chris principe
I kind of blew my mind wondering if this is a preview or a review. But hey. Only a one-letter difference, right? Let's not dwell.
Last Friday, I attended the Comedy Central taping of My Buddy Bill, a monologue-type show written and performed by Rick Cleveland. And though I wasn't quite sure what to expect, I was pretty psyched to check it out. Rick has served as a writer/producer for both The West Wing and Six Feet Under–two of the smartest, most inspirational shows ever created imho, lol, rotflmao, etc.
My Buddy Bill covers Rick's unlikely friendship with Bill Clinton towards the end of his presidency, and involves a wide array of characters, including: Christopher Walken, Billy Bob Thornton, and of course, Ms. Hillary Rodham. And though Rick never seems overly comfortable on stage, it actually works to his advantage quite well, heightening the everyman-type quality with which he tells his story. Which is what really carries the whole thing in the first place: the story. Totally engaging, expertly written, and very, very funny. Kudos to the CC mothership for picking this up.
Keep an eye out for My Buddy Bill, airing sometime after the holidays.
Read:
* Variety's review of the theatrical production last year
* An interview with Rick on the Six Feet Under site
* A touching story about Rick's father, and the Emmy acceptance speech he never got to give
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My 14 year old son and I watched the show and we thought it was funny and very worth the time we spent watching it together. We would love to know if you would be in Clemson,South Carolina any time soon for a show,or if we could purchase the show to share with our friends.
Thank-you Rick Cleveland for bringing a show on t.v. that my family could watch and enjoy, and those other critics that just "don't get it",who cares what they think.
Laughter to some is not an everday occurence, especially in the world today, and that is sad,but you do bring laughter to many and that is great gift.
Sincerely,
The Wright Family(FOB)
Brett,
Your a hater.
This is one of the worst stand up shows I've ever seen. It sounds like a hack actor reading from a book word for word. "and then Bill looks at me and says___. And then, I look at Bill and say____."
When it comes to political material, Lewis Black, Doug Stanhope and Loius CK are all much funnier, poignant and inciteful. Rick Cleveland's delivery is boring, his timing is boring. He accentuates all the wrong parts of the syntax. His material is lame…he does Monica Lewinski fat jokes, Hillary and Bill arguing jokes and a shitty Christopher Walken impersonation.
He finishes with a hacky impression of George Bush mispronouncing the word "urinificating". Oh, how original, George Bush can't pronounce a word…people have been doing that joke for 8 years now Rick!
This half hour special was a waste of time. I would have been better off ramming a dull pencil into my eyeball for 30 minutes.
Hey Rick, in 20 years when you think it would be funny to write a "My Buddy Barack" one man show just save us the boredom and shoot yourself.
Dear Mr. Cleveland,
This will be long; sorry, I'm a female.
This was one of the best things I've seen on CC, aside from South Park and the Daily Show. Sorry to say, but it was funny, hilarious actually, poignant, sweet, and AREN'T DOGS GREAT??!!
It's sad, though not unexpected that both Hillary and your wife (who seems to be really supportive, at least in the kid department) end up being on the Dark Side of the Force in some way, and I was sad that your friendship with Bill (I love the acronym FoB; does anyone know that used to actually be a real thing?) was ended.
I enjoyed the Amsterdam segment; did that in the '70's, though not in Amsterdam. I WISH all of the people who ever got baked would just admit it, and the country would own up to its dopiness.
We all know what happened to Buddy; poor guy, hit by a car in his suburban Nirvana. Did Bill call or at least write?
What has been Sherlock's life? How did Sherlock and Buddy get along after their initial meeting? I wasn't clear whether they had any future con-fabs after the initial one.
Thank you for a well-written, well-presented piece. It was a far cry (thank heaven, though I'm not a prude) from the "Flava-Flav Roast" or the full-length version of "JackAss."
There's still a market out here for this kind of writing, somewhere.
Best Regards,
Barbara E. Morgan
New York City (where else?)
omg, best birthday present ever haha. cna't wait to watch it.
Hey, they're going to re-run me (My Buddy Bill) on March 10… at 2 am in the moring…!
And thanks for the way positive comments…!
Rick C
It has been a long time since anything made me laugh like this and surprised me so much that I spit my drink. The dinner with the Clintons where he talks about his comment concerning how to figure out your porn name, was priceless! I met the Clinton family many many moons ago and his portrait of Bill and Roger is right on. Bill was always just a good ole boy who had the smarts to win the highest prize in this country. It is worth any money to get a copy of this amazing sardonic accounting of how a regular guy got to do stuff with another regular guy, who happened to be the president. Not a vote getter for Hilary though – sad that. I was hoping to see Bill as "first husband" what a great story that would make!
this was one of the funniest things i have ever seen. i have not laughed so hard in far too long. I must know why I have yet to seen it re-aired! i ahve to see it again!!
Is this going to be re-aired?!?! I caught the first half but then lost my satellite signal due to a wicked snow storm. Please, please, please show this special again!!!
A marvelous performance. He is extremely funny. I want to believe it all happened. Posted by Mary K
I loved this story. Comedy Central and Rick Cleveland get big wins for this unique and fantastic performance.
Fantastic. I wonder how much of it is real. I was totally engrossed and sold on it as truth until the end.
Can't wait to see this. It sounds GREAT!
Can't wait to see this. It sounds GREAT!
They tell me February 7th… Rick C
So, it is now "sometime after the holidays." Do we have an airdate yet?
I think Rick Cleveland is a cutie and very creative. It's reminds us what a little kid with glasses can grow up to become.
I think Rick Cleveland is a cutie and very creative. It's reminds us what a little kid with glasses can grow up to become.