DAVE BARRY'S FUNNIEST STUFF

Here we get an uneven but largely satisfying compilation of four of humorist Dave Barry's treatises on everyday life. The ones that fit on two sides are unabridged; those that don't have been cut. Barry himself, unannounced and uncredited, introduces two of them. Of the three readers, John Ritter, who monopolizes half of these offerings, is the weakest. On one cassette he sounds out of control; one can hear numerous edits, fidgeting at the mike and a lot of faking. In contrast, Arte Johnson seems to have a gay old time. Whereas Johnson is mischievously droll, "Dave's World" veteran Shadoe Stevens is hilarious. Listening to his rendition of "Dave Barry in Cyberspace," this reviewer, who never laughs, laughed uncontrollably. Stevens's timing and phrasing are brilliant. He renders the concluding chatroom romance with a finely tuned sense of character and suspense. His producers have contributed a few imaginative sonic touches that add puckishly to the levity. The Stevens/Barry cassette alone is worth triple the purchase price of the whole set. Y.R. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 99]