Jack Dee – Stand-Up Comedy Reviews

Two photos of comedian Jack Dee. On the left, he is standing against a white background, wearing a blue suit over a patterned tie and a white shirt. On the right, against a black background, he's talking into a microphone and gesturing with his hand while wearing a grey jacket over a red tie and white shirt.

Recently I celebrated John Bishop’s 25 years in comedy by watching and reviewing several of his great stand-up shows, including the latest one that aired on Sky Comedy over Christmas.

Another of my favourite comedians who also had a new special on Sky was Jack Dee. He’s been on the circuit even longer, making audiences laugh since he first set foot on stage in the late 80s, and really came to prominence on TV from the early 90s onwards. So he’s been going strong for over 35 years. I’ve seen him in many shows on TV in that time, and I also enjoy listening to him on I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue on BBC Radio 4, as he’s proven to be the perfect host since taking over from the late, great Humphrey Lyttelton back in 2009.

Jack is of course known for his deadpan, sarcastic and grumpy stage persona, and he uses it to wonderful comedic effect. He does laugh sometimes, of course, but he’s usually very good at staying in character. It’s easiest to see him laughing more naturally in interviews, as well as the Oh My Dog podcast with Seann Walsh and guests, which isn’t the kind of podcast that interests me, but from a quick look at it out of curiosity, they do seem to have a lot of fun banter.

All that said, however, the truth is that he does actually suffer from depression, and has done for many years. So it’s good that he’s been open about it in interviews, which helps to raise awareness. He manages it well, and being able to channel his energy through his comedy has been life-changing for him.

So his latest stand-up special has given me a good excuse to rewatch and review his old DVDs, as it’s been quite some time since I’ve gone through them. Most of his DVDs don’t have extra features, but there’s plenty more footage of Jack online of course, as you can on my Youtube playlist. So I hope you enjoy looking through it all.

Contents

Live At The Duke Of York’s Theatre

Front cover of the DVD for Jack Dee Live at the Duke of York's Theatre, with a white background. The words Jack Dee Live are in very large letters on the left of the cover, his name in blue, while Live is in grey in a black box. The venue name is in much smaller curly handwriting style text. Alongside the title on the right is a full length blue-tinted photo of Jack wearing a dark coloured suit and tie with a white shirt. He is standing with his hands behind his back.
Back cover of the DVD for Jack Dee Live at the Duke of York's Theatre, with a white background. On the left is the title Jack Dee Live above a headshot of Jack, while in the centre is a description of the DVD, and then on the right is a list of the chapter headings. The bottom of the cover then has a full width section with the technical and copyright information.

This is a show from the Duke Of York’s Theatre that was originally released on VHS in 1992, but eventually made it to DVD in 2004, and lasts for just over an hour. It’s therefore very early in Jack’s career, so he’s not at his best yet, but it’s still a pretty funny show.

He covers a wide range of topics and segues between them well. The longest routine is about him going to a craft fair near the end, which is effectively a set of smaller routines about each of the different stalls he finds, but it is fun. He also has a fair amount to say about pets, driving and shopping as well, with observational humour that many people will be able to relate to.

In amongst all of that, the myriad of other targets for his humour include the then Prince Andrew (oh how little they knew back then), disasters shown on the news, clever people in Cambridge, parents who smack their children, plumbers, swimming, his dad, and his aunt with her home-made knitwear. His encore is then about crime in his area and the TV show Crimewatch. So altogether it’s a nice mix of material.

Live At The London Palladium

Front cover of the DVD for Jack Dee Live At The London Palladium, with a white background. It shows a full length photo of Jack in the top half, wearing a dark blue suit over a patterned tie and a white shirt. He is standing with his hands behind his back. His legs are apart as well, and they're used as a substitute for the letter A in the name Jack Dee beneath him, in large blue letters, forename on top and surname underneath. As his surname is shorter, the text Live At The London Palladium is in smaller black capitals in bottom right space on the cover.
Back cover of the DVD for Jack Dee Live At The London Palladium, with a white background. It shows a full length photo of Jack on the left wearing a dark blue suit, his right hand resting thoughtfully on his chin while his left arm is folded across his chest to support his right elbow. A description and credits for the DVD are shown to the right of him, while technical and copyright information is across the cover below him at the bottom.

Another former VHS release from 1994, the DVD of this show came out in 2005. And I think his delivery and the structure of the material is better here. It wasn’t bad in the previous show anyway, but he just feels a bit more animated and fluid in this show.

Shot at the iconic London Palladium, where I saw their brilliant panto a couple of years ago, it starts with a little bit of audience interaction, as he deals with a heckler very effectively and then reacts to a woman who has a loud cackling laugh. But then he gets into his material, which is very good.

The big routines during the show are about becoming a dad with his new daughter, attempting DIY, and eating out, particularly at fast food restaurants. But around all of that he also talks about performing at different types of venues, how police responded to a theft from his car and him driving in a bus lane, going to banks, stupid people, doctors and other health professionals, being sick, his elderly parents, what it’s like becoming middle-aged, dog mess on the streets and people getting into cults. He even keeps in a bit where he fluffs a word as well. So it’s another good show all in all.

Live And Uncut

Front cover of the DVD for Jack Dee Live And Uncut. Against a black background, the title is in block capitals at the top, with the words in alternating colours of yellow and white, Jack Dee's name being larger than the show's title beneath it. In the bottom half of the cover, slightly overlapped by the title and lit by a spotlight, Jack is holding a microphone and has his head bowed slightly as he laughs.
Back cover of the DVD for Jack Dee Live And Uncut. The main image, over which the description and review quotes are printed, shows a rear view of Jack performing on stage, looking out towards the audience. Down the left hand side are three square boxes showing a front view of Jack talking during the show. Technical and copyright information is then shown across the bottom in white text against the black background.

This DVD was released in 1999, and is an extended version of the Live In London VHS release from 1997, lasting almost twice as long as the old 1-hour video. It even includes the break point for the interval, which most stand-up specials edit out to produce one continuous show.

The venue this time is the Gielgud Theatre, which is where I saw their amazing production of Oliver! last year, and being such a long show he gets through a lot of material. But it’s all very good as usual.

The more extensive sections this time include very amusing discussions about old people, petrol stations, living with his wife (including the arguments they have), children (including the pressure to have them and the constant questions they ask), sports (including the Olympics and the FA Cup final), food (including vegetarians and what’s in processed meat products), space travel, and why farts are funny (which itself is one of the funniest parts of the show, because it’s true!).

But lots of other things have come on to his radar as well when putting his set together, such as builders, TV cookery shows, his old school bully, fire safety officers, the National Lottery and Mystic Meg, magician David Copperfield, seances, cinema audiences, his dog’s unwanted behaviour, the Innovations catalogue and pranking wrong number callers, among many other things. So there’s a nice variety overall as usual.

On top of all that, Jack also invites audience members to write notes on a pad during the interval, for him to read and respond to at the end of the show, a tradition that he then carries over into later tours. It makes for a brilliant encore, as there are some great heckles and jokes that people have written down, and some of his responses are hilarious. He even laughs at one of the jokes he reads out, and files any he particularly likes in his jacket pocket. He then concludes with a little bit more material of his own.

Live At The Apollo

Front cover of the DVD for Jack Dee Live At The Apollo. Down the left side of the cover is a film strip showing 4 images of Jack Dee talking on stage as he holds a microphone, wearing a grey jacket, red tie and white shirt. HIs name, turned on its side, runs down the right side of the cover in large letters. The letters are slightly reflective and have a white border.
Back cover of the DVD for Jack Dee Live At The Apollo, with a black background. The description and credits on the right are alongside 3 images of Jack performing on stage on the left, while the technical and copyright information is across the bottom.

This is not to be confused with the TV show of the same name that came along a couple of years later, which was originally called Jack Dee Live At The Apollo for the first couple of series before they started having guest hosts. But as implied by the name, and just like the TV show, it is filmed at the Hammersmith Apollo, a lovely venue I’ve been to a few times.

This particular show, lasting for 1 hour 20 minutes, was released in 2002, and comes after a break in touring for Jack. As he explains, his wife had twins, so he took time off to be a father. And that naturally means he has a great routine about raising children, including how they manage to find danger, and his irritations with Harry Potter and buying toys.

But he doesn’t dominate the show with it, and talks about many other things too, with other big focal points including cars, food, pets, computers, the internet, how he’d fix hospital waiting lists, and having prostate exams (which is a good thing to be open about, considering men are often shy about having it done).

And other subjects he touches on include the Winter Olympics, post offices, holidaying at home vs abroad, adverts (acknowledging the John Smith’s beer commercials he did), doing laundry, scanning items in shops, Michael Barrymore’s infamous party, tattoos, why English people don’t like change (e.g. Marathon to Snickers), good things about being English and being old, and how he feels different since turning 40. And once again he uses the encore to read notes from the audience, which is a very funny way of ending the show.

This DVD is also one of only two of Jack’s stand-up releases to have a bonus feature, consisting of a 9-minute video diary where we see him doing a few interviews, which are quite fun, and get a few glimpses backstage at his Preston and Dublin shows, which aren’t particularly interesting but still nice to see.

Live Again

Front cover of the DVD for Jack Dee Live Again. It shows a side view of Jack, head slightly bowed, as he walks across the stage, lit by a spotlight from high above. The scene is viewed from the back of the stage so the audience are in the background. His name is down the left side of the cover, each letter made up of lots of little spotlights, like the ones pointing at him along the edge of the stage and across the upper circle in the auditorium. The title live again is in red letters across top above Jack.
Back cover of the DVD for Jack Dee Live Again. The description and review quotes in the centre are flanked by 3 circular images of Jack performing on the left, and a full length photo of Jack on stage on the right, wearing a grey suit over a white shirt. Credits along with technical and copyright information are at the bottom of the cover.

Jack returns to the Hammersmith Apollo for this 2005 DVD, and again it’s a generous length at 1 hour 45 minutes.

This time he uses the same stage setup as the TV series Live At The Apollo, complete with the lit-up sign behind him, and the DVD even uses the alternate theme tune from that show. When broadcast on the BBC, the series uses the great song Are You Gonna Be My Girl? by Jet, but the licensing has been made simpler for repeats on digital channels and DVD releases by using a track from the KPM library called Monster Funk by Barrie James Gledden & Scott Lefanu. It was from the album KPM 445 – Rockbeats for those who care about such things, and the full 4-minute version is well worth a listen, as it’s very catchy, with a long but cool middle section that you never hear on TV.

Anyway, Jack has a solid collection of material in this show, delivered with a pace and confidence that shows he’s at the top of his game. His biggest routines on this occasion include the frustrations that are inherent with bringing up children, a rant about hotels, impressions of himself when he’s drunk, recollections of going to the dentist, and why he doesn’t want to do dangerous sports and hobbies.

He also talks about some recent events, including the General Election, London being awarded the Olympics, Charles and Camilla’s wedding, and Ellen MacArthur sailing around the world, as well as topics of particular significance to Hammersmith, including the rough Peabody Estate nearby and some stories from the local paper.

Meanwhile other things he touches upon include places like Birmingham and Yorkshire, technology such as his mobile phone and interactive TV, cold callers and Directory Enquiries, DIY and B&Q, cats and dogs, parcels and neighbours, emergency services, Kendal Mint Cake, petrol stations, the Antiques Roadshow, trying to keep fit, the differences between old people and teenagers having children, and arguing with his wife.

Finally, the encore again centres around messages from the audience, with Jack bringing things up to date by asking people to text him rather writing on a pad. And once again it’s really funny, with a few jokes that elicit a laugh from him. So it’s a great end to a brilliant show, quite possibly my favourite DVD of his.

So What?

Front cover of the DVD for Jack Dee, So What Live. On the right is a half-length picture of Jack wearing a red jacket over a blue tie and a white shirt. At the top left is Jack's name in black and the show's title in red. Below that are a few review quotes in large black lettering. The Evening Standard says he turns grumpiness into an art form. Jeremy Hardy says he's a little ray of sleet. And the Telegraph, giving it 5 stars, says it's a top comedy gig.
Back cover of the DVD for Jack Dee, So What Live. Beneath a short description at the top right, the photo dominating the cover is a view of Jack performing to the audience, as seen from the rear of the stage. On the left are 3 boxes showing a front view of Jack as he performs, two of which show him talking with a microphone, while the other shows him holding a guitar. The technical and copyright information is over a white background across the bottom.

The Hammersmith Apollo yet again plays host to Jack for this 2013 release, which runs for 1½ hours. It marks 6 years since his last tour, and 8 years since his previous DVD, so his return to the stage was very welcome when this came out, and it’s another good show. The title refers to his desire to bring back the retort “So what?” into everyday usage, because it’s the response he often wants to give to things that people tell him, shows on the TV, stories in the news, etc.

His children are a particularly big source of inspiration again as you’d expect, and they’ve now become teenagers. So there’s a whole section where he talks about things like their enjoyment of video games and drinking, how you can’t let children go out as freely as you could in the old days, one daughter going to a music festival and coming back without her tent, and his other daughter having driving lessons, among other stuff. He also talks about what he was like as a teenager, and imagines what Jesus would have been like in that period of his life.

Apart from that, he has other long routines about giving directions to a Japanese family, getting help from an electrician and shopping in supermarkets. Plus he talks about racists, conspiracy theorists, the Titanic, going to the tip, unwanted technology, finding it hard to believe the stories that underpin religions, charity fundraisers, what he’s going to be like when he’s old, and overly personal service from businesses.

The encore is then rather different this time, as he plays the guitar and sings a funny song about the jobs he used to do before becoming a comedian. So that’s an interesting way to end the show. And if you stick around during the credits, there are a few amusing remarks during his messages of thanks to various people.

Finally, the disc also Jack’s appearance on Live At The Apollo in 2007, which lasts 10 minutes. He talks about the strange people that appear on The X Factor, internet dating, not polluting the environment, looking forward to the London Olympics, and getting value for money from haircuts, parking and public toilets. None of it repeats material from this DVD or any of the others, so it’s a nice addition.

Small World

This is Jack’s latest special, recorded at the London Palladium, that was shown on Sky Comedy in December, and it lasts for 1½ hours (with adverts).

Having been 12 years since his last DVD release, Jack unsurprisingly looks much older here, having recently turned 64. Consequently, he’s not so animated, relying on the microphone being on a stand rather than walking around and gesturing with it. And while that’s not a problem and the show is good, his stand-up material doesn’t feel quite as strong as in the earlier gigs I’ve seen, if only because he set the bar very high back then and I’ve just binge-watched them all prior to this. His opening rant going through the days of the week and the seasons of the year for example, to say why each of them are bad, isn’t the most exciting or original start. He’s hardly the first comedian to talk about glitter in Christmas cards or the clocks changing, and it just seems to drag on a bit.

Once he really gets into his stride though, there is plenty to enjoy, in particular his biggest routines about having to endure the anecdotes of boring people and going on various types of holidays. It’s quite surprising to learn he went parasailing once, it seems hard to imagine him doing that! He also pretends that he’s done a variety of jobs like taking the photos for those annoying online tests to prove you’re not a robot, writing a children’s book and making pamphlets.

Along the way, his various other subjects include a family connection to the area around the theatre, an unusual blue plaque, medications and pharmacists, being an impulse buyer, funerals, Where’s Wally?, funerals, security in art galleries, trying to unsubscribe from emails, people who work from home, having micro-panics, and the emergency services.

Finally, he concludes with a song, just like he did on his last DVD. But this time it’s simply about the fact that it’s the encore, briefly recapping a few things he mentioned in the show before getting the audience to sing along with the repeating chorus. So it’s not his greatest ending, but it’s alright. It’s a shame he didn’t continue with the use of text messages from the audience like in earlier shows really – although Jimmy Carr has that pretty much sown up these days to be fair.

So all in all, it’s not Jack’s best show, but it is still very amusing in places and worth a watch if you’re a fan. And it is good to see him back on stage again after so long.

Conclusion

And that’s it. I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing about Jack’s shows as much as I’ve enjoyed watching them all. His grumpy observations about all aspects of life regularly raise a smile, he is a master at that style of humour.

I know there’s also a 2012 box set featuring the shows from Live At The Palladium to Live Again that also includes the best of his Happy Hour show from 2000, that was originally on VHS. But as cheap as it is, it’s a waste to buy 4 DVDs I already own just for another 75 minutes of material, it’s not essential. I’m very happy with the discs I’ve got.

As for his sitcom Lead Balloon, I saw bits of it when it originally aired, but I didn’t get into it. I can’t remember why – maybe I just didn’t have time for it, or maybe it didn’t interest me as much as his stand-up stuff. So I might give it another go with fresh eyes at some point, as all the episodes are on Youtube. If I do and I decide I like it, I’ll review it in one of my Favourites posts.

Anyway, apart from Jack Dee and John Bishop, there are other stand-up comedy shows I’ve been catching up with recently too, on TV and online. So stay tuned, as you’ll be able to hear more about them in my January Favourites in the near future. See you then!

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Author: Glen

Love London, love a laugh, love life. Visually impaired blogger, culture vulture & accessibility advocate, with aniridia & nystagmus, posting about my experiences & adventures.

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