The Pall Bearer's Revue Online

Jerry Sadowitz tones down (only slightly) his "Total Abuse Show" for the Beeb with added magic (at which he is an acknowledged master) and, in the space of three hours, totally redefines the parameters of comedy. In an increasingly politically correct world, this series is now more relevant than ever... the perfect antidote to those who try to dictate what is or is not acceptable...

By the last episode, Sadowitz has declared "Holy War" on alternative comedy. The ensuing years have proved him right. His "Jerry Atrick Show" was great, too, but nothing can match the initial shock of this, the best comedy ever shown on the BBC (or anywhere else). Sadowitz is a genius. Appreciate him, he won't be here forever...

If 'The Pall Bearer's Revue' is remembered at all, it is probably for the very high amount of complaints it stirred up. Believe it or not, this show is perhaps the cleanest of anything Sadowitz has ever done. Sadly, it was not particularly funny.

Unlike his later and superior Channel 5 show 'The People VS Jerry Sadowitz', this BBC2 series was a mixture of stand-up and sketch comedy. Appearing with him regularly as his comedy feed was sexy Dreenagh Davies. It was admirable that Jerry tried to win some appeal by toning down his act but nonetheless it was a vain attempt. Sketch comedy is not Jerry's style, something not helped by the fact that he is no great shakes as an actor.

There were some amusing lines in all fairness, such as Jerry saying he has never taken drugs because he cant tell heroin from a joint - ''that would probably explain why I kept burning my arm!'' but overall the comedy was extremely thin on the ground.

Controllers at the BBC were not impressed either with the show's style of humour or with its reception from viewers. It has never been repeated since its original broadcast and never will be ( the BBC have said as much themselves ) nor will it be released on DVD. Probably not a bad thing.

'The Pall Bearer's Revue' was overall a bit of a car crash of a show but compared to Sadowitz's later 'The Jerry Atrick Show' ( which was abysmal ) was 'Monty Python' by comparison.

In the late 1980s Jerry Sadowitz came to prominence as the reaction to alternative comedy. A newer generation of comedians that were near the knuckle, no holds barred comedians with a supposedly ironic take on racism and sexism. Yet club comedians who despised Alternative would had been more horrified by Jerry.

So eyebrows were raised that the BBC signed up Jerry Sadowitz for a comedy series on BBC2 called The Pall Bearer's Review.

To be fair I knew little about Sadowitz and so this series was essentially my introduction to his take on comedy.

The first surprise was he is a rather nifty magician and the series was peppered with conjuring tricks and Sadowitz himself appeared more relaxed when doing his magic act.

The second surprise was the Sadowitz was prepared to tone down his act in order to reach a wider audience. I found Sadowitz a bit of an acquired taste, someone rather hit and miss with his stand up and sketches in this series.

Maybe he was someone still trying to find a comedic voice and a second series was needed where they could had ironed out some bugs.

I knew some critics were sniffy, unhappy because of his controversial views expressed in his stage shows others were upset that the BBC had stifled his act by getting him to tone down his comedy style.