When I reviewed "Def Comedy Jam" earlier this year, I noted the most effective comedy doesn´t need to include cringe worthy material. A joke is not funnier because a comedian says "fucking cow" instead of "cow." By and large, profanity is a symptom of a lazy, uncreative mind. In that vein, then, I am pleased to report Rita Rudner´s 2008 PBS special, "Live From Las Vegas," skirts the boundaries of acceptability but never crosses them.
Since her act is more or less family friendly, Rudner was able to get early gigs on HBO, "The Tonight Show" and "Late Night with David Letterman." It´s almost poetic, in a way, this show is being released so close to the passing of George Carlin. Whereas Carlin always seemed to have an agenda, something controversial to say, Rudner doesn´t. There´s no politics, sex or depravity in the 62 minutes special. I have to believe the content had a lot to do with its airing on PBS, considering that station´s older and more conservative demographic. Which is never a problem, mind you. Her observational skills and the way they are turned into comic material don´t "talk down" to the audience, made up of all ages and both genders, based on the reaction shots. The menopause jokes, a story or two about her adopted daughter…they play to all people in all places at all times.
Rudner is at her best when she delivers a punch line without cracking a smile. Too many comedians buy into their own hilarity to a point they enjoy the material more than the audience. She may smile while informing the audience the true cause of global warming is women going through menopause at the same time, but there is never a feeling she buys into her own celebrity. That is her greatest gift.
As is her husband, a nameless, faceless man who never seems to understand his wife´s predilection for shopping. That is the source of most of her bits: the differences between men and women. It´s standard material, to be sure; how many comedians before her have commented on shopping or facelifts? I´d venture too many. Yet Rudner´s easy going demeanor-her playfulness, if you will-makes her stand out.
She is mellow, allowing the material to take center stage instead of her personality. It´s as if the crowd gathered at Harrah´s Casino in Las Vegas are her best friends and she doesn´t feel a need to impress them. Sure, her full length, form fitting glittered gown may imply otherwise, but everything in comedy concerts comes back to the material. Good stories and punch lines can alleviate a number of problems, including faulty lighting or costumes.
Just a word about the lighting, specially the spotlight following Rudner around the stage. Several times it seems to lose her, only to quickly readjust itself. The comedian doesn´t seem to notice, but we do. It´s almost disconcerting seeing the halo of light around her jitter and shake from time to time. This aspect reminds us the performance is live and hasn´t been doctored in any way.
The set at Harrah´s is simultaneously elegant and simple. A sparse stage with a curtain in the background, complemented by a couple (most likely fake) plants. A pair of shining chandeliers…and that´s it. It suits Rudner and her act perfectly, when you think about it. There´s no deception, no glitz or glamour to get in the way of the finished product. The set, the material, the dress, the woman…it all feeds into the personae she creates. Now, to be fair, the person she is on stage is radically different from the one we see in the bonus scenes. There, she is wild, nearly manic, sexy and has one too many blonde moments. But in the show proper? She is restrained.
Comedy is perhaps the most subjective genre to grade. Some people want their humor edgy and cutting edge; others prefer slapstick; then there´s political humor and celebrity humor; comedy that works only because we cans see the performer; and then there´s the content a blind person could enjoy. This is the latter type. No pretentiousness, just a world weariness, someone who has been around the block enough times to see the humor in not seeing eye to eye with everyone around her.
And the best part?
She can laugh at the people she loves and at herself.
VIDEO:
The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is actually quite good for what it is required to do. Background black levels are reasonable while the normal cluster of problems never pop up. Rita´s dress shines on the stage under the lights, never becoming a problem for the filming or the mastering department. You can´t be anything but pleased with the quality here.
AUDIO:
Even though the singular audio track is the original English 2.0 mix, it stands up nicely to the video specs. Again, the only job requirement, so to speak, of the A/V is to bring the information across without distortion or disruption. And that´s exactly what happens: no problems on the audio front, though I did detect a low level hum through some sequences. The sound reminded me of stereo feedback. Most audiences probably won´t notice it since it in no way interferes with the act. There are no subtitles.
EXTRAS:
All we have are a collection of nine short bits featuring Rudner is various. Essentially, she takes her act on the road, just a more vulgar version of it. Running between 1:30 and 6:18, the comedian visits tattoo parlors, Chippendale´s, Star Trek: The Experience and other locales, having fun with the people she finds. Shot in full screen, they lack the detail and quality of the main feature but are still respectable.
PARTING THOUGHTS:
Starting her career as a dancer at the age of 15 on Broadway, it never appears as though Rudner comprises her principles or instincts to appeal to a larger audience. She might be able to draw in bigger audiences by modifying her act-it´s unclear how many more people can line up to see her, considering tickets to her show are one of the hottest commodities in the city. By not changing, Rudner doesn´t alienate her core audience. In a time when comedy usually comes with a four letter word, I´ll take her brand of humor.