The Charge

LOL. OMG. BFF. ROFL.

The Case

In the CD/DVD combo package Arj Barker: LYAO, stand-up comic Arj Barker of Flight Of The Conchords fame, performs a set at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, MN. Before I begin, let me state that I found Barker hilarious in the role of Dave in FOTC.

In LYAO, Barker takes on a mixed bag of topics. He riffs on the number of lakes in Minnesota, visiting Dublin, same sex marriage, religion, his sleeping habits, and high beam lights. A particularly funny section in the first-half of the show is a bit about creating a group called "Doctor Without Degrees" and how to get free healthcare via plane travel. This is followed by a pretty good take on how the sun is the cause global warming. This is great material, generating strong laughs.

However, some of the jokes simply don't go anywhere. There are two painfully obvious examples of this in the show. The first involves a bit about classifying planets in our solar system. It goes on and on until Barker ends abruptly, acknowledging that he's unable to wrap it up in a satisfying manner. The second involves a similarly structured joke about soap, shampoo, and other bathing implements; which also ends in a comparable way.

The audio and video quality is standard for recent live performance DVD releases. The picture is clean and the colors are solid. The audio is fine and available in both Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and Stereo.

There are two short extras on the DVD. The first is a rap video called "Sickest Buddhist" about a rapping Buddhist. The second is a short sketch called "Doomerang" about boomerang-throwing. Both are more weird than funny. Also included is a CD version of the live performance.

Arj Barker: LYAO is pretty solid, but has some glaring weaknesses. The show seems to have required some padding to make it reach 60 minutes in length, which is probably 10 to 15 minutes too long. Overall, despite the shortcomings, it's worth a rental.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

Similar Decisions

• Sound And Motion: Volume 1
• Easy Virtue
• Airplane II: The Sequel
• And Ya Don't Stop

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