Bill Maher: I'm Swiss

One of the things I like a lot on a stand-up comedy special is when the comedian has a kind of link or flow with the material. With "I'm Swiss" Bill Maher has a connecting thread- the Government, including domestic and foreign policies, the president, the public's own ignorance and faults, and so forth. He also makes some hilarious detours; one of the funniest things he's ever done, stand-up or otherwise, is in his own renditions of rap lyrics read out in proper, coherent (non ebonic) language. There are also some very poignant pieces on Bush, on religion, on drugs (notably marijana), which then links into homeland security. Unlike a comedian like George Carlin who may go from topics in the 'big world' in his act to things in the 'little world' like spotting the random things in life, Maher is very much a comedian of the times, on the attack but clear about his political allegiances. Even when some of the laughs aren't there (there's a few times) it's made up for in the lucid ideas and writing behind his performance. You may hear some things you've heard before on his 'Real Time' show, but if you don't watch the show though this will all be very new.