout! Factory This three-disc set is a reminder of Steve Martin’s “wild and crazy guy” persona, the seeds of The Jerk, the memory of him as a rock’n’roll star within comedy, the first hints of his more than decent abilities on the banjo, the early peak, and a portrait of [...]

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March 24, 2013 by Simon Sweetman

Jim Gaffigan: Mr. Universe

Jim Gaffigan Mr. Universe Comedy Central Records Jim Gaffigan is note-perfect, a comedian with his shtick locked-down, he does observational humour – but it’s not a Jerry Seinfeld act. It’s more Bill Cosby, or aspiring to get there, in that it’s not the detached stand-and-point observations that Seinfeld popularised, this is comedy borne of experience, [...]

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December 3, 2012 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 1453

Richard Pryor, Richard Pryor’s Greatest Hits (1977) Some things can be good – or great – without you necessarily wanting to engage with them all that often. I collect Richard Pryor records. I don’t collect Richard Pryor films. But I have all his audio recordings. I’ve seen most of his films and all of his [...]

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September 14, 2011 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 1850

Bill Cosby, It’s True! It’s True! (1969) Bill Cosby has had a huge impact on my life, comedy-wise. From his books and TV shows, the cartoons and sitcoms back to his stand-up. Particularly the stand-up. He’s one of a rare breed practicing a lost art. He works with comedy that is both funny and [...]