Created back in 1986 by Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, and Whoopi Goldberg, amid the charitable air of the "We Are the World" era when musicians and celebrities were trying to raise money for a variety of worthy causes, Comic Relief became an annual stage for some of the greatest comedians in the industry as they worked to help the nation’s homeless. The event was so successful in raising millions for charity that it’s hard to think of a time when Comic Relief wasn’t around.

However, as the times changed so did the Comic Relief and the event was shelved until just a couple of years ago when New Orleans was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, prompting many comedians to return to the stage for another benefit and Comic Relief reunion. Spread across two full discs, Shout Factory serves up a star-studded "best of" Comic Relief compilation of the last twenty years while also giving fans the complete and latest Comic Relief from the 2006 benefit. If you’re a fan of stand-up comedy, you can’t go wrong by adding this to your collection since it features a ton of top comedians and legends of the twentieth century.

In terms of entertainment value alone, I’m still blown away by how many performances there are on the first disc. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of another DVD that offers so many quality stand-up gigs from some of the greatest comedians of our time. Seriously, it’s an amazing list. Expect to find performances by the great George Carlin, the late John Candy and Gilda Radner, Dennis Miller, Eugene Levy, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Garry Shandling, Dudley Moore, Martin Short, Steven Wright, Drew Carey, Bob Odenkirk, and many, MANY more. Hell, even the late Jim Varney turns up with his famous "Vern" routine.

One of the best aspects of the set is the inclusion of such legends as Alan King, Milton Berle and original Tonight Show host Steve Allen, who all serve as a fantastic collective time-capsule into the golden era of comedy. Allen was one of the funniest guys in show business and it’s a special treat to see him do his famous man-on-the-street bit. From John Candy and Eugene Levy in their SCTV days to an awesome bit with Whoopi Goldberg and the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Disc One would be worth picking up on its own. If you don’t know who Bob Odenkirk is, be sure to keep an eye out for his birthday suit routine. He’s one of the most underrated and lesser-know comedians working today, but he’s one of the best comedy writers in the business.

Disc Two offers more of a mixed bag of comedy tricks and largely proves that some of today’s current funnymen can’t hold their own next to the legends. It’s hard to rip on anyone since the 2006 Comic Relief event was designed to raise money for the people of New Orleans, but to be complete frank and honest here - there are a few yawners in the line up and a few familiar faces that will do nothing but grate on your nerves like nails down a chalkboard or like someone brutalizing the Star Spangled Banner at a baseball game. Still, there aren’t too many stages where you’ll find Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Sarah Silverman, Jeremy Piven, George Lopez, Dane Cook, Mike Epps, D.L. Hughley, Louis C.K., Jimmy Kimmel, and Lewis Black together in one show. And that’s just the tip of the comedic iceberg. I lost count at forty-one individual performances.

Like I mentioned, if you love stand-up and you’ve been a fan of Comic Relief over the years, there’s no way you can go wrong with The Greatest and Latest. Really, it’s an amazing blend of old and new filled with a ton of relatable comedy that spans almost sixty years. Billy, Robin, and Whoopi deserve a ton of credit for creating such a great charitable event that has left its own unique and lasting imprint on the comedy landscape. Given the diversity of the performances and varied comedic styles, unlike the old over-used DVD review cliche, there really is something for everyone on this set.