On Location (TV Series) A Steven Wright Special (1985) User Reviews

Great Comedian, Great Show

[mr composer · 10/10 · 15 June 2001]

I happened to see this video twice before it sadly went out-of-print. Steven Wright is a comic genius but, unfortunately, it's not humor that will appeal to everyone. It doesn't involve crudeness nor well-developed stories. Just one-liners such as "I put my instant coffee in a microwave -- I nearly went back in time." A few others he'll throw at you that at first make you say, "What the...!,Where does he come up with this stuff" It does take some degree of intelligence and an open-mind (compared to traditional American comedy) to appreciate his humor, which is why he's probably so underrated.

I'm particularly impressed by the fact that I've now heard about 70 minutes total of his jokes which take an average of 10-seconds... and he's never repeated one. And of course a lot of what make him funny is not his material, but the dead-pan, serious, barely alive way he delivers it. If you've never experienced Steven Wright, and want some truly original stand-up comedy, rent this video... IF you can find it.

Steven Wright is a comedic genius

[MovieAddict2016 · 10/10 · 24 January 2006]

If you enjoy the more well-known (late) comic Mitch Hedberg, you'll love Steven Wright. He did everything Hedberg did, only he did it first. (Which isn't to take any of Hedberg's talent away from him - he was a great talent, too.) Wright's "I Have a Pony" is one of the best comedy albums of all-time. It's no surprise that he hasn't released another album since - it's gotta be hard to come up with so many amazing one-liners. Some of the psychological stuff will seriously screw up your mind. "I put my instant coffee in a microwave -- I nearly went back in time," as another user here on IMDb quotes him as saying in their review.

One of my favorites -- "I was walking in the woods all by myself. A tree fell down right in front of me and I didn't hear a thing." "Steven Wright Live" is mostly stuff from the "I Have a Pony" album. It's sixty minutes of pure intellectual comedy that will satisfy anyone looking to laugh themselves silly.

Highly recommended.

One of the greatest comedians of all time

[psychman6 · 10/10 · 10 September 2001]

Steven Wright is one of the greatest comedians, and the greatest deadpan comedian ever. His style is so unique and timeless, that no matter how much time has passed, his jokes will still be as fresh and as funny as ever. Anyone who doesn't laugh at Steven Wright's deadpan type of humor, is humorless themself.

Everything's in walking distance if you have the time

[Katz5 · 10/10 · 9 March 2006]

Chalk up another vote to release this great show on DVD. Luckily I have it on VHS (taped it in 1985) but the quality is getting poor!

Steven Wright must be one of the most unique comedians of our time. His humor is dry, clean, and different from the storytelling comedy stylings of George Carlin, Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, and the others. I still use some of his "quips" all the time. Especially:

"I like to leave messages before the beep." "If sometimes you can't hear me, it's because I'm in parenthesis." "Why is the alphabet in that order? Is it because of that song?" "The other day I......no that wasn't me."

Truly hilarious! In the meantime, I can enjoy Wright at "Stan Spielberg" in Albert Brooks' "The Muse," as well as his other rare film appearances (Desperately Seeking Susan, So I Married an Axe Murderer).

Classical music at the end?

[craigm-4 · 18 January 2006]

First of all, definitely one of the top 50 of all time! I saw this stand-up show on HBO years ago, and I remember it being very funny. And I saw him live in Austin once, and it was an excellent show.

Some of his one-liners are so clever and "in-depth" that it takes a few moments to get them.

But in the HBO special I seem to remember there being classical music playing at the end, (and/or beginning) when the dog is wandering around in the woods. At least I think this was the same show.

Can anyone tell me what the music was and which classical composer it was by?

No banana peels here. Fans of French comedy should stay away from this.

[fedor8 · 8 September 2008]

Wright is probably the most unique stand-up comedian in recent decades. His love for twisting logic, playing with absurdities, and creating paradoxes out of the mundane is completely different stuff than what one gets from the others. I am surprised that he gets away with putting on a one-hour routine that has a bunch of unrelated one-liners strung together; it seems a little odd at first, but you quickly get used to it. His timing and line-delivery is impeccable; plus, he has the ideal voice and accent for this kind of silly, bizarre material. He kept reminding me of John McEnroe, who looked kind of similar in the early 80s...