Dane Cook is for Suckers

There, I said it.

The more I see of the "comic", the less I care. He doesn't strike me as a bad comic; he strikes me as a thoroughly mediocre one. Who just grooms this cult of his as if they're the special ones who "get it". Get what?

Get suckered.

But don't take my word for it... some reviews of his new HBO docu-series, Tourgasm:


Variety:

Those who have yet to be absorbed into the cult of Dane Cook fans will likely be left mystified as to his appeal upon viewing this tedious comics-on-tour reality show -- a half-hour vanity project that proves HBO can not only be TV, but bad TV at that. A popular comic, Cook and a trio of his chums crisscross the country by bus, bonding and showcasing snippets of their stand-up acts. Any further resemblance between this and a series is purely coincidental. HBO has made a substantial investment in Cook, signing him to a multifaceted deal that includes not just "Tourgasm" but also a concert film and plans for a scripted series. Those subsequent projects might showcase him in a more flattering light, but talk about putting a worst foot forward.

The Hollywood Reporter:

Dane Cook is the comedy world's flavor of the month, and anyone older than 25 who watches him perform in "Dane Cook's Tourgasm" is bound to scratch his or her head in befuddlement as to why this is so. He seems to be a cool enough guy, he's quick, he's good looking, and you'd want to hang with him tipping a few brewskies. But he isn't funny. … This might be seen a problem if you're a stand-up comic, given that it's about making people laugh and all. Except that in Cook's case, it doesn't much matter. He has tapped into the youth market and captured the college-age (and younger) crowd by peddling himself as comedy's version of a rock idol, self-packaged on the Internet via MySpace and other Web sites as the very essence of hard-core hip. He is a savvy businessman first and a comedian second, and in the age of quick-cut entertainment and style over substance, you don't need actual charisma so much as the popular perception of it.

The Washington Post says:

... the show's format - inviting us along on a bus tour of college campuses by Cook and three other young comedians - is off-putting from the outset, largely because comedians are among the most self-absorbed and self-fascinated creatures on the planet; monkeys in front of mirrors who seem never to tire of making allegedly funny faces. … If the prospect of accompanying comedians on a comedy bus does have a certain allure, don't get too excited. At any moment the group might hop on a private jet and fly from, say, Bozeman, Mont., to New Orleans (pre-Katrina, or so it appears). We are also given access to the questionable treat of watching comics hone raw remarks into jokes; one of them tries to find humor in such observations as: "You know what I hate about grapefruit? It ruins a fruit salad." … Hmm. Seems like a little more honing might be in order

Entertainment Weekly (gives it a “C”):

This series is for those of you who wondered what it would be like to put four frat boy-esque comedians on a bus for a 30-day comedy tour across America. The answer? Toilet humor, homophobic jokes, and a serious fight about (what else?) porn.

The Los Angeles Times:

...certain to excite the young fans who sent his "Retaliation" CD soaring up the charts and leave everyone else behind. If you're among the stranded, it isn't you — or wait, sorry, I'm afraid it is: Cook is as bulletproof among fans as he is unspectacular to anyone who's watched much comedy in the previous two decades. You should double-check this, but I think HBO once broke emerging comics as artists, not as audience-pleasers who were destined to please the next audience.

The Boston Globe:

Whenever there is a clash, Cook jumps in as a peacekeeper, in case we didn't already know he's a nice guy. ``We've got to be the glue for each other," he tells the viewers. But in trying to make the bus melodramas seem important, Cook stretches too far. This is a cross-country tour, something most performers have experienced, and there's nothing particularly special about it. Cook pretends that the bus dynamics are TV gold, but you can feel him straining to be convincing.

David Cross (in an open letter to Larry The Cable Guy):

I can't stand that fan ass kissing bullshit. You and Dane Cook ought to get together and have a "my-fan's-are-the-greatest-people-on-earth-and-that's-why-I-do-this" off. You could both sell a shit load of merch too.