Rick Cleveland's My Buddy Bill (2008)

The humor of Rick Cleveland's standup routine My Buddy Bill comes across high and dry, sort of like David Sedaris doing a Bill Maher routine. Rick looks like a nerdier version of Harry Anderson, who played Dave Barry in Dave's World, or for that matter Dave Barry, who played himself in Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys. Rick tells his story in a straightforward manner, as droll and dry as can be: How he (allegedly) happened to become a friend of President Bill Clinton through his knowledge of dogs (Bill's is named Buddy). It's quite an amusing journey, sauntering from episode to episode and irony to irony. I liked it a lot. It's not guffaw-inducing hilarious though it is grin-and-chortle-inducing fun-ny! I esp. like when Rick gets nonchalantly introduced to Billy Bob Thornton (cue sax solo in "Under Pressure") and Christopher Walken; also Rick and his wife have dinner with Bill and Hillary (who eventually puts a kibosh on the men's friendship). Keep in mind that Rick's story is like the fake Bill Gates or Steve Jobs weblogs -- it sounds so true to form yet could not possibly have happened -- or could it? It's only 42 minutes. Watch it if you want some smart humor! 4 stars. (2-2-11)