Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times put it best in his description of veteran comic Jeff Foxworthy, the performer given top billing on Redneck Comedy Roundup. " Foxworthy is especially virtuosic in his physical comedy," Thomas wrote. He then praised Foxworthy's effortless blending of flights of fancy and lightning shifts of tone and mood. "He may define being redneck as possessing 'a glorious lack of sophistication,' but the truth is that Foxworthy, for all his regular-guy image, is a decidedly sophisticated artist.”

That statement by Thomas represents what Foxworthy -- an 11-time bestselling author, currently holding records for bestselling comedy CDs, countless sold out tours, and  subject of a Comedy Central Roast -- has become during the past 20 years.  

The transformation is truly dramatic and nothing short of a miracle once you've seen the dreadful material on this DVD which tends to make everyone look like an amateur on a stage built for heavyweights. That stage is A&E's "An Evening at The Improv" or "Comedy on The Road" where the material often dates back 20 years. 

Foxworthy appears only twice throughout for 10 minutes at a time here. He swaggers onto the stage as though entering a saloon and kicking the door down. One gets the impression he's been dragged by a horse several miles with his foot caught in the stirrups. He awkwardly reaches for his microphone, takes it from the stand, nervously walks back and forth and then begins gesturing with his hands as he talks. He puts his hand up and draws a line in the middle of the stage -- and then delivers with a "let me tell you" approach.

Bill Engvall emerges as the true standout here. He met and struck up a friendship with Foxworthy when they shared a tour in the late 1990s. Afterwards, he landed a part on one of Foxworthy's TV shows. He and Ron White are on this DVD purely because of their affiliation with Foxworthy and the Blue Collar Comedy Tour and two movies: Blue Collar Comedy Tour and Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again. If it weren't for these three men, this DVD would be an unbarable trainwreck. It's loaded with outdated snippets and lightly regarded comics from the 1980s and early '90s.

Engvall's comedy comes across as clean; it's not rife with foul language. If he mentions sex, it's always in a way that's not crude or lowbrow. Among Engvall's better bits is one about death. "You know they always say when someone dies thier number was up. What number is it? My social security number? My Phone number? Whatever number it is I want the guy on the other end to call information and find it is unlisted." 

Ron White, who has been a comedian for 20 years, is also on the DVD. He's enjoying new-found fame from the tour with Engvall, Foxworthy, and Larry The Cable Guy. Unfortunately, the clips of White are dated and over too fast. His fans will probably be disappointed. 

Engvall recently complained on his Web site about the many bootleg as well as major studio DVDs being produced by people who hold the rights to early televised performances or anything filmed that never aired. The comics don't make any money from these DVD collections. The only DVDs endorsed by the comedians themselves are the ones done by their company and featuring White, Engvall, Foxworthy and Larry The Cable Guy.

After watching Redneck Comedy Roundup, a DVD rife with poor editing and poorly chosen snippets from the past, I have to side with Engvall and his fellow artists. This DVD is no more than a thinly veiled attempt at making money off the popularity of these comedians and their official films and products with similar sounding titles. I shudder to think it could be be given to someone and be their first introduction to a truly polished act made popular by Blue Collar Comedy Tour and Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again. My advice? Rent or buy those two movies instead.

(Released by Lions Gate Films; not rated by MPAA.)