Product Details

• Actors: Kate Clinton, Marga Gomez, Suzanne Westenhoefer
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Wolfe Video
• DVD Release Date: July 6, 2004
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0001Y4LMS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #76,097 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

After twenty years underground audiences everywhere are now discovering these hilarious lesbian ics! Kate Clinton Karen Williams Marga Gomez and Suzanne Westenhoefer pioneered lesbian stand-up edy. In small clubs in the 1980s and early 90s they challenged and charmed audiences while making us laugh about discrimination and the realities of being lesbian or gay in ways few would dare. Laughing Matters alternates between interviews with the four edians and their live stand-up performances. Each edian has her own unique look and style as well as stories of what it was like to be out onstage long before it was chic.None of the ics set out to bee activists they just wanted to make people laugh. But you ll see in this film the significant contributions they ve made because of their simple determination to be themselves.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES Rating: NR Age: 754703762344 UPC: 754703762344 Manufacturer No: WOL3907D

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars permanences: lesbian comics, January 27, 2005

By 

Jeffery Mingo (Homewood, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Laughing Matters (DVD)

This format is becoming very popular and formulaic. Four comics from the same oppressed identity group perform standup on the same videotape or DVD. First came black men, then came black women, Latino men, and working-class white men. In this tape, lesbian comics take the torch. So I was wondering why didn't the artists name this "Lesbian Queens of Comedy" like the title "(Black Male) Kings of Comedy." If Larry the Cable Guy and his buddies made "Blue Collar Comedy Tour", then why not call this project "Labrys Comedy Tour" or something?

What I found out was that this comedy tour was different. Instead of just having the comics do their entire routines and then passing the mike. This DVD cuts between the various comediennes telling one or two jokes at a time. BET's "Comic View" often uses this same format. In this work, however, the women are also interviewed talking about their girlhoods, families, and lives as openly lesbian comics.

Melissa Etheridge makes a quick guest appearance. It's practically like no lesbian art can get produced without her stamp of endorsement. On the Ellen coming-out episode, she and Ellen laughed saying, "Now that you are out, you get a free toaster." In so many ways, Melissa, as much as I love her, has become that free toaster. She even stares into the camera with a "Okay, am I done now?" type of look.

This work is more about life as a lesbian comic than the comedy itself. I think the purpose is to encourage more lesbian comics to come out more than just to entertain any person who happens to rent or buy the tape. In their interviews, the comics talk about sexism and homophobia in the comedy circuit. Surprisingly, each comic said that as much as they love Ellen DeGeneres, doors shut after she came out. The media only wanted one lesbian comic. Though these women had been performing for years, they were instantly dismissed as "Ellen imitators." Progressives of all genders and sexualities will want to hear about this.

There is the huge theme of permanence and continuity in this work. All the comics say they have been out in their careers forever. They have been in the business for ages. They all had girlfriends since way, way, way back when. They all came from families with entertaining relatives. They even show a photo of the four artists from a decade ago. They even show that Marga Gomez has had that huge gap in her teeth forever. I'm not sure why the producers of this tape definitely wanted to send the message "This is how it's always been!"

Sometimes the interviews with the comics are funnier than their standup routines. At times, you can't even hear what Susan Westhoefer is saying. Kate Clinton is cut! She must work out hard in the gym. The tape only reveals the highly sexual or highly political jokes toward the end.

I have mixed feelings in a way. I loved seeing Marga Gomez at a San Francisco comedy club years ago. I loved how she was the gay community's comedic secret. So there's a way in which personal idols are being taken into the mainstream by this tape. However, each comedienne is incredibly talented and this work will make all types of viewers ask, "Why aren't these women getting more jobs and exposure in Hollywood!?"

In many ways this tape is meant to say, "There's more than just Ellen." In expansion, "there's more than just Ellen, Rosie, and Lea DeLaria." These women are great and this was amusing to watch.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Too good to be true, July 20, 2005

By 

queer movie lover - See all my reviews

This review is from: Laughing Matters (DVD)

Strap your boots on and let these four ground-breaking, hilarious lesbian comedians take you for a ride. Kate Clinton, Karen Williams, Marga Gomez, and Suzanne Westenhoefer star in this well-made documentary that alternates between brilliant interviews and on-stage clips from their stand-up shows.

Both the interviews and the clips will leave your belly aching from laughter and your eyes opened to the political and humorous landscape of lesbian stand-up in the 80s and 90s, also known as the pre-Ellen Degeneres years. These women were and are
true revolutionaries. Their only tools? Being queer and making people laugh about being queer. And their
brilliant.

Gay, straight, man, woman, anyone: this film is not only politically educational and inspiring, it's simply hilarious.

3.0 out of 5 stars Long on interviews; short on stand-up comedy, April 18, 2009

By 

Reading Junkie (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Laughing Matters (DVD)

Yes, it was great to see four lesbian stand-up comics. I wanted to see THEIR STAND-UP COMEDY ROUTINES!!! The interviews were well-done; there wasn't enough of their comedy routines, and that was disappointing. I'm glad I hadn't bought this DVD or I really would've been upset (thank you Netflix).