Dara Ó Briain: Talks Funny

On the verge of a mid-life crisis, a former stand-up comedian believes an appearance on a popular late-night show will save his career, but ends up learning the journey is more rewarding than the destination.

Brent Weinbach is weird. In this show, Brent attempts to adjust his quirky personality so that he can fit in with the world around him, which would be valuable to his career as a comedian and entertainer. Through an absurd and abstract discourse, Brent explores the ways in which he can appeal to a broader, mainstream audience, so that ultimately, he can become successful in show business.

In front of a live audience at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Emmy-nominated host of Real Time with Bill Maher performs an all-new hour of stand-up comedy. Among the topics Bill discusses in his ninth HBO solo special are: Whether the "Great Recession" is really over; the fake patriotism of the right wing; what goes on in the mind of a terrorist; why Obama needs a posse instead of the secret service; the drug war; Michael Jackson; getting out of Iraq and Afghanistan; racism; the Teabagger movement; religion; the health-care fight; why Gov. Mark Sanford will come out looking good, and how silly it is to ask "Why do men cheat?"; and why comedy most definitely didn't die when George Bush left office.

Last year’s critically acclaimed show ‘30’ sold out every night at the Edinburgh Festival and his UK and US tours. From those tours, Jeffries, the controversial Aussie stand-up, brings you his debut DVD, Contraband Live. Succeeding with jokes that most comedians wouldn't touch, and an ability to both charm and offend the crowd in equal measure, Jim is regarded as one of comedy’s fastest rising young stars. His brash confrontational style has made him one of the most sought after comics on the world stage, appearing on numerous TV shows and performing at all the major comedy and music festivals across Europe and the US. He has hosted the NME Awards in LA and narrowly avoided being bombed whilst performing to the troops in Iraq.

Billy Connolly was, in the 1970s, a sort of Scottish Lenny Bruce, who, with devastating humour, sliced through the hypocrisies he perceived. This 1976 documentary follows the singer-comic during his 1975 Irish tour. Made in a cinema verité fashion, the performer appears to be completely unaware of the presence of the camera in his off-stage and backstage moments.

Swann Périssé’s special that was written in a week, produced, shot and edited in the month of June 2024 after the first phase results of the French Far-Right Party (Rassemblement National) at the Legislative Elections.

A bootloeg of Bill's SECOND to last live performance at Igby's Comedy Club in LA on January 5, 1994.

Stand-up comedian Fern Brady brings her unique take on contemporary culture and the state of the UK to a packed crowd in Glasgow.

This stand up special features material from five of the most famous Hispanic standup comics of their era. Paul Rodriguez, George Lopez, Cheech Marin, Alex Reymundo, and Joey Medina deliver material on a variety of topics that will seem familiar to audiences of every race.

George Carlin is in top form with these stand-up recorded at the Beverly Theater in Los Angeles in 1986. Routines included are "Losing Things," "Charities," "Sports," "Hello and Goodbye," "Battered Plants," "Earrings," and "A Moment of Silence." Also included is a short film entitled "The Envelope" co-starring Vic Tayback.