Movie Review: Thou Shalt Laugh

By Donald James Parker  

Looking for something to tickle your funny bone, but without the four letter words and sexual innuendo which grates your spirit?  Look no further. This DVD is chock full of funny material. I first was exposed to the comedic genius of this ensemble at a men's breakfast at church. I laughed my head off and had to get my own copy (since I only saw the first comedian).  It was worth the effort and the cost.

Patricia Heaton, better known as Raymond's wife on Everybody Loves Raymond, was the hostess. She warmed up the audience for each act. She definitely wasn't the funniest person on the venue, but that wasn't her role, probably. She was the prettiest, though.  Thor Ramsey was that first comic who cracked me up. He used a combination of gestures, facial expressions and emotion to deliver his jokes mostly about North Dakota and Nebraska (of which he is a native). He is one funny guy.
 
Michael Jr. was the next comedian on the docket. He was really low key. Talk about a change of pace. At first I was thinking we should take this guy's pulse to make sure he was alive. The second time through this video I came to appreciate his subtle, 'sneak up on you' style of humor. He is a skinny, black guy so he reminded me a lot of Jackie Vernon, a fat white guy who used to be on TV back in my hey day.  He had the same emotionless, monotone delivery, which in itself can become funny.  Pat Paulsen had a similar delivery back in the heyday of the Smother's Brothers Show.

Jeff Allen followed.  He was much more animated that Michael Jr. but not as much as Ramsey. He was humorous, and I enjoyed him more the second time, also.  The only other woman on the venue was Teresa Roberts Logan.  She and the next guy, Joby Saad, who played The Village Idiot, were the weakest links in this chain of comedy.

Gilbert Esquivel was the Hispanic in the bunch. He had a more hip approach to his comedy.  He was OK.  The last guy was very talented. Taylor Mason is a ventriloquist. He had several dummy/puppet figures that he used to deliver his hilarious routine.  He got several going at the same time and brought people out of the audience as well. It was a good closing act.

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. And so God issued the 11th commandment – thou shalt laugh.  And if you don't laugh enough at this one, there is a part two.  The reviews on that one seem to indicate the first one is funnier, however. As someone who harbors desires to become a stand-up comedian (I've been accused of this in reviews of books), I found this to be a delectable treat.

About the reviewer:  Donald James Parker is a novelist and computer programmer who resides in Puyallup, Washington.  Check out his website at www.donaldjamesparker.com?tcp.

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