FROM FUNNY TO SERIOUSLY UNFUNNY.Byline: David Kronke Television Critic Celebrities who agree to appear on unproven comedy shows are, if nothing else, courageous, as proven tonight when pay-cable channel Starz debuts a new comedy bloc that ranges from the palatably amusing to the unwatchable. First up is "Head Case," an improvised albeit brief comedy starring Alexandra Wentworth as the blithely clueless clue·less adj. Lacking understanding or knowledge. clueless Adjective Slang helpless or stupid Adj. 1. Dr. Elizabeth Goode, shrink to the stars. Her reception room boasts large portraits of bawling children -- which should be enough to get anyone to question her credibility and sensitivity -- but she's drolly inept in so many other ways, as well. She's hellbent to convince Jason Priestley he's gay. She all but accuses Ione Skye of being a slut (good sport that she is, Skye lives up to the prognosis). Her viciously contentious sessions with Andy Dick ("You're working?" she asks him incredulously) conclude with cheery reminders of their next meeting. Shelby Lynn passes out after drinking through her therapy. Steve Landesberg Steve Landesberg (born November 23 1945 in New York City) is an American actor, comedian and voice actor. The role he is most recognized for is that of the intellectual detective Arthur P. Dietrich on the ABC sitcom, Barney Miller. ("Barney Miller") plays her colleague and neighbor, who never has any patients because they all seem to have died, so he tries to poach poach damage caused to sodden pasture by the hooves of cattle and sheep. In clay soils and when the ground is sufficiently wet the damage caused by a heavy stocking rate of sheep may be very high. Said also of the take-off in front of a jump in an equitation course or a race. hers. Wentworth is breezily droll droll adj. droll·er, droll·est Amusingly odd or whimsically comical. n. Archaic A buffoon. [French drôle, buffoon, droll, from Old French drolle as another psychologist at least as screwed up as her patients -- and those patients are unfailingly good-humored. Given what's on display here, "Head Case" probably merited being given a full half-hour rather than its puny pu·ny adj. pu·ni·er, pu·ni·est 1. Of inferior size, strength, or significance; weak: a puny physique; puny excuses. 2. Chiefly Southern U.S. Sickly; ill. weekly 15 minutes of fame. "Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment Stand-up stand·up or stand-up adj. 1. Standing erect; upright: a standup collar. 2. Taken, done, or used while standing: a standup supper; a standup bar. " follows but unfortunately was not made available for review. But it couldn't be any worse than "The Bronx Bunny Show," featuring two low-life A low-life is an Americanism for a person who is considered sub-standard by their community in general. Examples of people who are usually called "lowlifes" are drug addicts, drug dealers,pimps, slumlords and corrupt officials or authority figures. puppets (the foul-mouthed panda Teddy T is Bronx Bunny's Ed McMahon) in painful interviews with celebrities. "Lord of the Rings" auteur auteur (ōtör`), in film criticism, a director who so dominates the film-making process that it is appropriate to call the director the auteur, or author, of the motion picture. Peter Jackson's 1989 film "Meet the Feebles" pretty much drew the line after which dementedly anti-social kids'-show puppets would cease to be funny. Only one episode was made available for review -- one shot late in the cycle -- so you shudder to think what offal offal 1. nonmeat edible products from animal slaughter. Includes brains, thymus, pancreas, liver, heart, kidney, tripes, sausage casings, chitterlings, crackling rind. 2. by-product of milling, called also weatlings, middlings. A high-protein supplement for herbivores. was created before they got to this point. In it, Howie Mandel provides the in-show review: "This is horrible," he says, adding, for redundant measure, "This is a (dirty word) nightmare." David Kronke, (818) 713-3638 david.kronke@dailynews.com HEAD CASE - Three stars What: Alexandra Wentworth plays a clueless shrink to the stars. Where: Starz. When: 11 tonight. In a nutshell: Drolly amusing. THE BRONX BUNNY SHOW - One star What: Puppets interview/abuse celebrity guests on their talk show. Where: Starz. When: 11:45 tonight. In a nutshell: Excruciating. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Alexandra Wentworth is the clueless shrink to the celebrity crowd in the cringe-inducing comedy "Head Case," premiering at 11 tonight on Starz. (2) Howie Mandel pretty much says it all in one episode of the demented-puppet-populated "The Bronx Bunny Show": "This is horrible." Still interested? It debuts at 11:45 tonight. |
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