JoySLeigh Ellen is the "Dalai Lama" of our era's sociological crisis, understanding the fundamental issue that has critically impacted human nature as a whole, and on an individual level. "Here and Now" is a masterful presentation that brings to our attention the heart of American life today. It's amazing how eloquently she nail's the vague, deeply unsettling core adversity that represents the hallmark of American citizens lives today, while making us laugh hysterically at our weakness.I've always admired Ellen, seeing in her a wise, compassionate, deep soul that loves and understands people. She has courageously sacrificed herself to offer humanity a kind service with the gift of her humor, even as she vulnerably exposed her true self publicly, knowing she would face the heavy burden of society's judgment. In "Here and Now", Ellen has never been more beautiful, witty, humble and radiant, a woman who has attained her full potential with grace, and this all makes the subject matter of her show more touching on a personal level.This is a must-see for all, especially for baby-boomers and early Gen-Xer's, who will so easily relate and laugh at ourselves and our lives, poignantly bringing us back in touch with life before the chaos, when things were so much simpler, and joy could be experienced in the little things that mattered.Bravo, Ellen! What a beautiful way to share your vision and help us all more aware that we can make life what we want it to be more like - if we choose. I could not help but enjoy the show even more so, for "seeing" that lovable little blue fish called Dori in my mind - they both share so much in common.

Mason1024 In sharp contrast to most reviews here, the "Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now" disc that I rented was marginally funny at best. While Ellen's general style is right in the vein of good comedy, her observations in this performance just lack an edge... maybe an absurdity or exaggeration that makes all the difference between you or me talking about, say, airport security shenanigans and a professional comedian addressing the same subject. This was no funnier than discussing the same topics with regular people--a few good laughs, but that's about it. Oftentimes she'd make an observation and I would wait expectantly for the joke that puts it in hilarious perspective, only to find her moving along to the next lukewarm observation. Hopefully her other material is of better caliber. As a health warning, if you thought this DVD was truly hilarious, you may want to stay away from comics like Bill Hicks, Eddie Izzard, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Mitch Hedburg or countless others who might be funny enough to actually kill you.

Robby735 This 1 hour special was simply hilarious. Ellen is great! She is definitely one of the best comedians I have seen in a long time. I am looking to buy this on DVD or tape now. The great thing is that you don't have to be a stand-up comedian fan to love this, you just love it! Thanks Ellen for making my gut hurt from laughing =]

Rogue-32 Caught this on HBO the other night and absolutely loved it - DeGeneres has always had an extraordinarily keen sense of how to express what we all feel, and she does it brilliantly in this performance; hilarious insights into the weird stuff that we all do and the insane things in life that drive us all crazy, delivered with her impeccable timing and relaxed charm.