Dane Cook's Tourgasm

An intriguing concept unevenly executed, this HBO reality series follows red-hot comedian Dane Cook and three considerably less talented pals—Gary Gulman, Jay Davis, and Robert Kelly—on their 2005 tour, as they travel across 28 states to perform 20 shows in 30 days. Brief excerpts from the live shows are appended to road-trip footage for each of the nine episodes during which the quartet brainstorm new material, gross each other out, squabble over trivial matters, and deal with numerous hardships imposed by their tight schedule. The competitive nature of standup comics (well known for being an insecure bunch) leads to inevitable blowups, and there's a train-wreck quality to some of the behind-the-scenes material here that makes it more interesting than the performances themselves. Cook's fellow comedians aren't nearly as good as him, but while their relative weakness make him look better, the series suffers overall. Regardless, this is a must for Cook fans, who seem to grow exponentially with each passing day. DVD extras include audio commentaries and bonus featurettes. A strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (E. Hulse)