Is it filthy? Yes. (So was Richard Prior.) Is it hateful? No. I don't think Axelrod hates Jews and African-Americans. I don't think he's trying to make other people hate them either.

He is making us laugh at stereotypes. And he is exaggerating, which is what comedians do. I am Jewish, and I was not offended by his humor. Jewish culture has a LONG history of making fun of ourselves; I just see this as part of that.

I fully respect others' right to be offended. We all draw a line which we won't cross based on our upbringing, beliefs, experiences, etc. But if you don't like what Axelrod is doing, don't send him your money. Don't watch his videos. But censorship? That's walking a slippery slope.

Bob

P.S. By the way, I fully agree support Mark's attitude regarding dealers at the ConVENTion. It's his show; he can make the rules.

Well, I am not Jewish and I am not black, but I am offended. I don't laugh at sterotypes like this and I don't laugh at others' misfortunes. Why not just put a handicap person up there, yank their crutch away and laugh as they fall. Not only won't I send him my money, I'll raise a voice against his inclusion in family oriented events. We just celebrated the 4th yesterday, and if this country is have any home then it needs to re-establish its values. That video does the exact opposite. It lets people think it is OK to look at Jews and Blacks in the way they are presented there. That is exactly what Hitler did in Germany - first there was the parody of Jews, then the sterotyping, then the hatred, then the genocide. I, for one, say "No."

Thanks, guys, for your imput and support. I did contact Axelrod and he assured me this DVD will not be on his table. He does carry some interesting DVD's of old time vent from the Ed Sullivan Show and other places...some hard to find..so he does has some worthwhile DVD's for sale. I will double check to make sure this does not surface.

I enjoy reading your posts...and am having a good time with posting about vent.

Mark

Mark Wade-Ventriloquist

I fear I did not make myself clear on this. I believe that when Axelrod is making fun of sterotypes, he is holding the stereotypes up for ridicule, not the groups being sterotyped. I don't think Axelrod is "let[ting] people think it is OK to look at Jews and Blacks in the way they are presented there." I think he is letting people laugh at the way they are presented. That's different.

And I strongly believe in this country's values, including freedom of speech and tolerance of diverse opinions.

B

I guess I have a little trouble seeing that distinction. I watched all of the clips all the way through (I don't think it would be fair to criticize what's presented without watching the whole bloody thing).

See, the thing is...the material's not even funny. Just sort of middle-school mean and snarky.
I've seen better campfire shows.
The audience isn't even an audience. It's a sound effect (In many cases the SAME sound effect repeated multiple times). I wouldn't be surprised if you told me the guy was sitting in his own basement. Alone.

So...he makes up songs (or transcribes them from the locker room toilet stall walls, I dunno)...peppers it all with well known recordings I know he hasn't licensed...and seems to suggest, pretty much, that anybody who is offended doesn't "get it." It's satirical!

Um..no. No, it's not.
Golly...I mean...Richard Pryor was filthy...but he was also funnier'n hell. He made black jokes but he was, you know, like...black.
I guess if Mr. Axelrod is Jewish he gets a few points...but not enough. Jerry Layne was Jewish...and Velvel spoke with a Yiddish dialect...but they were funny.
Oh, and they didn't do racist jokes about black folks.
I'm sorry...the guy's not funny. He's only a passable vent. He doesn't know the first thing about manipulating a figure and making it "alive." And he substitutes racism and antisemitism for humor and, should you happen to be offended, you're just not "hip" enough.
Oh, and his bio spiel is self-pitying and probably largely untrue.
But, other than that...

-Philip

It seems that in most cases the people who are offended are not the target of the comedy. I just don't understand how someone who is not Jewish can be offended by Jewish humor, when Bob, who is Jewish, wasn't offended. To me that sounds more like a guilt reaction - concern that others may be offended so therefore you should be as well.

In my original post I mentioned the comedy would not be for everyone. It is listed here because the thread is about Ventriloquist DVDs - not about the appropriateness of the content. I look forward to Bob's review of the DVD.

I'm sorry, Tom. I respect the heck out of ya, but I can't see what I watched of Axelrod's stuff as very comedic. Also not really very good. I wasn't offended, really (I'm Jewish, but pretty much non-practicing the last couple of decades), I just thought that the material was something you could come up with if you spent half an hour thinking about all the Jewish and African American stereotypes, and then pretty much just parroted them. The parody songs were, as I indicated above, kinda sophomoric and obvious.

The storyteller/standup Myron Cohen was Jewish and told Jewish stories...many of which depended upon stereotypes. He got points because he was Jewish...but he also got points because the stories were funny.
Molly Goldberg...same deal. Fanny Brice...same deal.

Richard Pryor...points because he was black...but he was also funny...and I'm not sure he did Jewish jokes, too. But if he did, they'd be based on personal experience and they'd be funny.
Flip Wilson..funny. (His drag stuff, particularly, was black oriented)
Willie Tyler...funny. Haven't seen his stuff in some years, but, as I recall, there was black humor as well as general audience...and he was a really good vent who knew how to keep his figure alive.
Eddie Murphy...funny black-oriented material. Also played "Gumby--****it!" with a Yiddish dialect. Funny take on old time showbusiness borscht-belt comics.

There are offensive vents, of course. Dan Horn comes to mind. Some of Dunham's stuff comes to mind...but they're also funny.

If this thread is about good vent DVDs, then I guess, as I've indicated here and above...I'd have to say the guy's not good and it'd be a bad idea to spend the money on him. No offense to him. Maybe if he found a writer and took the Maher course he'd be better.
But I'm not gonna jump up and down about it.
No offense meant.
Just sayin'.

-Philip

I think that's a key thing. Is it funny? If it is a lot will be forgiven. There are quite a few examples of this these days though, things that rely on rubbing your face in 'political incorrectness' (a term I don't care for but it's clear enough) with the notion that it is somehow intrinsically funny and cutting edge to do that. The thing is, it's not INTRINSICALLY funny. The show 'Family Guy' does a lot of this. Not that the show is never funny, but they rely on the mistaken idea that repeatedly being 'politically incorrect' is funny and hip so much that the writing has become lazy and the comedy often isn't there. I think the formula should be, if it's actually funny it's fair game. If it's not, being wildly offensive won't make it so.

Philip,
We are actually in agreement. I never said the guy was funny. I personally don't think he is. In fact, I couldn't watch all of his on-line clips.

My statement about being offended was geared more for Winks post. No offense Winks, but if Philip and Bob are both Jewish and weren't offended I'm not sure why you were.


Bad comedy is bad. I won't be adding the DVD to my collection - but it is out there, which is why I posted it.
Tom

I forgot to post that I was able to add some DVD's to my collection while at VentHaven. Brad Cummings DVD features his performance on a cruise ship along with clips of his television appearances. Sammy King has a DVD of his Follies show. Dan Horn was also selling DVD's of his Japanese lecture. The last had a limited availability and Dan wasn't sure he'd be getting more - so I was happy to snag one!

Anyone have David Strassman, Volume 3, they want to part with? Contact me at donald@woodynfriends.com

Thanks

Somehow I missed getting Sammy's. I hope I can get one next year.

It was the one played during his lecture Neale. Also included the "live puppet" that ran off the stage at the end. A clip of that was on his web site. Not sure it still is.

I just watch a new Platinum Comedy Series DVD featuring some of Jeff D's early comedy club work. Some of these performances are on YouTube, but are very poor quality video there.

I really enjoyed this DVD. As a bonus, there are performances by Louis Black, Louis CK, Bill Maher, Patton Oswalt, and others. Overall, a very enjoyable DVD.

Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Lafflink-Presents-......8&sr=1-1

Bob

I was directing someone to Nina Conti's site, and I noticed that she is now selling 2 DVD's for the price of 1. When you order "Complete and Utter Conti," you also get "Evolution." Being a Conti fan, I ordered the 2 discs, and just finished watching "Evolution." This was Nina's 2009 SoHo show, and it is very smart and very clever. (I mean, how many vent acts do you know that make reference to solipsism? )

You can order the 2 DVD's here:

http://www.ninaconti.co.uk/store/index.htm

Bob

Bob;

An interesting web site she has, it's very nice.

What do you think about me posing for a similar photo where I lay in a bed of roses unclothed?

Do you think it will have the same effect?

Be still, my heart!

Buzz,

I am sure you are a nice guy, but I will pass on that opportunity. I have heard it said that after 50, the best form of birth control is nudity.

Steve
http://www.thedummyshoppe.com

Steve;

If it worked for her and she is successful, I don’t see why I can’t copy it and be as successful?

Pete Michaels has a new DVD out called Live in Concert!. I watched it tonight and it's a classic P.M. performance before an audience that clearly enjoyed the show. I think you'll enjoy it, too.

http://www.petemichaels.com/merch.html

Bob