On the strength of only two routines, it's perfect.
S. A. Christensen | illinois | 04/19/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have not heard all of the routines on this CD yet, but I am pleased that it exists.
I have only heard "The Temperance Lecture" and "The Day I Drank a Glass of Water," which seem out of time, yet not dated at all-- W.C. Fields' humor was so bizarre that the effect of these monologues must have sounded as unique and strange at the time he recorded them as right now. He has no peers, no "type," he simply did his own thing. It is not dated-- it is simply freakish in any era.
The two routines I have heard are typically brilliant of Dukenfield. He drawls out phrases like "distilled damnation," and "devil's brew" seemingly off the top of his head-- as well as an amazing array of big words, rare words, obscure words. And absurd musings and ramblings-- "I always keep the devil's brew handy, in case I ever get bit by a snake, which I also keep handy." The pure strangeness of it, is hilarious.
"The Temperance Lecture" and "The Day I drank a Glass of Water" are worth hearing, and re-listening to for anyone who has an absurdist sense of humor. Think of it as a precursor to Monty Python, The Simpsons (Conan O'Brien has admitted that W.C. Fields was the first one with a real weird sense of humor that influenced him), and even the learned intellectual nihilism of George Carlin. No, wait, don't think of any of that. He's just funny on his own."
Good Value
Swann | Northcote, Victoria Australia | 11/25/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"For $10 bucks you can't go wrong. If you've seen the Great Man on film you will probably like the cd."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1