Laughing Matters...The Men!

Ariztical Entertainment

R1 DVD

Web: http://www.ariztical.com

 

"While some gay comics seek to refute common stereotypes, others thrive on them." (All Movie Guide)

 

Laughing Matters...The Men explores how gay comedians take the stereotypes of modern life and use them as a path to empowerment and to raucous humour. The six comedians included are quite astounding artists who not only are highly respected within the comedy community but have tales to tell of their own personal journeys, ranging from coming out tales to the loss of AIDS, life as an Asian American to the experiences of a openly effeminate gay playwright.

 

Laughing Matters...The Men! Was shot in five days at the Palm Springs Gay Pride Festival and includes a good balance of stand up material with interviews, life-stories and scenes from the gay parade. This is the third in a series of award-winning comedy films from All Out Films and all have proved highly successful.

 

Each of the comedians has their personal take on comedy. We meet Scott Kennedy, a self-proclaimed "pink-neck" from Texas with his own Comedy Central special who seems just like any Texan however he is also openly gay and takes with the experience of one who have experienced loss (his lover died of AIDS), at the other end of the spectrum we experience the stories and memories of two-time Emmy winner Bruce Vilanch (Outstanding Writing, The 63rd Annual Academy Awards), who has written for everyone from Bett Midlar to Cher. We get to hear from Bob Smith who helped found Gay comedy in America and was the first gay comic to ever appear on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and from Alec Mapa, an "Ugly Betty" and "Desperate Housewives" regular whose experiences as an Asian American make his journey in multiple communities even more humorous and revealing. Others tell of their tales as African or Jewish American’s and how each deal with their own communities reaction to Gay life and it is from these life experience that their stand up develops.

 

There are six comedians in all and this is a superbly funny, moving and entertaining DVD.