It’s another Clinton — with her chirpy solicitation to “chat” — that’s taken over the news recently, but comedienne Kate Clinton’s eponymous stand-up show displays her own hard-edged contours, albeit in typically self-effacing fashion. Taking material from her 2005 one-woman show “Talking a Blue Streak,” Clinton offers up her own uproarious opinion on feminism and lesbianism, and how they in turn feed her points-of-view on all of the burning issues of the day.

A columnist for The Progressive as well as The Advocate, Clinton has performed for more than 25 years, at venues as diverse as comedy festivals, colleges and universities, gala fundraising events, off-Broadway playhouses and gay-themed cruise ships and resorts. She touts herself on her laudable web site as a “faith-based, tax-paying, America-loving political humorist and family entertainer,” so one knows right off the bat that they needn’t expect Andrew Dice Clay-style (or Linda Lampanelli-type, for that matter) screeds for shock’s sake.

Still, there’s a bit of bite contained herein. Clinton’s self-described “Bush fatigue” runs deep, and feeds most of her best bits, but she sometimes delves a smidgen too deeply into wonkish policy tangents instead of merely jabbing at the hypocrisy of an administration whose Vice President’s openly lesbian daughter is set to adopt a baby with her partner pushing so transparently for a constitutional ban on gay marriage. When she gets wound up, Clinton has an energy that recalls the sputtering, good-natured exasperation of Roseanne Roseannadana. It’s her writing experience, however, that most deftly serves her, allowing for seamless transitions between bits about gay love and dating, reality television, political activism, interior decorating and eco-friendly legislation.

Housed in a regular Amray plastic case and presented in 1.33:1 full screen, Kate Clinton comes with an English language Dolby digital stereo 2.0 audio track, and runs just under an hour-and-a-half. The picture is crisp and clear, and Kerry Asmussen’s direction doesn’t overdo the fawning crowd shots, as with many concert films. There are a few other preview trailers for films and series from distributors Here! Films and Genius Products, but unfortunately no supplemental bonus features. B- (Movie) C- (Disc)

        

 

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