Growing up watching funny comics, buying albums by Steve Martin, Bill Cosby before the Cosby show, the sweaters, the Jello, although. Before I knew what hypnotic beverages were. Enjoying George Carlin’s HBO specials, Eddie Murphy Sunset Strip. One I found hilarious Franklin Ajaye. Hell, even Joan Rivers all some of the true talents who actually created laughter in my life. Funny was funny. Rodney Dangerfield had an act. These guys could create laughs on broadcast television. Those days are now ancient. Most are retired, some are with the Lord, and others incarcerated.
Now, it seems that political correctness has created a vacuum in stand-up comedy. Inside this vacuum, the only racial jokes you can do anymore are about white people, or whatever you happen to be. A Mexican can get away with Mexican jokes. I challenge you, come up with 10 minutes of funny, without saying anything that will get you twitter beaten and run out of the biz. You can come up with stuff that’s probably amusing, but really, is it funny? When there’s walls everywhere stop you from crossing lines that used to create enough attention to get big laughs. Hilarious Andrew Dice Clay YouTube videos remain to remind us, when it was okay to be stupid in the name of comedy. Because after all, the point is for us to laugh.
You must have a twisted sense of humor, right? Over the years, you have literally seen it all. The standard act, a black man talking about long boring black funerals. A white guy doing dick jokes. Potty humor, and the ever increasing political agenda creeping in. That stuff ain’t funny. Saw a cruise ship comedian recently and he was such a cliche it was uncomfortable in the room. 5 minutes in, I could clearly understand that his intelligence would not allow anything deeper than 7th grade humor. The old farts in the room sipped off their drinks and smiled. If we all had twisted needs for a laugh as this act delved into Adam performing cunnilingus on Eve, there would have been a laugh somewhere. Gasps, as he moved on quickly.
Right now, I run a Netflix challenge. The idea is simple, although the comics are being put through this test Unknowingly. If I can make it through the first 5 minutes without even smiling, it’s gone. I’d rather watch Breakfast Club another time. The problem for me is that I sat through 1 comedian beginning to end in a year. The audience is laughing, so it is clearly my issue. Most would be better off telling jokes. The stories, or lies are a distraction. “I was at my girlfriends apartment and….” Just get to the part that she farted in front of you. The challenge should be on the comedians to come up with a real act, instead of an adoring crowd who wants to listen to a bunch of fabricated falsehoods bellowing with laughter during pauses. The challenge should be for Netflix to more tastefully choose some comics that have a funny act put together.
What has changed. When Chris Rock got his break on television, there were still only a handful of places to be showcased. Now, a full time comedy network, several more networks shows, premium channels, and of course the new on demand video world more opportunities are available.
Maybe I’m being too harsh. I think I will raise the test to 10 minutes. Just because I want to donate more of my life to that 10 bucks a month. Right now, it’s been good for a couple Vegetarian documentaries, and some kung fu joints.