Weekly Comedy: Bad Things from Good People

It isn’t listed here, but just in case you’re not sick of Tracy Ullman’s shtick, her Showtime series is back this week for a third season chock full of high-pitched impressions and fat suits. So yeah, that’s also happening.

DVD

A Boatload of Rifftrax – A bunch of new Rifftrax DVDs are out this week, which include such gems from the public domain as Planet of Dinosaurs, Voodoo Man (featuring Bela Lugosi, who no one gives two fucks for) and yet another Plan 9 from Outer Space release, this time with the new “live” version from the theatrical events they held last year. There’s also a new DVD full of shorts, which are usually really good. In any case they’re all criminally cheap so there are worse ways to blow your money (although if there are honestly still people out there who want to sit through Plan 9 again regardless of new jokes, color me surprised).

Whitest Kids U Know Season 2 – The Whitest Kids U Know have had some absolutely stellar sketch material over the past few years, and if you completely ignore their theatrical disaster Miss March (which you should), they’re still one of the most promising new sketch comedy groups to emerge in recent memory.

That said, pretty much none of that great material can be found in Season 2, which is out on DVD this week. If you’re looking to get in to the Whitest Kids, who are worth getting in to, check out season one or season three and skip this one completely. You’ll be much happier for it.

Parker Lewis Can’t Lose season 2 – I find it completely amazing that enough people bought Parker Lewis Can’t Lose Season One on DVD to warrant the release of the second season.

COMEDY TOXIC WASTE

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell – This dubious “comedy”, based on a book by the odious Tucker Max, was unceremoniously dumped into theaters at some point last year. Here’s the premise: unbelievably misogynistic douchebag Tucker Max, who sleeps with a ton of women because he treats them like shit and they just can’t resist him, fucks up his life by being a complete asshole to everyone around him. He is then redeemed at the end by saying “I’m sorry guys, aren’t I a lovable rapscallion?”

The “comedy” in this movie is supposed to come from all the hyper-misogynistic dialogue about how all women are dumb skanky whorish sluts and aren’t really people and all that bullshit fratboy “humor” that isn’t funny if you’ve got more than two brain cells to rub together. Avoid this shit like the plague it is and if anyone tells you it’s an undiscovered gem you just have to see, stop being friends with them.

This Week in Comedy: Scott Baio Edition

It’s a banner week for releases, mostly because of what’s happening on Friday, and of course the momentous, celebratory release of the final season of Charles in Charge! That’s right, you Baioholics out there, the hilarious and touching final episodes of that classic internationally beloved sitcom are finally being released in pristine condition on DVD! REJOICE! REJOICE!

IN THEATERS

Funny People – For comedy nerds, this is the biggest movie of the summer, bigger than anything featuring transforming racist robots or teenage wizards in love. Judd Apatow’s 2.5 hour dramedy features virtually every great comic talent out there, including Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Jason Schwartzman, Ken Jeong, Andy Dick, Norm Macdonald, Maria Bamford, Brian Posehn, and of course Aziz Ansari as his now-infamous RAAAAAANDY character. Obviously we cannot wait to see this thing and we’ll have a full review up Friday.

DVD

Miss March – If you’re looking for “saddest DVD release of the week”, this is probably it. Written by and starring Trevor Moore and Zach Cregger from the increasingly hilarious and under-appreciated sketch series The Whitest Kids U Know, Miss March is a major letdown and has nary a funny moment in it, with Moore in particular playing a very grating “zany” character that just doesn’t work. It was their first feature, however, and it’s our hope that this one misfire doesn’t prevent them from giving it another shot. Thankfully, another season of Whitest Kids is on the way – season three had some absolute gems in it – so we can all put Miss March behind us.

Bart Got A Room – A little-seen (and by that we mean "seen by virtually no one") “quirky indie high school comedy” featuring William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines. Notably, it’s also the first performance in a feature film by YouTube celebrity movie re-enactor Brandon Hardesty, who is impossible to not at least like a little bit. It’s on DVD now, and will probably be available streaming soon if you’re so inclined.

Jim Breuer: Let’s Clear the Air – Are you a big Jim Breuer fan? Do you have the John Belushi Animal House poster up on your dorm room wall? Does your desk chair smell of bong water? Perhaps you’ve got tickets to the next Dave Matthews Band concert? Maybe your Chapelle’s Show DVDs are getting a little scratched up? Well, then wipe the crumbs from your shirt and get your ass down to Best Buy to pick up Jim Breuer’s latest Comedy Central special on DVD!

Charles in Charge Season 5 – This is the release you’re most looking forward to. ADMIT IT.