Dennis Miller - Black and White - HBO Comedy Hour 1990

[@batmanwayne6470]

THIS is a fkn masterpiece front to back. In the pocket the whole trip. So few have this level of talent and deliver daggers over and over and over. Straight up assassin.

[@MargaretLovell]

"Stop me before I sub-reference again." 😂 Classic.

[@marcclement7396]

One of the best. So underrated.

[@philipstewart4474]

I miss this man’s humor and delivery so much and I could watch this particular show again and again 🤩

[@spm_hcmc]

He's criminally underrated as a stand up. Top 5 of the 1980s.

[@Vaecord91]

Underrated seems to be a theme

[@jasonstevens8517]

I am ashamed to say that I am an eighties kid who loves stand up and I am only now just seeing this for the first time. Dennis is brilliant here....pure genius.

[@remyogun8270]

same here! Though, I feel as if I can vaguely remember the promos for this, as a naive 3rd grader, but not being mature enough understand the humor, let alone seek it out . It wasn't until I was in my mid teens before I was regularly watching "Dennis Miller live" , that was also on HBO.

[@g.e.5723]

His Politics are a bit to the Right. Hollywood hates that.

[@Heraclitean]

He made that look so easy. Nobody else on the planet could do an hour like this.

[@Heraclitean]

@Nexus Six No they couldn't. Miller couldn't do their sets either, tbf, but they definitely couldn't do Miller's.

[@Heraclitean]

@Nexus Six They wouldn't have come up with Miller's jokes in the first place. And Miller wouldn't have come up with theirs.They saw the world differently. We don't disagree. You're just pretending we do.

[@ShivaShaktification]

@Nexus Six yep he should have stuck with humiliating both parties.

[@billturner8823]

Bill Maher could.

[@austinmetcalf7505]

I can’t agree no one else could do an amazing hour but watching it for the first time in 2021 I would definitely say this is one of the best specials I’ve ever seen. I had no idea he was this funny.

[@andaimhineach4131]

God. I remember this from when it came out. Unbelievable to think that was 29 years ago! Good stuff.

[@petiewheat82]

It's amazing how he makes it look so easy to fly through this dense material. remembering to use all the vocab words alone would be a daunting task for most performers.

[@DarrenWilsonOne]

I got serious flashbacks to Bill Hicks and George Carlin specials watching him. His material is definitely dense, with SO many references, which contrasts him with George whose specialty is language/wordplay itself, while Dennis' is clearly 'culture.' The three of them (Bill, George, and Dennis) are each intensely political, but in different ways. I would even go so far as to say that Dennis is like the perfect medium of the two. Not as unhinged as Bill and not as cynical as George, LOL. Entertaining, witty, engaging, and chock full of rare and pivotal insights that have, shockingly, remained relevant and poignant till today. Incredible. I watched a recent interview of him, and he was commenting on how the younger generations are puritan in the way boomers were with generation X and prior. It was a shocking comment, because I could feel him seeing millennials, etc. from a perspective that's not often heard, and can be starkly true, but is also unequivocally false in some circles. Makes me wonder where he is. I can definitely see there being a huge divide between millennials, gen-z, and gen-alpha. All our current talk of "civil war" may just be the fuse now, and when millennials/gen-z start taking power positions wholesale, we'll see whether the powder keg is dry enough for our future, myopic idiot leaders to light. Justin Trudeau already feels like a harbinger of what's to come from the liberal/woke end. The conservative/right wing elements have yet to produce an exemplary of their oncoming 'leadership' delusion. I'm watching Dennis because Joe Rogan mentioned Dennis in his recent episode with Coleman Hughes. I am not in the slightest disappointed. Dennis seems to be a man both within, before, and beyond his times. Pleasure to watch and listen to. He has some key mannerism and manners of speech that accents his routines perfectly. Shame that he hasn't produced anything for a while. Would be interesting to see if he's still got that marathon humor in him to teach people today a thing or two. Definitely heard him fumble one of his lines at one point. Wish I noted the timestamp. But otherwise, as noted by another comment here, this special of his was a masterpiece!

[@APTKC2025]

He clearly has notes/set list reminders on the floor. Pay attention to how he looks at the floor before launching into each bit.

[@hymniclimbic]

It has to be readable. It's probably only the bare bone structure of the set. It's all in there.

[@mikemcq10]

Back in the 90s, a college entrance exam was to explain Dennis Miller's jokes. I watched this on my VCR all the time and I still forgot just how good he was.

[@MrChristian331]

Yeah, the 90's were awesome!!

[@John-ct9zs]

I was in high school and college in the 90s, I don't remember that being a thing! Sounds cool though.

[@justinmathewson3692]

Dennis is one of the GOATs Forget politics. He was funny af

[@thomasspence307]

I had just gone through a divorce. Watched this at home by myself. I was literally on the floor laughing so hard. He is the best.

[@4Naturalgreen]

If you never have, you must check Bill Burr.

[@TerryThomas-vl6xe]

He and I are close to the same age. I’m so lucky to easily and automatically get his sub references , which is the icing on the cake with his style of humor ! One of the best ever !

[@jackkofroth3520]

We would listen to this and Andrew Dice Clay’s ‘The Day the Laughter Died’ constantly in college. So many great lines from both performances.

[@CanadianCatDaddy]

One of the elite comedians of his time.

[@jediknightjairinaiki560]

I love this special. I remember watching it on HBO back in the day, then years later bought a VHS copy, which I still have. Even though I didn't get all his references at the time, later on when I found out their meaning, it allowed me to see the humour in what he said a second time.

[@tacey01]

I am here cause Jimmy Dore mentioned the B & W Special. I have liked Miller’s comedy since SNL. I listened to his radio show when it was available on Pittsburgh radio. His humor is unique and fun to follow. Talented and smart. Plus he is a Pittsburgh native; he still has the accent.

[@007nadineL]

Me too. I don't get a lot of references

[@AsherGenesius]

Which video did Jimmy recommend this during?

[@Skabanis]

I just came from Jimmy Dore with Rob Sneider talking about this.

[@seamuswarren]

Geez, Jimmy Dore mentioned this “Black & White” performance as the epitome. Brilliant!

[@wildebt]

I am also here after JD's take on the CNN ice fishermen interview!

[@enticingimages]

@@wildebt same here! 😂😂

[@ZosKia523]

Me tooooo!

[@kristapedia]

I'm here too thanks to Jimmy Dore

[@carlolapadula3953]

Especially ~2:37 right? High-wage Hollywood actors are just too good to work underpaid jobs. That sure didn't age poorly, right? ...got after watching TJDS, too, incidentally. '^^

[@RUsMJ21495]

Self improvement cassettes. Lmfao... This was the best HBO comedy show ever...

[@callumbarker2115]

Crazy how many jokes he piles in there. Now a days you're lucky to get a tenth of that amount.

[@kyle5841]

This is like the Paul’s Boutique of comedy! So many references!!!!!!

[@sparent9922]

A cerebral comedian is so very refreshing. If you're a dolt you probably won't get his humor but my God the man is a genius on the level of Norm Macdonald

[@courtnisaizon4546]

I concur. He is a comedian for cerebral people and people who keep up with current events. He and Norm’s videos together are amazing!

[@misterlb16]

As a stand up comedian and comedy writer, regardless of the fact that I don't agree with Dennis politically now, his 'Black and White' special is the Citizen Kane of stand up performances. It was my go to for learning how to be a performer and the writing was razor sharp. Dennis Miller was never before or since better than this show, in my opinion.

[@theleeoverstreet]

I agree completely. When I got my first radio DJ job in 1987, I picked the last name "Miller" because I was such a fan.

[@Filmation77]

Agreed.he has never been This Good,after this,this was his version of Eddie Murphy Raw..it's still THAT good

[@markminter6312]

I agree completely. I'm an aspiring stand-up and Miller absolutely crushed it with this one. I still think it's one of of the best shows ever by any comedian all-time.

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

It'll be okay l'il Tom as I'm sure you'll find a safe space

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

@Jack Casey Gee, I'm really sorry, Jackie. I really didn't mean to get you so upset. I hope my remarks didn't cost us too many votes. Thank God there's somebody like you out there to school a guy like me. You know, the comment section is such an enlightening field. You are a great man; you're so much better than everyone else. Thank you.

[@FFrrEEddRRiiKK1]

Miller needs to make a comeback to the stand-up scene.

[@zepmarq]

I remember seeing this as a kid when it came out. Thanx for posting! 😎

[@hbomb1512]

his jokes still live in my head, his arcane references, and his pissy sarcastic tone as well. He was a great stand-up. Wish he still did it.

[@simplenough]

I wish he still did it well

[@ShivaShaktification]

Incredible vocal delivery and timing, tonality

[@RollingOrmond]

Wow, all the HBO ads afterwards really tap into the recesses of memory.

[@thomasspence307]

He is and was the best. Very self-aware. He doesn’t do standup anymore because he says “I’ve had my time and it was great”.

[@EF-fc4du]

Wish he still did it. So brilliant.

[@kevinjhonson5925]

Bill burr sent me here, and a big thank you.

[@EKS511]

I’ve seen people mentioning him in the comments. What did he say about this?

[@kevinjhonson5925]

@@EKS511 that it was his best special ever and had him cracking up.

[@EKS511]

@@kevinjhonson5925 oh okay. Thank you!

[@patxmcq]

37:57 Was that a Koyaanisqatsi reference?? Jeez this guy went in 😂

[@archstanton3430]

I had to look that up, and I'm glad I did.

[@markminter6312]

Probably one of the top 10 stand up performances of all time.

[@warrentopping4442]

2023..... still hilarious!!

[@JustSomeCanadianGuy]

“Was watching the wedding video and DAMN if Michael Caine wasn’t in the film!” 😂

[@motorcity7137]

Arguably one of the best sets ever

[@larryholcomb2165]

For sure my favorite Dennis Miller set. What a mind.

[@seancotter9156]

Still my favorite ever

[@Rozemarijn97]

"No blow, no hookers, just good government" 😆

[@mrheem]

Mid-eighties SNL brought me here, Dennis always was the same guy then and now...himself!

[@johnbires568]

30 years ago... Still funny!

[@marcomaggi-o5i]

This guy was brilliant.

[@TheSleepingonit]

Still relevant in 2022

[@CanadianCatDaddy]

HIs prior work is, yes. Dennis Miller the comedian, not so much. I watched some of his recent specials....still some gold in there, but not really comparable.

[@magnuscroify]

This genius set artfully straddles the line between stand up and performance art.

[@mikeorclem]

Just got fired from my job as a set designer. I left without making a scene.

[@markobrien690]

I like to share videos with friends but none of my current friends would understand him. I am proud to say that I have not stopped laughing from the opening lines yet. They broke the mold with this guy.

[@ryanj3807]

Thanks Jimmy Dore for reminding me how great this special was

[@ZosKia523]

Same!

[@AsherGenesius]

Which video was that?

[@rick4400]

Way back in the 80's I think it was, one of our Southwestern Flights returning to San Antonio had a singing Flight Attendant. She was cool.

[@Filmation77]

No Matter what you think of his politics THIS was his Magnum Opus as a stand up comedian and he's never been as Sharp as he was here

[@danielbishop3212]

I love his stand up SNL weekend update & his politics!

[@brandonmaddox4862]

@@danielbishop3212his weekend update bits were legendary

[@buildingman]

Thanks for going through the work to clean up the video. It looks and sounds great.

[@theleeoverstreet]

I had just gotten a brand new hi-fi stereo VCR before this aired! 😀📼

[@buildingman]

And you put it to good work!

[@timothypruitt4578]

Other than a few dated references, (Dan Quayle, Andrew Dice Clay) if you ignore the fact that he speaking in the 1990's you would literally think for source material he was drawing directly from modern headlines.

[@torque122]

The woman had the attention of Boo Radley. I’m completely fuckin’ dead. 😂😂🤣 Thank you Vazco DeGama 😂

[@Rozemarijn97]

OMG this is so good

[@djtall3090]

How does he do it? So smart.

[@ChrisWRR]

Pre 9/11 Dennis Miller was legendary

[@brandonmaddox4862]

He really did go off the deep end with his right wing views and it’s kinda sad

[@abrahamberhe7217]

Effortless, classic. Comedy with brains! Those were the days. Elohe, elohe lema sebaktani!

[@Trev0r98]

Newsflash: there ain't no god.

[@MultipleOffenses]

I really miss *this* Dennis Miller. This Dennis Miller's comedy was incredible. The vocabulary. The pop culture references. I wore out cassette copies of his rants. I laughed and learned a lot from listening to him in the 80s and 90s. I tried listening to/watching his post 9/11 material, and it just wasn't the same. I miss the guy who was poking fun at both sides of the political aisle and wasn't being a stan for just one. I miss the guy who I simply can't believe would have ever voted for Trump.

[@brandonmaddox4862]

9/11 warped his views and it made him a comedy propagandist for the right which in her just made fun of Hillary Clinton a lot

[@notthenorm4805]

Should be way more likes. What is wrong with people?

[@friendlymutton8378]

This is great.

[@Trev0r98]

@19:36 - Pure Pittsburgh, right there.... "oh, that's comin' DAHN..." (Miller was born in Pittsburgh and grew up there).

[@oldschooltakingyaback]

Dennis Miller aka Captain Similie. 😅Lol great special.

[@myearsloveit]

i am still afflicted w/ subreferencing there is no cure

[@archstanton3430]

Thanks, Jimmy Dore.

[@tacey01]

Exactly why I am here too. Love dennis and have since SNL. Plus he’s a Pittsburgh guy!! :)

[@onpsxmember]

Damn, what a shitload of references I don't get-.- Still, there are so much in there that it still works. In black&white he'd fit right into the Glenn Frey video from "The Heat is On".

[@NathanJennings1222]

28:59 to 29:25 Thank you, Mr. Miller.

[@Zelousmarineinspace]

Absolute. Legend.

[@johnconnor4330]

.. draggin' his crank all over Daytona Beach 😂😂😂

[@Clyde.artwork]

This is pure gold. High IQ comedy.

[@mikef2813]

People who have to begin with, “…his politics…” signal more virtue than NPR. Let it go, folks.

[@CanadianCatDaddy]

Lately, he's softened up his political edge as well....which I believe serves him well going forward. He's an unusual guy, because he's a conservative who's primary audience are liberals.....at least at his peak anyway.

[@CosmicEnergy13]

Who came here after watching Jimmy Dore?

[@bildo1977]

45:26 Star Trek VI: The Apology is my favorite Trek movie!

[@brandonmaddox4862]

It’s the like Simpsons parody Star Trek VII : So very tired

[@Lildspop]

Here from David Spade mentioning this show on Anthony Jeselnik's talk show

[@kennykistler6735]

Way back when Dennis Miller was actually funny.

[@kikiwilliams4980]

These idiots in the comments: his politics are wrong so I am not allowed to think he’s funny.

[@mattram88]

That guy's laugh at 4:52 😂

[@randymagnum143]

Wonder if this is where Spades flight attendant character came from?

[@ishlatif4668]

Spade actually opened for Dennis at this special.... he is definitely influenced by dennis

[@Dave-ti2ue]

Michael Keaton and Dennis. My boys. Lived in the Burgh for over thirty years. Think Jimmy Krenn could have gone national, had he wanted to. Funny, talented guys.

[@matthewpingor8040]

Dennis Millerisms way out on the reference branches. That was always his signature. Like the QAnon shaman at an ugly sweater party in a dorm at Vassar while listening to Tijuana Brass and telling your mother in law there is a blue light special on turquoise jewelry at the local Kmart? Why is it that some guy hawking some bouquet of sorry honey guilt gets to face screw me like a firewatcher just because I'm a guy at a red light going home, as if I'm Pol Pot here Babe?

[@Geek37664]

Right about halfway through…that’s where this stands out

[@johnconnor4330]

He made another joke in another special regarding the Swordfish of Damocles LMFAO 😆😆😆 he is so funny .. the gist was he was at a seafood restaurant lololololol

[@raviprakriya9082]

“Sure, I love to eat the paste, that’s a given”

[@bluntrapture]

It's stunning to see how hilarious and sharp he is in his old shows. He used to be so good, and his references delightfully obscure. It's sad to seem him nowadays, though, struggling with being funny and rightwing at the same time.

[@Frog_Mob_Boss]

I love Carlin, Kinison, Wolfberg and many more but Miller right was like finding my own voice and attitude towards the world that was always there.

[@crocmeister6177]

Jimmy Dore brought me here....cheers!

[@theleeoverstreet]

Was he talking about Dennis Miller?

[@crocmeister6177]

@@theleeoverstreet yes, he mentioned this hour as one of the best ever!

[@theleeoverstreet]

@@crocmeister6177 He ain't wrong! 😄

[@kushysoldier1968]

Kevin Nealon and Brody Stevens brought me here.

[@MediaSock]

45:34 he was kinda right about the Jason franchise back in 1990, in 2003 we Freddy vs Jason.

[@raviprakriya9082]

That one gal was Nebuchadnezzar’s wife

[@ikeskifan]

As I'm reading this there's now 37 people with thumbs down That's the number of people who don't get the jokes. Or They are a joke

[@conservativeeconomist9141]

He has a Race Bannon reference in this thing in the context of Trump? This guy is a prophet

[@theleeoverstreet]

Did you see the promo at the end for the Roseanne comedy special? It was at Trump Castle! LOL!

[@RollingOrmond]

Back when Don was just defrauding his contractors and not the voting public. The good old days!

[@bravofoxtrotllc6817]

@@RollingOrmond Ignorance

[@blakemeads9225]

BravoFoxtrot LLC Is it really ignorance? He is known for screwing over contractors. I was having a political discussion with a guy that I met in Orlando in 2016, who was a lifelong Republican, and he told me, and I quote “I’m a Republican, but I will never vote for Donald Trump, because years ago, I was part of one of the many contractors that he fucked over”

[@blakemeads9225]

Ariane caskey You’re a bit daft, aren’t you. Did you miss the part where I said he is KNOWN for doing that? As in, it’s been pretty well known for years? As in, it’s public fucking record? If you’re going to be a smug prick, at least know what the hell your talking about. Shithead.

[@johnconnor4330]

Rocky the Thirteenth LMFAOOOOO😆😆😆😆😆

[@Mystickneon]

Classic!

[@patwhite8106]

I'm just too dumb to get Dennis miller

[@raya1849]

Its 2022 and Flight Attendants are STILL SO F****** cranky!

[@FFXIshibaa]

Post 911 the airport security is still a joke

[@opensourceanglers8291]

Peanuts, Mr. Bond!?

[@roel.vinckens]

Timeless. The use of black and white film that he himself payed for helps. So does the comedy.

[@bablumenthal9703]

He was so intelligent. Too many today think it's funny to be crass and vulger.

[@lauriecaspoli5001]

Guy was great, very intelligent comedy.

[@TheSleepingonit]

This is fucking hilarious

[@rogue-like4life]

Liking Dennis Miller used to so difficult... Had to buy a dictionary, encyclopedia, and a stack of newspapers to understand the references. Now we have search engines and yet for some reason, Dennis is not anymore popular these days.

[@stevengriffith436]

His stand up and his first book was such a give away that he was a conservative. I saw it before it was common sense he was conservative just campare his first book and rush Limbaugh 2nd book which came put the same year.

[@jacklempke7779]

Here from Jimmy Dore

[@TheSpecsShow]

Does he remind anyone else of Warren Beatty?