"Minding the Store" (2005) TV series 2005-????

Writer:

Bob Hellman (8 episodes)

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

17 July 2005 (USA)

Cast

 (Series Cast Summary - 6 of 9)

Pauly Shore	...	Himself (3 episodes, 2005)
Ari Shaffir		(3 episodes, 2005)
Mitzi Shore	...	Herself (3 episodes, 2005)
Sammy Shore	...	Himself (3 episodes, 2005)
Bobby Lee	...	Comic / ... (2 episodes, 2005)
James Price	...	Himself (2 episodes, 2005)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: (#22.64)" (2005)

Even Pauly Shore's reality shows are a failure.

First things first - this is barely real at all. It's classified as a "reality TV program" when in fact Pauly Shore himself admitted a great deal of it is written because he is bored by reality TV.

I hate reality TV too. But then don't create a sitcom and pass it off as a reality show! I can understand the concept looking cool on paper - having a sitcom in the format of reality, shocking viewers - but that's been done before with "The Office" and "Minding the Store" is just a poor man's version.

Essentially Pauly, the once-famous "comedian" from the '80s, inherits the "world famous" Comedy Shop from his mother and takes on the financial aspects.

Of interesting note is that Pauly has grown up. He's older. He's put on weight. He's going bald. He generally looks...normal. He's no longer the skinny babe magnet he was in the '80s (well, he was never a babe magnet I guess, but girls liked him anyway - we might never know why).

This physical transformation alone isn't enough. Pauly's attitude hasn't changed at all. He's still annoying, still dumb, still unfunny. The show details his early life in the opening credits - he grew up in a family of comedians and was raised in the Comedy Store, around many famous stand-ups.

There was just something in his blood, I think, that wasn't right for comedy. He felt obligated to become a comedian but it wasn't natural for him. As a result he achieved brief success on account of his background but the natural instinct for humor was never there; he had to work hard for whatever jokes he landed, whereas a naturally gifted comedian might be able to succeed brilliantly by growing up in such an environment.

I digress. At the end of the day Pauly still hasn't learned his lesson. This show is fake, unfunny, scripted, annoying, and stupid. I was willing to give Pauly Shore another chance, and I've found he's just as annoying and whiny as he was in the '80s and '90s. Grow up, Pauly. Lose the stoner voice. Get some class. Get some good jokes. Try again.