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Insomniac with Dave Attell

(Rated TV-14, Reality TV, Starring Dave Attell, Where to watch: Comedy Central, DVD)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 16.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Sharp wit meets debauchery for grown-up fun.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Attell visits the underworld and interacts with people on the fringes of society, as well as regular folks who just happen to be up late. He's generally respectful of people from all different walks of life, but his jokes and style of humor might offend some viewers.

  • Violence:

    Occasional jokes about violence.

  • Sex:

    Sexual simulations, explicit sounds (from a porn movie), images of a dildo embedded with a crucifix, topless women (breasts blurred), jokes about masturbation and various sex acts and states of arousal, and more. Attell frequently visits sexually themed locales, from fetish parties to genital-piercing parlors. Scenes of making out and various people caressing Attell.

  • Language:

    Frequent "ass," occasional "bitch," and various other mild expletives (anything stronger is bleeped). Lots of sexual language.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Tons of drinking and smoking, and Attell makes it clear that he enjoys doing both. Jokes about drinking and driving.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Insomniac with Dave Attell

Parents need to know that this comedic travelogue is hosted by Dave Attell, a comedian known for his explicit and politically incorrect humor. In each episode, he visits bars, clubs, and sexually oriented places like fetish parties or genital-piercing parlors and meets a wide variety of folks -- many of whom are drunk or otherwise engaged in edgy, adult behavior. Some episodes contain scenes or sounds of sexual simulation, topless (breasts blurred) dancers, couples making out, gay men or nearly nude women caressing the host, and genital piercings. Attell drinks and smokes cigarettes frequently and speaks fondly of both. Comedy material includes masturbation, gay sex, one-night-stands, drinking and driving, etc. At least one episode includes Attell handling a large dildo embedded with a crucifix.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about envelope-pushing humor. What's the line between funny and offensive? Who determines how and where that line is drawn? And what's the difference between a joke that's smartly edgy and one that's just shocking? Is Attell making fun of the people he interviews? Are viewers supposed to laugh at the people he encounters? How can you tell? If you find Attell's humor appealing, do you understand why?
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