Kate Clinton: The 25th Anniversary Tour (2008)

SYNOPSIS: TO CELEBRATE HER 25TH YEAR OF TOURING AS A PIONEER LESBIAN STAND-UP COMEDIAN KATE CLINTON EMBARKED ON A 50 CITY TOUR OF THE US. CAMEOS INCLUDE LILY TOMLIN MELISSA ETHERIDGE BILLY JEAN KING AND MORE! KATE'S HILARIOUS PERFORMANCES ARE INTERSPERSED WITH A VARIETY OF PERSONAL MOMENTS DURING THE TOUR MAKING THIS DVD A TRUE COLLECTOR'S ITEM. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY/STAND-UP UPC: 631008066196 Manufacturer No: CQC661 Product Description

Well-Honed Comedy for a Wide Audience

While this DVD celebrates Kate Clinton's 25-years of doing stand-up comedy from a lesbian perspective, its humor is broad-based (pun realized afterwards). Almost everyone will be able to relate to this material and will be able to laugh. That includes younger people, for whom I don't think the "Parental Permission" label on the cover is quite warranted. There is a little bit of swearing in one segment and some references to Clinton's physical relationships, but this is generally as family-friendly as stand-up comedy gets these days.

Which does not mean it isn't incisive and hip. For example, Clinton satirizes the overload of bells and whistles that now come with what should be our most straightforward utilities. She comments on how she answered her cell phone - and took a picture of her inner ear.

There's also a lot of political commentary, but its more the kind that slips its criticisms under the door rather than crashing them through. For example, Clinton exhorts the audience to be sure to look their best when they step outside. With all the Government's surveillance cameras monitoring our appearance, she reminds "no big stripes, no plaids."

This is a well-crafted, thinking person's stand-up act that Clinton apparently changes often to call to account society's latest absurdities.

Her routine is interspersed here with congratulations from celebrities and others whom her pioneering performances inspired to come out of the closet over the last 25 years. Some of these interjected kudos are not as interesting as Clinton's act itself. However, you will want to view this DVD all the way through in order to catch Lily Tomlin's clever, closing rhyming rap testimonial to Clinton's talent. July 6, 2008

The Lady Who Makes Us Laugh

"Kate Clinton: 25th Anniversary Tour

The Lady Who Makes Us Laugh

Amos Lassen

Kate Clinton is a treasure--she can make us laugh, encourages us to think and inspires us to stand up for who we are. Ariztical Entertainment is now releasing the DVD of her 25th anniversary tour and this is something that you really have to see. Clinton has been doing hoer comedy for 25 years now and she is better than ever. Her political humor and satire is sharp, probably the sharpest it has ever been but then she has an administration about which there is a lot to say.
Clinton's one liners hit hard but that is not all that is on this DVD. We get a celebration of Kate's career with tribute statements from many famous people. Among them are Melissa Etheridge, Lily Tomlin, and Billie Jean King as well as other comedians. It is their chance to honor Clinton who helped to open the door for all of us to walk through. It is also and more importantly a chance for Kate Clinton, herself, to give us her comedy.
The DVD starts with a really funny routine on what to name this tour. It was finally decided that this was to be known as "It's Come to This". There are other exciting things to be seen here. There are clips of Clinton reading from her book, "What the L?" and snapshots of her early years. There is a wonderful interview of Kate and her partner, Urvashi Vaid, with whom she has been for 19 years.
There are plenty of laughs here but there is also an opportunity to get up close and personal with a woman who has made us laugh and look proudly at ourselves.
December 25, 2007

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