Comedy is not what it used to be, most of the greats are dead or retired. And the new generation of standups don't quite tell their stories with the same depth and connection as the old pros. Maybe -- waxing philosophical here -- it is because the new generation grew up in a world where "whatever" was not merely a grammatical qualifier, it was an actual lifestyle.
I used to work in this field (behind the camera) and consider Pinette one of the last of the greats. At his best, he is up there with Cosby, Carlin, Rickles, Jenni, Pryor. His first and best known special -- Starving -- makes this clear.
In this followup he says outright that the success of the first led to this one. But to be honest there are lulls. It is hard to run for over an hour, and you expect even the best of these guys to have to build to the close, like climbing a mountain. But there are lulls.
Overall however this special has moments of greatness. The bit on extended warranties, cruelty to cows, and being vegan will have you on the floor.
PS -- for connoisseurs of comedy, note that the closing bit (the "Irish Diet") is borrowed (to be kind) from the work of late, great, Richard Jenni (who originally wrote the bit as a diet infomercial from his friend "Vinnie." Actually I don't Richard would have minded. In this case imitation really is the highest form of flattery)
I used to work in this field (behind the camera) and consider Pinette one of the last of the greats. At his best, he is up there with Cosby, Carlin, Rickles, Jenni, Pryor. His first and best known special -- Starving -- makes this clear.
In this followup he says outright that the success of the first led to this one. But to be honest there are lulls. It is hard to run for over an hour, and you expect even the best of these guys to have to build to the close, like climbing a mountain. But there are lulls.
Overall however this special has moments of greatness. The bit on extended warranties, cruelty to cows, and being vegan will have you on the floor.
PS -- for connoisseurs of comedy, note that the closing bit (the "Irish Diet") is borrowed (to be kind) from the work of late, great, Richard Jenni (who originally wrote the bit as a diet infomercial from his friend "Vinnie." Actually I don't Richard would have minded. In this case imitation really is the highest form of flattery)