AMG Review of Weapons of Self Destruction [DVD]

David Jeffries
All Music Guide

Weapons of Self Destruction was originally planned as Robin Williams' last great jab at the Bush Jr. administration, but the comedian’s health issues -- including open-heart surgery to replace his aortic valve -- delayed the 2008 show until late 2009. As such, Williams’ first standup effort in six years is missing that little bit of purpose that helps tie his everywhere-at-once sets together, but it’s still hilarious and has a breakneck speed. After Bush, the comedian’s own health (“Who knew the way to a man’s heart was through his groin”) plus his strong dislike of Sarah Palin (“How did they find her? Did Ronald Reagan have a kid with Vanna White and drop it off in Alaska?”) are the hot topics, with technology, the economy, and the no-hitter baseball game Doc Ellis pitched on LSD filling up most of the rest of the set. That’s “most” because, as usual, Williams' hyperkinetic nature means that a hundred or so unfinished ideas pop up and vanish just as quickly, just so he can drop gems like “A Tibetan terrorist? That’s like an Amish hacker.” This fast, scatterbrained rhythm is the dividing line between his detractors and his fans, but the former should know that there’s humility here -- including an apology for the movie #Bicentennial Man -- that makes the man more charming than ever. The latter will be pleased that after 35 years in the standup business, he literally shows no signs of slowing down. [A DVD version of the standup performance was released in 2010.]