if (preg_match('/ When you think of Dane Cook, you think about one of the best-selling comedians (on CD) in recent history. You think of blatantly ridiculous observations about today's youth. You think about those asinine physical gestures that he makes on stage, which are so funny that even now you are laughing just thinking about them. What you do not think about is a group of four comedians spewing unnecessary insults at each other over a conversation about porn. At least, this is not what I think of when I think "Dane Cook". Unfortunately for Dane, this is now the most recent image in my brain when I think of him. Tourgasm begins on the premise that Dane Cook has selected three other comics to join his tour, all in various stages of their careers. They are all very talented and have the ability to play great openers as their 20-city tour was sold out. This tour was also known as the Dane Train. As I mentioned earlier, I was very excited about all of this, but then somewhere during the middle of episode #1, Tourgasm goes from Dane Cook's pipe dream to the Real World without all of the hot girls. The comics begin to bicker about various insignificant things. For example, they argue over the pros and cons of having a discussion about porn. On one side is the hotheaded, shoot-from-the-hip tough guy Robert Kelly and on the other is the very metrosexual non-sexual Jay Davis. Go ahead and guess who is arguing for and against talking about adult videos. The animosity continues throughout the whole show, causing this viewer to want to switch back over to HBO 2, where the "Late Night" programming is beginning on the East coast. But we stay, for Dane if nothing else. Neil Miller is a 23-year-old film critic who lives and works in Columbus, Ohio. He is a member of the Central Ohio Film Critics Association. His musings about the world of film (and other various topics) are on display at his blog, The Columbus Movie Guy. …
Early last week, I received a phone call from my good friend Inga telling me of some wonderful and exciting news. The news was so monumental that even being the man of plan-less fate that I am, I made plans to be at her house with a few others to hold witness to something special. That something special was the first episode of Dane Cook's Tourgasm reality series on HBO; a show so enticing to us that Inga purchased the HBO package through her cable company in order to be able to see it (she is also a closet Entourage fan, but that's not the point.) So she made snacks and I made it on time and we all sat down to see what new laughs our favorite rock star comedian, Mr. Cook, had in store for us. And from there, my evening slowly slid downhill. Allow me to explain.
Article Author: Neil Miller
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
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Article comments
1 - benjamin
I totally agree with the opening review. I was so dissapointed in this show. I wasnt expecting a stand up show but I was expecting it to be somewhat funny. Watching Dane Cook be the mediator between a knucklehead frat boy style comic and a pansy near born again comic, is not entertaining. He said he picked these guys for a reason, I have to wonder what that would be. I LOVE Dane, his comedy has gotten me through some tough times. I laugh everytime I hear him, and in my opinion he is so far above other comics. This show bummed me out, I am not going to watch it again. I feel bad because I think it meant a lot to him to do it, and Im sure there is nothing worse to a comedian than people who expect you to be 'on' constantly, but I think anything he has to say is overshadowed by his company. Its really a shame.
2 - Neil Miller
benjamin,
I wouldn't recommend giving up on this show just yet. My hope is that it will get better as the season wears on. Make sure you stop by for my review of episode 2 next week to see if anything gets better.
Cheers,
- Neil
3 - Joan Hunt
Congrats! This article has been placed on Advance.net
4 - Neil Miller
That is fantastic! Thanks, Joan.
5 - Craig Lyndall
I have to say that I loved the first episode of Tourgasm. I wasn't expecting non-stop laughs or anything. I was really more interested in the behind-the-scenes of a huge comedy tour.
Listening to Bob Kelly smash a fellow comedian to the point of making him cry was high-larious, and at the same time I loved all the insight we get into this tour.
6 - David Walsh
Do most people not like this show because it is different than other Dane Cook material or because it just isn't funny?
I don't like his material becasue it seems to be intended for not just a a younger crowd, but a very specific demographic that I can't seem to identify with.
He seems to gear his jokes toward frat boys and high-schoolers mostly, and most of it is a little bit, well, stupid.
He actually makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable and embarrassed for him because his jokes are so vulgar and childish.
Is this show like that or is he trying to do something different?