The Best of Chappelle's Show Uncensored

It's both comforting and unfortunate that the title, The Best of Chappelle's Show Uncensored, doesn't lie. It's comforting because the DVD does deliver the promised 25 most audacious and gut-busting sketches from Chappelle's abruptly abandoned hit Comedy Central series. It's unfortunate because the package is confined to what versatile comedian Dave Chappelle has done only on that particularly series. Yet, for many, that would be enough. What the selections make abundantly clear is that Chappelle has a comedic range that could barely be siphoned into just one disc. With the "Racial Draft" segment, Chappelle shows how his edgy comedy is democratic, not narrowly picking on blacks and whites but making Latinos, Jews and Asians fair game. With his performance and vocal range, Chappelle can uncannily imitate everyone from R. Kelly to Samuel L. Jackson. And while his humour can occasionally be simple and crude, Chappelle never fails to produce segments with a critical eye on the shallow entertainment business that nearly drove him bonkers, culminating in his much publicised flight to Africa. While the unseen footage on the DVD is nothing more than bloopers from the popular "Rick James" skit, as well as some rambling recollections from show regular Charlie Murphy (Eddie's brother), the single-disc DVD is deficient in terms of capturing everything Chappelle, as a comedian, is capable of. This might sound unfair since the disc is (as the title suggests) strictly the best of Chappelle's Show. However, some of Chappelle's most bellyaching laughs come from his stand-up routines, or even during one-on-one television interviews (he's funny just shooting the shit). So, while the DVD proves a good watch, there's a whole world of Chappelle that exists beyond. For novices, The Best of Chappelle's Show offers an abundant sampling of a comedian at the top of his game. For those hungry for real bonus materials, there's always YouTube.