Rants

Rating:
Summary: Needs better production
Review: This CD is a collection of early rants from Dennis Miller's TV show. This is a great CD, but being his first, I think Miller still hasn't come into a good flow yet. I recommend his later CD's which are far better.

Also, the cheesy production value really takes from the CD. There is really bad synth music between each track, and I wish they had taken the rant straight from the show. I miss the audience laughter (or lack of laughter) that Dennis plays off of.

If you're a Dennis Miller fan, it's still a good purchase, but not the best.

Rating:
Summary: A Master of Critical Analysis- Believe It or Not!
Review: I laughed. I laughed so hard, I cried. I cried because I couldn't believe I was actually laughing at some of Miller's material! Be prepared to feel shocked at the humor Miller presents, often at the expense of other people's dignity. Beyond the laughs, however, lurks Miller's consciousness. He asks questions, probes belief systems, and attempts to get to the bottom of things. Don't make the mistake of dismissing Miller as a comedian; he is more than that. In 'The Rants', Miller proves that he is a master of critical analysis with a well-developed sense of humor.

Rating:
Summary: Good. But too short.
Review: I enjoy Miller quite a bit, and have for some time. So I like The Rants. I own it in paperback, cassette, and CD form. The CD, I just bought (from amazon! - plug, plug). Now, you know what it's about, and what to expect (you're either a Millerphile, or you aren't. If so, you'll like this. If not, you won't. Simple.) So I won't get into that.

Just a cautionary note, though - each of these 3 forms of The Rants has a different amount of material. Yes, the cassette and CD offerings are abridged, but, infuriatingly enough, not to the same degree. Further, the tape set is actually the more inclusive of the two. Like deluxe cassette box sets are all the rage, or something. Anyway, I found that to be quite aggravating - a superior technology receiving an inferior treatment. And a 2-CD version isn't even offered. But if you want to know what you'll be getting in this, the skimpiest version of The Rants (why do they never list tracks on this site?), before you buy, here goes:

1. The Religious Right 2. Our Legal System 3. Is Intelligence A Liability? 4. Violence 5. Political Correctness 6. Race 7. Civility 8. Infomercials 9. Dysfunction 10. Fame 11. The O.J. Trial - 6/30/95 12. What Men Want From Women 13. Homosexuality 14. Parenting 15. Tabloids

So that's that. If you want it all, buy the book. If you want to actually *hear* Dennis, get the CD and whine about it, like me. If you live in 1980, buy the tapes, and whine about it. Or you could just watch the show, probably the best idea.

Rating:
Summary: Ranting Again
Review: Dennis Miller will always remain one of the five funniest comedians in my books. Along with Denis Leary, Robin Williams, George Carlin, and Eddie Murphy, have made living in the last 20 years of the 20th century almost tolerable. Almost. I don't want to get off an on rant here, but have you seen the state of the modern comedy these days? An associate of mine admitted that he frankly enjoys the banal, mindless gags that pass for humor in an Adam Sandler flick! Jim Carey hasn't been funny since 'In Living Color' and Matt Stone and Trey Parker since 'Cannibal: The Musical'.

Dennis Miller makes me laugh, his rants are among some of the most original stuff to come around in a long time. Like Carlin, he peppers his staccato-like speeches with witty and often contemporary jibes at the system, but where Carlin tends to be more general, Miller names names. Miller preaches moderation, common sense, compassion, but also wants you to use that two-stroke weed whacker engine you call a brain for more than just watching 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' or trying to assemble the tiger puzzle found inside a box of Frosted Flakes. Dennis Miller: The Rants is a good way do just that.

Miller attacks the O.J. trial for what it was, goes hunting Republicans, the legal system, the religious right and drags them out into the harsh unfeeling glare of public sentiment and holds them up for to examine and laugh at. I think Miller speaks from the heart and he really does feel this way about a lot of things he rants on. Admittedly the audio tapes of the rants are better than book, hearing him say them is obviously better than just reading them, but the book allows easier reference for quotes so you can make pithy comments in your e-mails. You can also catch Miller's rants on his hit TV show 'Dennis Miller Live'. Have fun with it, that's what it's there for.

Rating:
Summary: I don't wanna get off on a rant here . . .
Review: Dennis Miller sure finds a lot to rant about. I mean, this guy's has more beefs than the Ponderosa Steak House. Miller frequently works himself into such a lather, he makes Old Yeller during his final minutes of life look like Nicholson after the lobotomy in Cuckoo's Nest. Sure, once in a while this guy throws so many references at you he makes Joyce's Ulysses read like a Judy Blume novel, but hang in there. If you catch half the jokes, you'll laugh more than Ed McMahon on ether.

But Miller is always tongue in cheek, and doesn't take himself too seriously. No matter what your political persuasion, this book will make you laugh at the stupidity of other people, and more pointedly, at the stupidity of yourself. I highly recommend this book. Of course, that's just my opinion--I could be wrong.

Rating:
Summary: RANT ON DENNIS, RANT ON !
Review: This book is a composite of many of Dennis' best rants. The reader may recognize aspects from SNL days and his stand up performances. All in all, an exceptional dichotomy of topical subjects. Dennis is a genius at providing an acerbic view of many current issues concerning politics, religion, sociology and the like. Give the man a cigar. An excellent read, or an exceptional audio. Try it. You will love it.

Rating:
Summary: Miller Takes Sarcasm To New Heights
Review: The Rants is a collection of momologues from Dennis Miller's HBO series. Some of these editorials are hilarious, some poignant, others are crass and juvenile. No topic is off limits, but I think politically, Miller hangs a little to the left. Most are entertaining, but I'm sure the written word loses something in the translation from the performance. I read this book when I heard Miller would be joining the Monday Night Football crew--my guess is football will never be the same. Fans of his show will probably enjoy this more than non-fans.

Rating:
Summary: What a great assortment of Miller's Rants...
Review: Hello,this book is an assortment of Rants from Dennis Miller's award winning show.

In the book there are some very funny and very serious thoughts shared by Miller. He has the right idea with some of the subject matter.

All I can say is if you enjoy his show,and just want to remember waht he said,read this book.

Well that is it.

Good Day...

Rating:
Summary: Hilarious comedian, marginal book.
Review: First off, I am a huge Dennis Miller fan. I have seen all of his HBO specials several times, to the point of being able to remember the dialogue. I watch his wekly show, DMLive, and firmly believe that the final 5 minutes of each broadcast (The News segment) are possibly the funniest 5 minutes each week in television. Unfortunately, Dennis' quick wit, extensive vocabulary, and wry interpretation of events does not convert well to written material. The book has many funny observations, but does not come across as such because it almost becomes bogged down by the words. The comedy is there, but reading it is just not as good as hearing it. This is not the case with all comedians. Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry (who also has many books to his credit), Bill Cosby, Steve Martin and even Jerry Seinfeld have all written books with material no better than Miller's, but with the ability to make it more enjoyable to read.

Miller's strangth lies in his ability to deliver incredibly well rehearsed, astute and ultimately hilarious material to live audiences. His particular brand of comdey does not seem to lend itself that well to being read on paper, even by his ardent fans.

Rating:
Summary: Miller is the sharpest knife in the drawer...hilarious book!
Review: Dennis Miller is one of the only celebrities I respect today, because he is actually an intelligent person, and definately one of the wittiest people I know of. His rants on modern day American life are cutting and brutally honest, and never fail to make me laugh about how stupid some things in the world are, and how much sense he actually makes. Miller is a comedic genius. If you want an entertaining read that will make you laugh and make you think, get this book. Anyone who says it isn't funny is either offended by Dennis' honesty, or is just too stupid to get the jokes. Terrific book.