Friday, March 16, 2007

Boldly going for laughs where few have gone before

Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner (Uncensored) (Comedy Central): How many celebrities would have flown halfway across the galaxy to have the chance to roast the man best known for Capt. James Tiberius Kirk, priceline.com and the worst cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man" ever?
The group assembled for "Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner (Uncensored)," released on DVD March 20, includes host Jason Alexander, Shatner's "Star Trek" compatriots George Takei and Nichelle Nichols, Kevin Pollak, Jessi Klein, Fred Williard, Farrah Fawcett, Betty White, Andy Dick, Patton Oswalt, Lisa Lampanelli, Greg Giraldo and Jeff Ross.
Shatner enters the roast in grand style -- on a horse, to the tune of "Ride, Captain, Ride."
The insults fly fast, hard and furious. Shatner takes it pretty well -- and dishes a few well-placed insults at the end, some of the best heard on the show.
Not all the participants are at their best form, though. Betty White tries her best, but looks uncomfortable, Farrah Fawcett is this roast's Courtney Love -- she looks and acts as drunk as a skunk -- and Andy Dick lives up to his name. And you'd think that there would be other things at a William Shatner roast to joke about than George Takei's gayness, but for a few people, there isn't.
But if there's one guy who deserves this "honor," though, it's Shatner. It's fun to see him finally get at least a little of what's coming to him.
Too bad some of these people didn't listen to his "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" before they worked on their monologues. The show might have been that much better.