Artie Lange: Jack and Coke (Video 2009)

Artie Lange: Jack and Coke: Directed by Scott DePace. With Artie Lange, Joe Matarese, John McGhee. As raw and offensive as ever, Artie Lange returns to his roots in JACK AND COKE, shot at one of his favorite clubs in his beloved New York City.

“For eighty-seven minutes, comedian Artie Lange zealously spits out rapid-fire offensive, lowbrow jokes, self-deprecating jabs, tells crazy stories about being under the influence of every drug you can think of, his encounter with random street hookers, his opinion on several famous people, and even concludes with some banter on race in his second comedy special Artie Lange: Jack and Coke. Langeu0026#39;s testament likely serves as a shock for some people, predominately to those who witnessed his often explicit and bawdy appearances on The Howard Stern Show and were placing bets that the comedian wouldnu0026#39;t make it through the end of 2008. However, after being off drugs for a few months and getting his weight down to a manageable level, Lange looks good, and aside from getting a bit winded after imitating his high school break dancing moves, he moves quite well, with admirable energy and zest.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eLange performs at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York City, a small and intimate venue, known for its open mic nights, which provides for a welcoming and personal setting. Frequently, director Scott DePace turns the camera on the audience members as Lange involves them in his banter, and a bonus feature on the DVD even shows Lange pleasantly heckling the hecklers of the crowd. On another note, Lange occasionally feels like heu0026#39;s circling the bases a bit too much, with his hooker stories becoming redundant and his drug stories questionably blurring the line between fantasy and reality. However, the man himself is an engaging storyteller, and his self-deprecation makes for a fun routine if you really know the kind of hell he endured and the kind of person he really likes to show off. Jack and Coke concludes nicely with Lange inviting his sister and the two police officers who u0026quot;saved his lifeu0026quot; and got him off heroin to come on stage with him, concluding a verbally raunchy display of political incorrectness beautifully and warmly.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDirected by: Scott DePace.”