Jeff Allen – Bananas DVD

Jeff Allen – Bananas
Stand-up Comedy DVD
Guardian 2005
127 minutes
Distributed by EMI Music Canada

Jeff Allen’s stand-up comedy in the Bananas series has got to be the weirdest stand-up comedy DVD ever made and ever reviewed on this comedy site. It includes close to forty minutes of Jeff Allen’s funny routines about relationships, kids, Volkswagen Bugs and Geo Metros, and other similar observational comedy.

The Bananas series originates from a Christian TV show where comics work clean and definitely G although some of the jokes and subject matter are things only adults can relate to. In Jeff Allen’s case this most certainly does not mean the stand-up material is not funny. Far from it. If you have ever seen this comic, you are familiar with his phrase “Happy wife, happy life.” and fondly remember his funny stories about his wife and kids. You get all of his very best stuff on this stand-up comedy DVD.

What is most certainly weird is the last forty or so minutes. Allen is a born again Christian and the last half of his set on this comedy DVD is his profession of faith. He tells how he has found God. No jokes, no stand-up routine, just a guy testifying to the process that got him where he is now. You would think there is a certain turn off factor here but Allen does it so honestly and sincerely that you are captivated by his story and definitely want to hear it to its conclusion. It is a fascinating story.

The weirdest thing about this second part of the set is Allen finishes his story and then closes with a quick 2 minute wife and relationship joke (unfortunately the incomplete version of the breakfast story with flying cutlery) as if he felt he had to somehow close as a comic and not a normal human being.

Bananas featuring Jeff Allen includes both the TV version of his set and the extended version. The TV version is the same as the Bananas CD (a vile release only because it includes a couple of infomercials). The extended version is the one with the profession of faith. This DVD also includes an interview made by Thor Ramsey -eminently forgettable-and a behind the scenes segment of Allen and Ramsey touring the local morning shows to plug the comic’s show

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