I had no idea that Mr. Izzard was so damn funny, It really boggles the mind that he is not more well known! His command over the crowd and his timing is perfect.The monologue about Star Wars will kill ya too! If only all the stand up performers had his wit...
62 Reviews
Perhaps one of the best stand-up performances ever...
evaunit66 February 2001
I find myself comparing all stand-up acts to this one performance now. Even older recorded performances I once thought were funny just don't seem as funny after seeing Eddie Izzard in this award-winning look at history, language disparities, and Englebert Humperdink...
The Funniest Straight Transvestite Ever
lasherxl1 October 2000
This has to be the funniest stand up comedy I have ever seen. Eddie Izzard is a genius, he picks in Brits, Americans and everyone in between. His style is completely natural and completely hilarious. I doubt that anyone could sit through this and not laugh their a** off. Watch, enjoy, it's funny.
Ciao!
barbarella707 January 2003
Eddie Izzard is the most refreshing, talented, hilarious, sexy, amazing, quick-witted, sharp, stylish, beautiful man to come down the path in quite some time! His magnificent vocabulary and flowing verbal style show off a greatly inventive mind and when his love of history, religion, and larger-than-life characters combine with his razor-sharp instincts Dress to Kill becomes one of the most unique stand-up shows ever.
He doesn't wallow in self-laceration, put-down comments, or gross insults -three of the most repulsive and overused cliches that drown most young standups- and he actually seems like he's having fun while entertaining a theater packed full of strangers. He's a great mimic and a good actor and is undeniably the leader when it comes to stand-up comedians right now. Please don't miss this highly entertaining performance by a truly gifted artist.
He doesn't wallow in self-laceration, put-down comments, or gross insults -three of the most repulsive and overused cliches that drown most young standups- and he actually seems like he's having fun while entertaining a theater packed full of strangers. He's a great mimic and a good actor and is undeniably the leader when it comes to stand-up comedians right now. Please don't miss this highly entertaining performance by a truly gifted artist.
BRILLIANT!
Amanda-458 March 2001
So I'm at home, flipping channels one night, and I come across this man wearing heels and makeup, standing in front of a colored background on HBO. Naturally, I did a double-take and decided I'd watch for a little while. I didn't change the channel until he was finished, it was so incredibly hilarious. The next time it was on, I made sure to tape it so I could watch it over and over again, and it has remained one of my favorite things to watch. During the first couple of minutes, you can tell that the audience isn't quite sure what to think, but he quickly wins them over with his incredible humor and wit. While many stand-up comedians mesh together in my brain, Eddie Izzard stands out as one of the best. His style is incredibly refreshing, and it is nice to hear jokes about things like history and puberty when most comedians stick to current events. His show stayed with me afterwards. I went to Italy over the summer, and all I could think about while I was there was how "Italians are always on scooters going 'CIAO...'" 10 out of 10. See it. You won't regret it.
Worth reading + Worth Watching
katlb975 October 2002
I love Eddie Izzard. I think this is awesome, and the other television specials should be looked at as well. He has a good book "Dress To Kill" out to buy as well, which I think people should read. I loved that this program won an Emmy, and anyone who likes history will probably get a laugh from Eddie. Enjoy :)
The Funniest Man in the World
Sioux-711 March 2000
I'd heard of Eddie Izzard, but had never seen him in action. I knew he was a transvestite, and when I saw he was on HBO one night last summer, I put it on, not knowing how my husband would react. Well, he blew us away. He's better than Robin Williams ever was. He has total control of the audience; when he does the 'Englebert is dead - no he's not', routine, the audience doesn't know what to think by the end. God as James Mason is also an inspired touch, and his version of the Python Spanish Inquisition as carried out by the Church of England - 'Cake or Death?' is priceless. My jaws were aching from laughter by the end of the show. We scoured the TV listings for months after that to be able to see him again, and were lucky enough to tape him the next time he came on. If you get the chance to see this show, cancel everything and tape it, you won't be disappointed.
Classy and hilarious
jcoswell7 January 2000
This video rocked! Eddie is one of the funniest comics I have ever seen. Not only does he have class, he makes some of the funniest observations on history and culture that I have ever seen. Eddie is the most original and most intelligent comic I've seen in a VERY long time. Tell all those other stand-ups to get off the stage and let this "executive" reign!
Do you have a flag?
sachmo713 August 2001
Until I saw this special on HBO, I had never heard of Eddie Izzard. I sure am glad that I have now! He is one of the funniest comedians I have ever seen! Rarely has a comedian immersed himself so completely in his craft then Eddie. I could not stop laughing for the entire show. If you like to laugh you HAVE to see this special!
One of the quickest comedic minds since Robin Williams.
lowrider-46 July 1999
Not since Robin Williams have I been as impressed with a comedy performer as I am with Eddie Izzard. His 1 1/2 hour comedy routine flew by. Not since Eddie Murphy's "Raw", did I laugh so much...in fact, I laughed more and there was very little vulgarity involved. I thought that since he is a transvestite, more of the comedy would be about transvestites, sexual gender, etc., but he really covered all the bases - from European history to religion to Scooby Doo and Shaggy. This is one comedy routine I could watch over and over. The next day, I immediately ordered Eddie's "Glorious" video. Where has he been all these years??!!!
Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill
jboothmillard8 April 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I had never seen any stand-up comedy shows with Eddie Izzard, especially in his transvestite guise, and I was very keen to see at least one. He performs in San Francisco with his rather abstract but very amusing material, including his theories on pagan and Christian religions, the building of Stonehenge, empires and the European dream. Also he ponders the naming of Engelbert Humperdinck, Hollywood adapting British films, and some very humorous translations of French phrases. All of this is done while he is wearing his glittery straight top, tight trousers, high heels, and carefully applied make-up. It won the Emmys for Outstanding Individual Performance and Outstanding Writing for Izzard, and it was nominated for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special. Eddie Izzard was number 3 on 100 Greatest Stand-Ups, and he was number 19 on The Comedians' Comedian, and the show was number 30 on The 100 Greatest Funny Moments. Good!
I couldn't stop laughing!
Pythonet26 September 1999
This is right up at the top of my list of the most hysterically funny shows I've ever seen. I laughed so hard, I'm sure I missed half the jokes. This showcases Izzard as the brilliantly gifted comedian he is. What I particularly like is that he seems never to be "dumbing down" the material for his audience. His timing is impeccable and the routine is tied together as a performance piece rather than just a series of gags. Thumbs way up.
Cake or Death?
film-critic29 January 2006
Before last night, I must confess that I was an Eddie Izzard virgin. While I may have witnessed him in several film roles, it wasn't until this moment did I honestly know who this man was, how he thought, or that is true calling was in front of a large American audience making us chuckle at ourselves. Izzard is a transvestite, and is not ashamed to announce this to his audiences. Our first image of Izzard is in full make-up dressed as a female, little did I know that this was actually his "signature" appearance. Again, this is something that you do not know about the man while simply watching his films. If you want to experience Izzard for the first time, I think any of his one-man routines would be of help. Like a bottle of fresh wine, my wife and I chose Dress to Kill as our first sip of Izzard. I suppose it is as good as anywhere to begin. So, one fateful Saturday night, we popped his DVD into our player, sat ourselves down, and began the nearly two hour adventure into the mind of Eddie Izzard. Needless to say, I was both impressed and unimpressed all at once.
Izzard's routine, like a small child dealing with ADD, was all over the place. We open Dress to Kill with an homage of sorts to the San Francisco trolley line coupled with Alcatraz. It is a random opening, which should have given us an indication of what Izzard's performance was about to transform into. With inconsistent voice-overs about the people riding the trolley to nearly annoying repetitive wording, we are swept into the auditorium finally to see Izzard in person. Dressed rather feminine, he dashes on stage and begins his bits about politics, Britain, and history. Izzard, is literally, all over the place with his comedy. Spewing bits of humor mixed with, what I would later learn as classic, mumbles, pauses, and what felt like a complete lack of focus. Don't get me wrong, there were some bits that just would make you laugh with delight. Some that I remember were the "cake or death", Hollywood British villains, the American way, and his classic "yes/no" routine. Sadly, these humorous elements nearly clashed with his random tangents, which went quickly into a fast rewind back to his memorized routine.
It is obvious that Eddie Izzard is a smart man. From his routine, in which historical dates and events are obviously a excitable subject for him, you can see where his strengths and weaknesses are. His weakness, in my eyes, is the audience. It becomes abundantly clear midway through his bits that he will fall way off the subject if it is something the audience attaches itself to. In one aspect he would be discussing how the British loved to land on islands and place a flag there to call their own, the audience would laugh, he would go off on a tangent, and suddenly, ten minutes later, he would go back to that original thought. After a few times of doing this, I was annoyed. It is my belief that Izzard is a funny person by nature. He has the ability to make audiences laugh because of his eclectic style and excitement, sadly, what fails in this performance is his lack of formal comedy training. Now, I am no expert in the matter, but watching other famous comedians perform their routines, there seems to be a level of professionalism surrounding them. Watch Ray Romano, Rodney Dangerfield, or Jerry Seinfeld do their shows and you will witness a clean, crisp show which demonstrates to me that these performers actually rehearsed, rehearsed, and rehearsed again to get it right. Izzard, it was obvious, did not. Maybe he did, but in Dress to Kill it just felt like he read the newspaper one day, thought of some funny jokes, memorized a pattern, and nearly forgot it while on stage. He seemed sporadic and completely unprepared. I need to watch more Izzard, maybe this is his style, but for me, it seemed cheap and distorted.
Coupled with Izzard's procrastination approach to comedy, the production value on this DVD felt like a late 80s release. I felt like I was watching an RPG game in which the camera angle goes everywhere except for the places that you instantly need it. Either the cameraman was drunk or the director just loved jumping from angle to angle. As viewers, we would find ourselves with a full shot of Izzard, then jump to a distance shot, to some random audience angle, and followed by some other random angle. We couldn't just stay in one place, but just like Izzard's routine, seemed to be all over the place with no consistency. Like most comedy DVDs, I wanted to see the audience laughing, I wanted to see more of Izzard's expressions (which, in my humble opinion, are his best traits), I wanted to see more of Izzard in general. The quality of this DVD does not enhance the quality of Izzard's show, sadly, it only seems to bring the overall production value down.
Overall, if I were asked to watch another Eddie Izzard one-man stand-up routine, I would proudly say "yes". Perhaps this was one of his less valued tours (which is strange because it is this one that won him the most awards), but I want to give Izzard another chance. Eddie Izzard is hysterical when he works on his routine. His random interjections can be funny, but it is his well-developed jokes and commentary that really make his style of comedy stand out. I am eager to watch his "action" transvestite on screen and watch this "full-of-potential" comic develop in his career. Would I suggest this DVD to friends? I think that I would for the tasty cookies crumbled between ill-placed jokes, but I do not think I could watch Dress to Kill another time.
Grade: *** out of *****
Izzard's routine, like a small child dealing with ADD, was all over the place. We open Dress to Kill with an homage of sorts to the San Francisco trolley line coupled with Alcatraz. It is a random opening, which should have given us an indication of what Izzard's performance was about to transform into. With inconsistent voice-overs about the people riding the trolley to nearly annoying repetitive wording, we are swept into the auditorium finally to see Izzard in person. Dressed rather feminine, he dashes on stage and begins his bits about politics, Britain, and history. Izzard, is literally, all over the place with his comedy. Spewing bits of humor mixed with, what I would later learn as classic, mumbles, pauses, and what felt like a complete lack of focus. Don't get me wrong, there were some bits that just would make you laugh with delight. Some that I remember were the "cake or death", Hollywood British villains, the American way, and his classic "yes/no" routine. Sadly, these humorous elements nearly clashed with his random tangents, which went quickly into a fast rewind back to his memorized routine.
It is obvious that Eddie Izzard is a smart man. From his routine, in which historical dates and events are obviously a excitable subject for him, you can see where his strengths and weaknesses are. His weakness, in my eyes, is the audience. It becomes abundantly clear midway through his bits that he will fall way off the subject if it is something the audience attaches itself to. In one aspect he would be discussing how the British loved to land on islands and place a flag there to call their own, the audience would laugh, he would go off on a tangent, and suddenly, ten minutes later, he would go back to that original thought. After a few times of doing this, I was annoyed. It is my belief that Izzard is a funny person by nature. He has the ability to make audiences laugh because of his eclectic style and excitement, sadly, what fails in this performance is his lack of formal comedy training. Now, I am no expert in the matter, but watching other famous comedians perform their routines, there seems to be a level of professionalism surrounding them. Watch Ray Romano, Rodney Dangerfield, or Jerry Seinfeld do their shows and you will witness a clean, crisp show which demonstrates to me that these performers actually rehearsed, rehearsed, and rehearsed again to get it right. Izzard, it was obvious, did not. Maybe he did, but in Dress to Kill it just felt like he read the newspaper one day, thought of some funny jokes, memorized a pattern, and nearly forgot it while on stage. He seemed sporadic and completely unprepared. I need to watch more Izzard, maybe this is his style, but for me, it seemed cheap and distorted.
Coupled with Izzard's procrastination approach to comedy, the production value on this DVD felt like a late 80s release. I felt like I was watching an RPG game in which the camera angle goes everywhere except for the places that you instantly need it. Either the cameraman was drunk or the director just loved jumping from angle to angle. As viewers, we would find ourselves with a full shot of Izzard, then jump to a distance shot, to some random audience angle, and followed by some other random angle. We couldn't just stay in one place, but just like Izzard's routine, seemed to be all over the place with no consistency. Like most comedy DVDs, I wanted to see the audience laughing, I wanted to see more of Izzard's expressions (which, in my humble opinion, are his best traits), I wanted to see more of Izzard in general. The quality of this DVD does not enhance the quality of Izzard's show, sadly, it only seems to bring the overall production value down.
Overall, if I were asked to watch another Eddie Izzard one-man stand-up routine, I would proudly say "yes". Perhaps this was one of his less valued tours (which is strange because it is this one that won him the most awards), but I want to give Izzard another chance. Eddie Izzard is hysterical when he works on his routine. His random interjections can be funny, but it is his well-developed jokes and commentary that really make his style of comedy stand out. I am eager to watch his "action" transvestite on screen and watch this "full-of-potential" comic develop in his career. Would I suggest this DVD to friends? I think that I would for the tasty cookies crumbled between ill-placed jokes, but I do not think I could watch Dress to Kill another time.
Grade: *** out of *****
Bouncing High
Johnny_West15 September 2021
Eddie Izzard starts the show bouncing around the stage to show his high heels, and he never stops bouncing up and down. Just seems to be high as a kite, super-frenetic, similar to Robin Williams before he stopped doing coke.
It is kind of funny. I am seeing this for the first time in 2021, so a lot of the 1999 jokes are really dated.
It is kind of funny. I am seeing this for the first time in 2021, so a lot of the 1999 jokes are really dated.
A wonderful addition to my collection of stand-up!
Skeletors_Hood25 August 2002
"Holy Ghost, this is not an episode of 'Scooby-Doo'"
Let me clarify that I am a stand-up junkie. I collect comedians from all walks of life, and I love each performance that I have ever taped. I saw the commercial on HBO for this one, and I decided that I needed to tape this program, just to have a new category of comedian, the "male lesbian," or transvestite. And a British comic as well.
Well, I was pleasantly surprised on how well spoken and intelligent that Eddie Izzard quickly became one of my favorites overnight. I love the way he sounds improvisational, and how he just plays around with his characters and topics, as well as the audience.
One for the collection, you'll definitely love this one.
Let me clarify that I am a stand-up junkie. I collect comedians from all walks of life, and I love each performance that I have ever taped. I saw the commercial on HBO for this one, and I decided that I needed to tape this program, just to have a new category of comedian, the "male lesbian," or transvestite. And a British comic as well.
Well, I was pleasantly surprised on how well spoken and intelligent that Eddie Izzard quickly became one of my favorites overnight. I love the way he sounds improvisational, and how he just plays around with his characters and topics, as well as the audience.
One for the collection, you'll definitely love this one.
riotous, academic, irreverent comedy
carolmcgrath906 December 2000
i watched this tape, immediately rewound it, watched it again and laughed twice as hard. I strongly recommend this tape for those who are not hateful of, but uncomfortable around transvestites. It shows you that transvestitism is a feature, rather than the entirety of one's being. The comedy is not single issue. This man is brilliant. All comics should aspire to his level of candor, intelligence and talent.
Eddie's achingly funny and hugely under-appreciated.
propwash14 January 2000
funniest comedy special in the world.
Travis Tragic25 July 1999
Don't let his appearance throw you off. This "Executive Transvestite" has got to be the funniest man in the world. There are a few uncomfortable pauses, but he probably puts those in there so you can catch your breath from laughing. My brother laughed so much during this that his jaw hurt in the morning. If you ever get a chance to see this, don't miss it, cancel all other plans. Skip funerals if you have to. (or you can tape it).
History had never been so fun...
Miss S19 November 2001
Stumbling upon this HBO special late one night, I was absolutely taken by this attractive British "executive transvestite." I have never laughed so hard over European History or any of the other completely worthwhile point Eddie Izzard made. I laughed so much that I woke up my mother sleeping at the other end of the house...
Izzard at his best
CharltonBoy10 June 2000
This is another gem of a stand up show from Eddie Izzard . You cannot fail to laugh at the wide range of topics he talks about. He even takes the piss out of his American audiance at times and most of them didnt even realise it! A must see for anybody who likes comedians. 9 out of 10.
Cake or Death?
mardnas5 September 2000
Eddie Izzard is the best comedian I've seen in a long time. He's extremely intelligent and very funny! I can't believe he isn't more famous in the States. I showed this to all my friends and family and have started an Eddie Izzard cult...
I think Dressed to Kill is better than Glorious. It seems to be more developed and he is more relaxed. Both are good, but I recommend DTK for a first viewing...
I think Dressed to Kill is better than Glorious. It seems to be more developed and he is more relaxed. Both are good, but I recommend DTK for a first viewing...
Be Forewarned
gelman@attglobal.net31 March 2007
Some people loved "The Aristocrats" and others hated it, frequently walking out in the middle. Reactions to Eddie Izzard aren't likely to be that extreme -- if you can handle a transvestite comedian (who says he likes girls) and has a vocabulary that makes, shall we say, enough use of the "f" word that his program would be one long beep if presented on network television. Many of Izzard's fans are so devoted that they see no flaws whatsoever in his performances. On the other hand, I thought this show was occasionally flatter than Izzard's chest but also more often than not funny and, in spots, absolutely hilarious. He has a way of connecting references from routines early in the show to his later routines. He's not a story teller. He's not a joke maker. He's not a frenetic fantasist like Robin Williams. He plays around with ideas, some of which work and some of which -- a routine with the San Francisco cable car and Alcatraz, for instance -- are completely unfunny. He has a way, however, of moving gracefully past the flopped routines and extending the ones that connect. I gave this performance a 7 and might be persuaded to raise it to an 8. But a 10? No way.
Never laughed so hard
mariacom18 May 2002
Eddie Izzard is genius with his non-stop humor. I could listen all day. His unique approach to life is quite logical. His understanding of discovery (such as the Heimlich Maneuver) is creative. Eddie Izzard captures the heart of what we think. I don't know when I laughed so hard at anyone's off-beat mind.
NO ONE ON EARTH IS THIS FUNNY!!!!
izzardite11 April 2000
Eddie Izzard is undoubtedly the funniest man alive, maybe who has ever lived!!! He is a joy, he puts on a one man extravaganza. It is not just a stand-up routine. He talks to his audience, really converses with them. The way his thought process flows is incredible! You will laugh so hard- you will hurt! And then, you will fall madly in love with this nut! There is no way to get enough after you have been exposed to his humor... and there is no going back!
A great, smart laughter.
moni-1328 June 1999
Eddie Izzard is tremendously, British funny. His funny might not have such an appeal to the American audience, but it is really worth watching.
I saw this on HBO, one night, late at night, I might add. He plays in a full house, they love him. And he takes on everybody and anything; from our guns abused by students to all other issues around the globe, including of course United Kingdom. Loved his French and Italian. Hollywood make a note!
I saw this on HBO, one night, late at night, I might add. He plays in a full house, they love him. And he takes on everybody and anything; from our guns abused by students to all other issues around the globe, including of course United Kingdom. Loved his French and Italian. Hollywood make a note!
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