CD Giveaway - 33Miles, "One Life"
Ends Aug 4, 2010
The country-pop sound established in their eponymous debut is a mainstay for this album as well, and even adds a little more southern flavor. |
CD Giveaway - Phil Wickham, "Cannons"
Ends Aug 3, 2010
With an opening shot that hits the sonic pinnacle, this collection of spiritual Brit pop/rock is heavily influenced by Keane, Travis, Coldplay, and U2. |
DVD Giveaway: Kick-Ass
Ends Aug 1, 2010
Get ready to have your ass kicked when this DVD of awesomeness releases to the home entertainment market. |
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DVD Review: George Lopez, "Tall, Dark & Chicano"
by R.J. Carter
Published: December 1, 2009
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Rating: 
Country: USA
Release Date: December 15, 2009
Distributor: HBO Home Video
Cast:
· George Lopez
Grade: B-
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If your only exposure to George Lopez has been through his eponymous sitcom or those cutesy little Nickelodeon or "25 Days of Christmas" made-for-TV movies, then his stand-up routine might be a little hard for you to take. (I remember it was a bit of a disconnect for me when I found out that the standup dad of Full House and affable host of America's Funniest Home Videos, Bob Saget, had a stand-up routine that would make a sailor blush.) Be warned in advance -- this HBO offering is rated for Mature Audiences for a reason.
Filmed at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Lopez performs to a sold-out crowd. I immediately had several reservations about this DVD, because the sound quality was as if it were being recorded by someone in the back row, rather than a direct feed from the microphone. However, once Lopez is done with his introductory tirade -- and it is a tirade, not even pretending to be comedy -- the audio evens out and we're able to better understand what's being said.
For the first several minutes, Lopez rails at politicians who voted against the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, before turning his wrath against former CNN correspondent Lou Dobbs and his outspoken stance on illegal immigration. Lopez himself only uses the phrase "illegal immigration" when referring to the Mayflower pilgrims, dropping the "illegal" part whenever referring to the undocumented migrant workers whom, he seems to claim, are forming an ever-growing voter base to which aspiring politicians ought to pander.
With that out of the way, Lopez moves on into the intentional comedy, which spends a good deal of time focusing on how caucasian children are raised in overprotective environments, particularly when compared to the harsh upbringing the Los Angeles born comedian endured. Somewhere along the way, he segues into masturbation -- both male and female, manual and automated -- using the microphone for various visual effects.
Props where they're due: if you're not easily offended, Lopez can bring the funny; and when he brings to your attention that you've watched him do his thing for ninety minutes with no water and only one kidney, it engenders a certain respect for the man. Whether you agree or disagree with him philosophically or politically, George Lopez stands as a man who has managed to make lemonade out of a dried-out lemon from a dead lemon tree.
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