Martin Lawrence presents 1st Amendment
Stand-Up – Season Two (Starz DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Episodes: C+
Has the
idea of urban humor been written off (outside of In Living Color seeing it from an exploitive angle) because it is a
series of voices that the mainstream media and press want to ignore? To some extent, that has validity, especially
as the critics cannot specifically quote what they cannot remember, could care
less about or have not even seen. Martin Lawrence presents 1st
Amendment Stand-Up seems to think so and is a success as a result.
As hosted
by Doug Williams and DJ Biz Markie, the show is already in its second season
and Season Two has arrived on DVD in
this double disc set that includes Finesse Mitchell, Donell Rawlings, Sheryl
Underwood, Darryl Brunson, Marilyn Martinez, A.J. Jamal, Scruncho, Gary Owen,
Lavelle Crawford, Alonzo Bodden, Sexy Mario, Reggie Steele, Ian Edwards and
Rodman deliver jokes and ideas that are hit and miss. Certainly, some of this has become
conventional and predictable, so In
Living Color’s point(s) remain in some sense, but it is a show that is good
enough to justifying its continuance, no matter how uneven.
The 1.33
X 1 image is shot on analog NTSC videotape and that is just fine with the usual
camera angles and the like, so if the show lasts long enough, we’ll see fi they
can do something different with the HD frame.D
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is good enough
to hear the jokes and the audience, but is nothing great or poor. There are no extras.
- Nicholas Sheffo
