Rodney Dangerfield was one of the greatest comics to grace a darkened stage.  A simple joke teller, he didn’t invent a bunch of oddballs and put them in funny situations.  Not a man of props, all Rodney needed was his mind and a crowd.  He was the character, a loveable loser and his style of “set-punch” is as old as humor itself.   This is a Borche Belt comic far removed from the Catskills.  A man of “No Respect”, he was revered by those who took hand in mike and tried to get some laughs.  All comics loved Rodney Dangerfield.      Paperclip Productions Inc., along with Together Inc., have teamed up with R2 Entertainment to put out a 3-disc DVD set entitled “Rodney Dangerfield: No Respect.”  This seven-hour adventure into standup comedy includes almost all the Rodney specials and a few Bonus features.

Disc One is made up of the ABC specials and it is the weakest of the set.  It starts with the 1981 special “It’s Not Easy Bein’ Me” and is almost a carbon copy of all those variety specials from the 1970’s.  It’s a mix of music and comedy with stars like Valerie Perrine and Aretha Franklin.  Bill Murray is also on board and almost saves the day.  “I Can’t Take it No More” (1983) is more of the same with Donna Dixon, Angie Dickinson and Robert Urich.  But, the Andy Kaufman bit is worth the price of the set.  Rounding out Disc One is “Exposed” from 1984.  There is more standup, but still too many lame sketches.  It seems that ABC was somehow grooming Rodney in the Carol Burnett/ Sony & Cher mold of a variety show.  It was a noble effort to save a dead TV genre.  As an actor, Rodney Dangerfield is a great stand-up.
    
Of the three discs, Disc Two is the strongest.  These are the HBO specials.  Without the confines of network censors, everything becomes bawdier.  The first special is “It’s Not Easy Being Me” from 1986.  It’s a group of comics doing stand up routines with Rodney as MC and the sketch link between sets.  Jeff Altman, Jerry Seinfeld and Robert Townsend take the bull’s share of comedic presence.  And that is the setting for all these discs.  Rodney playing host to a bunch of young and rising comics.  “Nothin’ Goes Right” (1987) features Andrew Dice Clay, Carol Leifer, Robert Schimmel, Barry Sobel, Lenny Clarke, Dom Irrera and Bill Hicks.  It is amazing to see all this talent on one stage.  Most of them had gone on to their own HBO specials.  All have, to different degrees, become strong performers on the comedy scene.  This could be the highlight of the first two discs and reason enough to own the set.  “The Really Big Show” (1991) is a letdown in name.  It has Bob Zany in the stable of comics, but pales in comparison to the first two HBO specials.
    
Disc Three is Bonus Extras. It starts with “Opening Night at Rodney’s Place” and tries a blending between the ABC and the HBO styles.  There are some sketches that almost work.  But, it is the launching ground for Jeff Foxworthy and Tim Allen. Then the disc gets sentimental. Heartfelt aspects abound on this disc, as Rodney is the subject on the “This is Your Life” show from 1986.  David Frost is the host of a very surprised Rodney as they take a half-hour look back on the career of this icon.  Chevy Chase and a host of others salute the man for whom nothing goes right.  The outpouring of well wishing openly moves Rodney.  Also included is an appearance on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson where we are treated to a bit of the act and some sitting down with Johnny where there is even more of the act thinly veiled as a conversation.  It is obvious that comic Carson loves comic Dangerfield.  Then the final cherry on the parfait is Rodney’s nightclub on night at Bally’s in Las Vegas.  It’s the entire 45-minute act with no overdubs and no editing.  Rodney doesn’t flinch when a gag goes sour and plows away at the audience, giving it all just to make them laugh.
    
Now, as far as special features, there are none.  It’s just the shows with no outtakes or deleted scenes.  But, it’s still a great DVD series that’s fun to watch.

Studio: R2 Entertainment
Release Date: 12/7/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
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We'll give Rodney Dangerfield: The Ultimate No Respect Collection an B.