Go You Big Red Happiness Engine

Introduction

Adam Hills has been performing stand up comedy for over 20 years, and also hosts a music show on Australian TV called Spicks and Specks (similar to Never Mind the Buzzcocks which he has made several appearances on). He used to be a tennis coach. And he was born without a right foot, something that he is now comfortable about referring to in his act.

He has recently been touring his latest show "Mess Around" (a short tour around the UK due to Australian TV commitments). You've probably seen him on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Mock the Week or on an episode of Live at the Apollo. Or maybe at the Edinburgh festival, where he's been a highlight for many years.



This DVD features 2009's "Inflatable" show, and was recorded in Melbourne on the night of his 40th birthday. This leads to some of the highlights of the show. More on those later. The performance (as with many of his performances now) was also signed for the deaf. This is another source of highlights from the show.

Extra Features

Four extra features here, all sections of the show that were edited out from the final cut. They include "Adam's Friend Hannah", "Adam's Sealed Section" - a local resident brings him some 40th birthday presents from her adult shop, and we all learn some helpful sign language, "Adam's Boyband" - an impromptu boy band is assembled from audience members and "Adam's Audience" - more interaction with the audience.

Conclusion

Adam Hills appears to be one of the happiest people in the world, and his positive, upbeat comedy is a joy to watch. The addition of sign language to many of his shows has brought another seam of comedy that Hills mines effortlessly - a whole section on apparently racist sign language, some very Australian specific phrases and bantering with deaf people in the audience.



He covered the 2008 Beijing Paralympics for Australian TV, and this provides another significant chunk of the show, since there were plenty of amusing things that happened. If you think that Australian stand up is all Brendan Burns and Jim Jefferies (both excellent, but with a markedly different tone and style) then Adam Hills will convince you that there's another side to it.

Sadly this DVD is another of those HMV exclusives, so that's the only place you can buy it (unless you import the Australian version). But it's worth making the effort, as this is one of the funniest things you'll watch all year.