'CHAPPELLE'S SHOW SEASON 2 UNCENSORED'
Thanks to countless reruns on Comedy Central, fans have already committed the second season of "Chappelle's Show" ($38.99, Comedy Central Home Video) to memory. With its iconic catchphrases ("I'm Rick James, bitch"), memorable skits ("World Series of Dice," "When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong," "Black President Bush") and sidesplitting riffs ("Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories," "Racial Draft"), it's safe to say that there isn't a bolder or funnier program on cable.
So how do you get rabid fans to buy what they've already seen 100 times? If you're Comedy Central, you load up the uncensored DVD with more than an hour of bonus material, including an extended interview with Rick James and two unaired segments of Charlie Murphy's "True Hollywood Stories" nearly as funny as what officially ran. When Rick James complains about Charlie Murphy "always throwing Prince in my face," you scratch your head wondering why the segment, seething with so much professional jealousy by one funk musician for another, never aired. This is playa hatin' at an Olympian level.
But as funny as the bonus material is, we can't get enough of Dave Chappelle being terrorized by a suddenly menacing Wayne Brady or the comedian's dead-on impression of a monosyllabic Lil Jon ("What? What? What?") or the achingly funny "The Niggar Family" skit with its heartfelt confession: "Oh, this racism is killing me." This is how you make America laugh until it cries.
'MOONLIGHTING: SEASONS ONE AND TWO'
Before they were hugely famous, Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd played private detectives David Addison and Maddie Hayes. He was handsome, cocky and fast-talking; she was beautiful, nervy, and slightly icy. Their quick, wise-cracking banter and love/hate chemistry made the hourlong "dramedy" a hit from 1985-89. This six-disc set ($49.98, Lions Gate Home Entertainment) contains 23 episodes, plus current-day interviews with the stars and creators and a look at how the program's popularity grew.
The shows are still fun to watch. Best of all is the chance to see these two well-regarded actors: Willis at the beginning of his career, and Shepherd enjoying a rejuvenation. Watch for guest appearances by Whoopi Goldberg, Orson Welles, Demi Moore (now Willis' ex) Ray Charles and Tim Robbins.
Sally Kalson, Post-Gazette staff writer
'NEWSRADIO: SEASONS ONE AND TWO'
Great sitcom, decent DVD.
Underappreciated during its 1995-1999 run on NBC, "NewsRadio," in its first DVD release ($39.95, Sony Pictures Homes Entertainment), benefits from a whopping 20 commentaries on 29 episodes. Not only does creator Paul Simms participate, so do many cast members.
In the pilot commentary, Simms addresses the now-legendary firing of Ray Romano ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), who was eventually replaced by Joe Rogan.
What goes unmentioned is the fact that another actress (Ella Joyce) played the role Khandi Alexander would take over in subsequent episodes.
Extras also include an 11-minute season two gag reel and a 12-minute featurette culled from electronic press kit interviews.
-- Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor
