Bringing Back Comedy For All The Family
Thou Shalt Laugh 2 - The Deuce - DVD Review
November 1, 2007 - Jeff Burson

BIRMINGHAM - Nov. 1 2007 (Catholic Music Network) Somewhere between becoming parents and becoming stronger Christians my wife and I changed what we thought was funny. I grew up with Richard Pryor and Steve Martin. Now I can play old Steve Martin, but Pryor has taken a backseat. We really do have a sense of humor, but I do not want the kind of things that are talked about in most stand-up comedy acts in my house. We never buy stand up comedians’ DVDs and then there came the “Thou Shalt Laugh” series that came from the people who do the Blue Collar comedy DVDs. This is where Christian comedians tell jokes that your entire family can hear. There is a new DVD from them called “Thou Shalt Laugh 2 - The Deuce.”

The first CD “Thou Shalt Laugh” came out last year and was a big hit. (Read review) The pattern was set with a well know comedic celebrity, Patricia Heaton, who hosted the event and a collection of various Christians did their routine.

On "Thou Shalt Laugh 2 - The Deuce”, we are given as a host Tim Conway, who has made a name in comedy with The Carol Burnett Show to his family movies with Don Knotts. (He was also in the Christian children cartoon series Hermie.) During the DVD Conway introduces each comedian in a personal way that gets you laughing before the comic comes on.

The one name that I wanted to see on Thou Shalt Laugh 2 - The Deuce was Victoria Jackson. I’ve been a fan of hers since her 6 seasons of Saturday Night Live. She was in several movies including Baby Boom with Diane Keaton, I Love You to Death with Kevin Kline, and Couch Trip with Walter Matthau. She was unforgettable in UHF as she played Weird Al Yankovich’s love interest. I didn’t know she was a Christian and was excited to see her perform. Jackson does her trademark “handstand poetry,” discusses her career and marriage, and talks about her love for Jesus. She also plays her original ukulele songs after explaining how she missed the opportunity to tell a co-worker about Jesus before he died. The song is cute and funny but has a deep point to make. The dumb blonde jokes are a hoot. (Why did the blonde only change her baby’s diaper once a month? Because the diaper box said “.. up to 25 pounds..”)

Taylor Mason is returning on this DVD as he uses ventriloquism and puppets in his presentation. His plush pig dummy and boy dummy are great, but to me what was awesome was the way the man could play piano and tell jokes. Mason can tickle the ivories as well as your funny bone.

Also returning is Thor Ramsey. I would have to say this was my favorite comedian of Thou Shalt Laugh 2 - The Deuce. (A special DVD of just him would be something I would love to see.) Ramsey exposes much of pop culture for what it is: ripe comedy material. Thor picks on fashion models, the Atkins diet and greeting cards with just the right words and timing. There is also a hysterical routine of his nagging mother as a cheerleader.

Bone Hampton and Dan Nainan were also very comedic and rounded out the DVD nicely.

If there was anything in the DVD I did not care for it was that many of the jokes were about cultures. It was not racist, but almost every comedian touched on a comedic angle of an ethnic tradition.

I loved being able to watch a comedy DVD with both my kids and my elderly parents in the room. I didn't worry about the dialog having curse words or foul ideas.

I would recommend Thou Shalt Laugh 2 - The Deuce as a great gift this Christmas season. (Pick up the first one as well if you haven’t yet.)

This DVD will be out November 6th from your favorite DVD store.