Customer Reviews

Cure for the Cable Guy (with Bonus DVD)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

If you enjoy Larry the Cable Guy, chances are you won't enjoy Steve Hofstetter.

Then again, if you enjoy Larry the Cable Guy, chances are you live in a trailer park with a Confederate flag over your doorway. Steve Hoffstetter doesn't appeal to such a broad lowest-common-denominator audience, but he largely succeeds in his vein of sometimes dry and usually wry sociopolitical humor. He can be raunchy and politically incorrect, but it's always with satire in mind, recalling greats such as Bill Hicks and David Cross. It's safe to say that Hicks and Cross needn't make room on their hall of fame platform yet - Hofstetter occasionally descends into mediocre rants and rambles between the album's high points, and lacks the glowing originality of his influences - but the album is worth a listen, and not just out of spite for Larry.

Having seen Steve Hofstetter live, and having been one of the (many)people in the audience laughing, I have to say that this is one of the better comedic talents out there today. Is all of his material original? No. But it's not the crude, in-poor-taste comedy that we've simply come to accept from comedy today. And no, Steve Hofstetter is no Bill Hicks, but who is? That's like saying Tool or Radiohead are no Beatles. The comparision is unfair. But let's put it this way: he's funnier than Jerry Seinfeld. His cd really doesn't capture his ability to really play to an audience. This recording is, I'll admit, not his best. However the jokes are all there, and I still think they're funny. Even the second time around. He may not have the edge of Hicks or the avante garde style of Hedberg, but give the man a chance. He's young, and this is his first cd. I give him plaudits on his Freshman effort, even if it's not what you've come to expect from a comedy cd in terms of quality. Keep an eye on this guy.

How much money did this guy's mom pay to have this thing made? Steve is a decent comic - he'd be an OK middle act on a cruise ship and maybe even a closing act in the Pocono's - but not a headliner worth filming. Not yet.

After watching his DVD for twenty minutes I shut it off in disgust. This is a badly directed shooting of an open mic quality act. His "edgy wit" amounts to "racism is bad." Wow. Talk about taking chances! How about some more "thinking man's" humor?

"The French can hold their liquor, just not their territory." Pah-dump-bump. Get it? It's a WWII reference. I think Rush Limbaugh told that one. Two years ago. And it wasn't funny then.

He steps on his own jokes, doesn't connect with his audience and has nothing to say. For all his spouting about artistic integrity you'd expect more than pandering.
Please don't compare him to Bill Hicks, Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Dennis Leary or Lewis Black - unless you say, in comparison - he's not worthy of comparison.

Steve Hofstetter is going to be something. I know it. He has the potential to be huge. I have seen him live many times and he gets better faster than any comedian I've seen. I believe in him, and I am going to keep buying his albums. As for Cure for the Cable Guy, it's brilliant. I see here he has a range of reviews for it, as well as he should. He is controversial, and that's what makes things blow up.

I see Mr. Hofstetter is getting a huge range of reviews and frankly, he should. Not everyone is going to like him (and he probably knows that.) As for me, I find him very funny. I particularly enjoy stand-up that has SOLID WRITING behind it and Hostetter is of that variety. He makes you think, but the material actually is not pretentious (which I had feared when I took a chance and bought the thing having never heard of him.)

As for Larry the Cable Guy. Hofstetter has not singled him out as a cheap gimmic to make a name for himself as some will claim. As a matter fact, Hostetter plainly writes his reason for it in the liner notes and he has a rationale for it ... wether you agree with it or not is another matter. But the key you need to remember is Hofstetter's beef is with the CHARACTER called Larry the Cable Guy, NOT with Dan Whitney who plays the Larry Character. Remember that.

Hofstetter is young and for a first time out, I give him a lot of credit. I for one will watch his career with interest.

I've seen Steve live, and I just bought his album...and I have to say, I love this guy. He's fresh, witty, and he touches on real issues. Some of the jokes are very subtle, but that's the beauty of it. He makes me crack up...great for college students and people who love Mitch Hedberg. I admit, I do dislike Larry the Cable Guy...but I enjoyed Steve's comedy before I ever knew he also disliked Larry. I highly recommend Steve...he's not very well-known yet, but I'm sure he will be soon!

I LOVE THIS ALBUM!

I normally don't buy spoken word albums, I prefer music ones, but I couldn't resist Steve Hoffstetter's work. It's AMAZING! Despite the title, he hits on Larry The Spice Girls Of The Comedy World Cable Guy for only a moment. Steve goes over everything from his adopted sister to racism to bad relationships. I was laughing the whole time - even though I was reading a Dean Koontz book while listening to it! It was just that good. Obviously the people who wrote bad reviews haven't even listened to it. Steve Hoffstetter will be around long after people say "Larry who?" and use Larry's CDs and DVDs as coasters.

If you like the intelligent comedy stylings of people like Hicks, Izzard and Cross, check out this album. Hofstetter is smart and funny in riffs on everything from pop culture to international relations and everything in between. Hofstetter also skewers Larry the Cable Guy's idiotic "humor," pointing out that the netted-hat redneck hero not only promotes narrow-mindedness but (maybe more importantly) is not funny.

On behalf of myself and other Americans with a functioning brain left in their heads, I wholly endorse this album.

listen... i get the edgy stuff. i'm a huge fan of it: lewis black, david cross, marc maron, bill hicks, george carlin, richard pryor, patton oswalt... i get it. seriously. unfortunately, steve hofstetter will not be added to my every growing list of amazing stand up comics.

his delivery is horrible and all his bits are rehashed and hackneyed. he fumbles through bits on racism and terry shiavo. he fumbles through bits on relationships. he fumbles through 45 minutes i'll never get back. the audience laughter seems equally forced and nothimg more than polite.

i made the mistake of buying this cd/dvd atrosicty solely based off the bill hicks name drop and the cd cover (words can't describe my hatred for larry the cable guy). save your money... at any cost.

i didn't even waste my time with the dvd.

If you like Dennis Leary, Ron White, lewis Black, David Cross, or any of the other angry white comics out there you will enjoy this one.