Reviews

John Legend can sing but he does not know how to emote to convince us that he means what he's saying. Darn shame. The theater people who have lead roles (especially Judas and Caiaphas) are excellent and so are the musicians. The staging is awkward and not very creative.

My biggest gripe for the producers is the fact that they did not credit the wonderful ensemble on IMDb. They deserve their credits!

The show description states that these are Seniors showing off their hidden talents. The first show were all professionals -- not ordinary, talented Seniors! Very misleading.

In the original Little Big Shots, they are all regular kids. So why is the Senior format different? There are plenty of talented, non- professional Seniors out there

I run a group to stop comedian exploitation and I just spent the past 2 months hearing horror stories from comedians who attempted to audition for, "Last Comic Standing." If they don't have a GOOD agent, then they don't even get a chance to audition so more than 80% of the comedians who turn up are rejected before they can show anyone that they have talent! If they do make it to an audition, I was told that it's "pre-determined" if they get a second chance. So what the TV audience sees is NOT the best comics in the US.

If the comics do make it to the show, then most of them don't get IMDb credits. I know this because I did the credits for all 6 seasons of, "Last Comic Standing" and I don't get paid for doing the Producers' job. It's really a disgrace. A month ago, I asked, "Last Comic Standing 7" on Facebook why the Producers aren't giving IMDb credits and I was banned from their Facebook Page!!! I am not a comedian so I do not have a personal stake in this. I just want people to know the truth. I don't like seeing ANYONE getting exploited and that's why I've been helping the comedians. Comedians get exploited on HBO, BET, TvOne and other cable networks but NBC is a BIG THREE network so those in charge should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this exploitation to happen.

Please watch this video of a comedian who was victimized: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMb4-hyet_Y

It's always sad when comedians are not valued and Producers assume that they can get away with not giving them IMDb credits and/or residuals. When I initially viewed this page, there were only 3 credits listed (Lewis Black, J. Chris Newberg and John Pinette) so I ADDED 30 CREDITS!!! There were a few credits that I couldn't add because the end credits were cut off of my recording but I did get most. Hopefully, by the time you read this review, the credits of the 30 comedians who were cheated will be visible. I don't get paid to give comedians IMDb credits but I respect comedians and will help them out when I can.

About the show, it was entertaining and definitely worth watching. Perhaps I have given the Producers a wake-up call here. I can only hope. I was going to purchase the video but I know that the comedians who performed won't receive anything so, therefore, I won't. It's akin to boycotting Wal-Mart for selling products made in sweat shops.

I have seen a few comedians who I saw before and many who I haven't. Since watching the show, I have had the pleasure of seeing several of these comedians in comedy clubs. The best ones that I've seen in person have been Alex Thomas, Howie Bell, Shang, B-Phlat, Roz G, Rodney Perry, Damon Williams, Charles Fleischer, Tammy Pescatelli, Tom Papa and Wayne Brady. Seeing these people in person is much better than on TV but "Comics Unleashed" has given me the opportunity to get an idea of what these people can do. Comedy is a very personal thing. What makes one person laugh may bore someone else or offend another person. My husband and I both laughed while watching this show and other people will, too. Get ready for 2 more seasons.

There are a great group of comedians this year. Unfortunately, BET doesn't list them until after the show is aired so you don't know who's performing in advance.

Synopsis from the BET website:

This BET classic is reborn in the heart of Hollywood with a sexy new swagger. COMIC VIEW: ONE MIC STAND is hosted by the undeniably talented Kevin Hart. ONE MIC STAND delivers the best stand-up comedy on television where the talent is sharp and laughs are non-stop.

ONE MIC STAND offers an eclectic mix of fresh and veteran comedians from across the country to spew out uninhibited, in-your-face comedy that will leave you craving for more. From the constant hilarity on stage, to the sneak peeks at special guests behind the scene, COMIC VIEW: ONE MIC STAND promises to be a side-splitting experience from start to finish.

Mrs. Santa Claus is absolutely delightful. It's styled like an old time Broadway Musical and perfect for all ages. My 90 year old mother-in-law and my 2.5 year old granddaughter adored it. It was actually written by a Jewish guy and the words & music were written by another Jewish guy (Jerry Herman who wrote the scores to Mame, Hello Dolly and La Cage aux folles). In addition to the wonderful score, it has Rob Marshall's choreography. The guy who plays the stable keeper is now playing Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys. It also features a young version of the daughter from Grounded For Life who has a fantastic voice. If you have kids, you may recognize Michael Jeter (Arvo) who plays Mr. Noodle on Elmo's World. Angela Lansbury plays Mrs. Santa Claus. There's a lot of talent and good entertainment there. It's now on my list of Christmas movies to watch each year. However, my granddaughter won't let me put it away just yet.

Kevin Smith was definitely the comic relief in this movie. According to Smith, he claims that he can't act and that's why he plays Silent Bob. I say -- NOT TRUE!!! Kevin Smith was perfect as "Sam" and his acting was very good. Jennifer Garner is always a pleasure to watch. She always plays her characters true to form and this movie was no different. I had a bit of a problem with Timothy Olyphant's character, Fritz. There was definitely something missing from the way he was in the beginning of the film to where we saw him end up. Perhaps Ms. Grant will add a few more scenes to eliminate the confusion. Juliette Lewis was just darling and gave a very convincing performance. This film releases in January 2007 so get ready to have some fun.

This is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a while. It's clever and original. The primary character, Juan comes from a line of Matadors dating back 1000 years and he takes on the challenge to fulfill his destiny. His family move to East L.A. after his father, a great Matador, has a mishap in the bullfighting ring. A prize family possession is stolen and Juan goes on a quest to get it back. Joey Medina can do it all -- write, direct, act and produce. The cast works well and the "dream sequences" are hilarious. I'm not easily impressed but this film impressed me. You'll need to watch it more than once because you'll still be laughing when the next funny part starts and you won't want to miss any of it.

Not since I watched E.T. many years ago, have I experienced such a wide range of emotion while watching a movie. Writer/Director Kevin Smith created what will certainly become a classic. There was richness and depth of emotion that we haven't seen from him in the past. The cast worked well as an ensemble and this was Ben Affleck's best performance yet. Ben was able to show a range of acting and emotion that was endearing. George Carlin was a believable father/grandfather with a perfect balance of hard-edge, comedy and tenderness. Raquel Castro is a little sweetheart with lots of talent. Liv Tyler plays the off-beat, quirky Maya very well. You will want to see this movie more than once.

Kevin Smith gives you something to think about in this witty and very funny movie. Each time I watch it, I see something I missed. The acting is excellent and the story shows Kevin's genius mind for comedy and fable.