photo & text by nacrowe
you always got the feeling with COMEDIC LEGEND DON RICKLES that his ABRASIVE shtick wasnt entirely MEAN-SPIRITED, but rather counterintuitively WHOLESOME and done with some semblance of LOVE and EMPATHY. it was as if poking fun at a CELEBRITY or a NO-NAME paying customer was an act of intimacy as if to suggest that we are all stronger than we give often ourselves credit for. that our INDIVIDUAL INSECURITIES and INTERNAL SELF-DOUBTS can be transcended, even when provoked upon in a public setting. at least that was the just i got from reading his consciously unimaginatively titled memoir RICKLES' BOOK (SIMON & SCHUSTER, 2007).
i say this because the whole book is a testament to his LOVE of FAMILY and FRIENDS. first and foremost, as the only son of two WORKING-CLASS LITHUANIAN JEWISH immigrants, RICKLES pays tributes to his PARENTS MAX and ETTA and the childhood he had in JACKSON HEIGHTS. his FATHER PASSED AWAY PRE-FAME and his MOTHER was the driving force of his career, tirelessly networking and advocating on his behalf and her support knew no limits. then there is his WIFE BARBARA and the FAMILY they created. probably the most INTRIGUING RELATIONSHIPS presented here to fans of RICKLES would be those of FRANK SINATRA, BOB NEWHART, JOHNNY CARSON, ED SULLIVAN, BOB HOPE and DEAN MARTIN. its a UNIQUE perspective on a generation of COMEDY that is pretty removed from today's ELEVATED sense of CULTURAL BOUNDARIES and QUOTE UNQUOTE GOOD TASTE. two generations ago during the postwar period when LAS VEGAS was in full swing and the country had yet to become divided by RELEVANT and LONG-POSTPONED debates over RACIAL and GENDER EQUALITY, this cohort of COMEDIANS reigned UNOBSTRUCTED with the world as their oyster. and they seemingly did it with a sense of CLASS and TASTE that makes their COMEDY somewhat EVERGREEN in nature. i cant say that such is the same for the INSULT COMEDY that came in the wake of RICKLES in the likes of later generations of COMEDIANS in ANDREW DICE CLAY, SAM KINISON, ANTHONY JESELNIK, GREG GERALDO, BILL BURR, JIM NORTON, COLIN QUINN and ROBERT SMIGEL (i.e. TRIUMPH THE INSULT COMIC DOG) who seemed more concerned with TRANSGRESSIVE SHOCK tactics than projecting any PALPABLE sense of empathy and COMMUNITY. to me that is the SINGULAR GENIUS and UNIQUE SPIRIT of the COMEDY of RICKLES, that through shared LAUGHTER at our own individual expense came a more familiar feeling of COMMUNITY. his INSULT COMEDY was INCLUSIVE rather than the more BRASH and ABRASIVE variant we see to day which feels more DIVISIVE and AGGRESSIVE, as if peeling off this layer of one's PERSONA would reveal a more SINISTER, SUBTERRANEAN agenda. almost like a form of WAR or CHARACTER ASSASSINATION. you look at those two cohorts of COMEDIC GENERATIONS and you can see where we have traversed as a CULTURE. not to say that such is NEGATIVE, since one may be more HONEST and AUTHENTIC than the other, but it is INTRIGUING nonetheless to consider. RICKLES' BOOK is pretty plainly written for a MASS AUDIENCE and does its job of position RICKLES in terms he appreciates relative to his FRIENDS and FAMILY, but i am interested in the book that really dives into his backstory and how his personal narrative intertwined with the changing tides of AMERICAN COMEDY and POPULAR CULTURE throughout his long career. especially during the 1960s. understandably such was effectively glossed over here since such was not the purpose of this book. but that is the narrative i hope to read someday. this book is perfectly SERVICEABLE but not recommended unless you are a true HARDCORE RICKLES fanatic.
0 Comments
photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
sometimes you come across something so WONDERFUL that it makes you temporarily forget about what a TOXIC CESSPOOL the internet actually is. such is the ACE VANE YOUTUBE channel which showcases wildly OVERDUBBED takes on CLASSIC saturday morning CARTOONS from yesteryear such as the SUPER FRIENDS (ABC, 1973-85) and the SHORT-LIVED THE ALL-NEW SUPERFRIENDS HOUR (ABC, 1978) and CHALLENGE OF THE SUPER FRIENDS (ABC, 1978) among many others. instead of talking about JUSTICE LEAGUE stuff related to saving the world and promoting HUMANISTIC VALUES, ACE VANE turns such into EXTANDED ADULT SWIM-inspired VULGAR RANTS on CRUDE DESCRIPTIONS of SEXUAL ACTS, WANTON VIOLENCE, PETTY insular RIVALRIES and his favorite topic: INSUFFERABLE INANITY.
i learned about ACE VANE this week after he put out an ANIMATION that made the rounds clowning FORMER THE SOURCE owner and ALLEGED rapper BENZINO and his recent BOTCHED interview on the DRINK CHAMPS YOUTUBE channel in which he drunkenly cried over his NEVER-ENDING decades-long beef with LEGENDARY rapper EMINEM. going further into his catalogue i found a COMEDIC goldmine that i am still very much making my way through. i dont know how this dude doesnt have a show already on cable because this stuff made me LAUGH so hard my stomach hurt. its all so CLEVERLY WRITTEN and just so incredibly MEAN-SPIRITED. definitely worth checking out. photo & text by nacrowe
PRINCETON NOBLE PRIZE-winning psychologist DANIEL KAHNEMAN (who INTRIGUINGLY won his award in ECONOMICS) is the famous for his innovation in the field of COGNITIVE BIAS and PROSPECT THEORY. central to these theorems is the concept that our brain works on a two-tier system that is based on our physical movements. if stationary humans are capable of DEEP CONCENTRATION and the ability to CALCULATE and STRATEGIZE. when in motion and involved in significant physical exertion this capacity is neutralized. dont believe me? multiply 234 times 81 in your head sitting down and again while jogging. its a pretty INCREDIBLE phenomena.
and that two-tiered system is all i can think of when watching former SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE COMEDIAN KEVIN NEALON interview other COMEDIANS on GO-PRO shot hikes in canyons and parks in an around the LOS ANGELES region. its one thing to get a participants views when they are WELL-NOURISHED, CALM and COMFORTABLE and another when they TIRED, SWEATY and DEHYDRATED. NEALON himself was always one who shined in highly IMPROVISATIONAL COMEDY that was COLLABORATIVE and ENSEMBLE-based, so these interviews are GOOD-NATURED and meant to gain insight into what his peers find ABSURD and worthy of sending-up and mocking for our collective enjoyment. COMEDY is a very specific to the individual and can often be an isolating pursuit, not unlike having to take on an imposing unending nature trail, so i appreciate NEALON traversing the same ground and using the opportunity to learn about how COMEDIC WRITERS and PERFORMERS tick. especially under some physical hardship. over the past couple years there have been countless participants, but some notable ones include SARAH SILVERMAN, TIFFANY HADISH, CONAN O'BRIEN, BOB ODENKIRK, OWEN WILSON, DANA CARVEY, JUDY GREER and JACK BLACK. definitely worth checking out. photo & text by nacrowe
there comes a point at times where PARODY is so cutting and on the nose that it becomes in effect INDISTINGUISHABLE at times from the subject of which it is serving up. such feels that way in retrospect when considering SPINAL TAP's actual debut (as opposed to FICTIONAL discography from the film) in SPINAL TAP (POLYDOR, 1984), the soundtrack to the LEGENDARY ROB REINER-directed MOCKUMENTARY film THIS IS SPINAL TAP (EMBASSY, 1984).
it is not a coincidence that ROCK AND ROLL royalty from SLASH (GUNS N' ROSES) and JOE PERRY (AEROSMITH) to STING (THE POLICE), ROB HALFORD (JUDAS PRIEST), EDDIE VAN HALEN (VAN HALEN) and OZZY OSBOURNE (BLACK SABBATH) have admitted to having a difficult time watching this film starring the generationally gifted IMPROVISATIONAL comedy team of CHRISTOPHER GUEST (lead guitarist NIGEL TUFNEL), MICHAEL MCKEAN (singer and rhythm guitarist DAVID ST. HUBBINS) and HARRY SHEARER (bassist DEREK SMALLS). to them it was an accurate depiction of their actual lives. much of the actual film was based on the reported real-life experiences of bands ranging from YES, LED ZEPPELIN, DEF LEPPARD, BLACK SABBATH, URIAH HEEP, STATUS QUO, THE ROLLING STONES, VAN HALEN, THE BAND and FRANK ZAPPA among many others. the cumulative effect was that even a much later musician like KURT COBAIN (NIRVANA) was rumored to have been vocally hyper-aware of that thin line separating PARODY and REAL-LIFE so expertly depicted in the film. like others, that dynamic was a real-world trap and occupational hazard. the songs themselves absolutely hold up decades later. besides the WELL-KNOWN tracks that PARODY the inane lyricism ("TONIGHT I'M GONNA ROCK YOU TONIGHT"), macho posturing / rampant mysogyny ("SEX FARM" and "BIG BOTTOM") and outlandish iconography ("STONEHENGE" and "ROCK N ROLL CREATURE") of 1970s METAL (BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, DIO) and PROGRESSIVE ROCK (RUSH, KING CRIMSON, GENTLE GIANT), there are also those less CELEBRATED tracks that PARODY earlier phases of 1960s ROCK AND ROLL history such as LAUREL CANYON-inspired FOLK ROCK ("LISTEN TO THE FLOWER PEOPLE") and the BRITISH INVASION ("GIMME SOME MONEY"). the fact that they depict the inherent RIDICULOUSNESS of each stage so convincingly is really quite a creative achievement. its also the reason that generations of musicians love this FICTIONAL band, as evidenced by the LEGENDARY LIVE EARTH performance at WEMBLEY STADIUM in 2007 when over 18 musicians (from bands ranging from the BEASTIE BOYS, METALLICA, FOO FIGHTERS, BLOC PARTY, MADONNA's backing band and so on) came on stage to slap bass with DEREK SMALLS on, of course, a very MEMORABLE and INSPIRED self-effacing CHEEKY rendition of "BIG BOTTOM." the GUEST, MCKEAN and SHEARER comedic triumvirate have gone on to make other loosely IMPROVISATIONAL films, some even with a musical flourish like the FOLK send-up A MIGHTY WIND (WARNER BROS, 2003), but in my humble opinion the only other MOCKUMENTARY film that comes close to SPINAL TAP in terms of the quality of the music and PARODY is the much earlier NEIL INNES (BONZO DOG DOOH-DAH BAND) and ERIC IDLE (MONTY PYTHON) led THE RUTLES: ALL YOU NEED IS CASH (NBC, 1978) TELEVISED (and GEORGE HARRISON approved) send-up of THE BEATLES cultural phenomenon. now if only i could find a RUTLES cassette tape... regardless, SPINAL TAP is a CLASSIC album with music culled from a CLASSIC comedy. it all holds up decades down the line and is essentially required viewing and listening in my opinion. definitely worth checking out for the uninitiated. should also mention there is a rumored sequel in the works for 2024 for the 40th anniversary of the original film. why not? the dreaded cash-in sequel of an established intellectual property seems like as good an opportunity for RIDICULE and PARODY as any other these days. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
its difficult to downplay the cultural impact of THE NATIONAL LAMPOON on MODERN HUMOR. what are now considered heralded comedic institutions such as SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC, 1975-present), ANIMAL HOUSE (UNIVERSAL, 1978), CADDYSHACK (WARNER BROS, 1980) and even THE SIMPSONS (FOX, 1989-present), were built on the collective INSPIRED work of generations of WRITERS (PJ O'ROURKE, MICHAEL O'DONOGHUE, GEORGE W.S. TROW, ANNE BEATS, SEAN KELLY, MIKE REISS, AL JEAN, TONY HENDRA), ARTISTS (SAM GROSS, CHARLES RODRIGUES, M.K. BROWN, RICK MEYEROWITZ, BRUCE MCCALL, GAHAN WILSON) and COMEDIANS (JOHN BELUSHI, GILDA RADNER, BILL MURRAY, HAROLD RAMIS, CHEVY CHASE) famously associated with the publication. the publication, which was started by two preternaturally GIFTED HARVARD undergrads DOUGLAS KENNEY and HENRY BEARD in 1970, grew to be unrivaled in its INTELLIGENT deconstruction of cultural and political events, while simultaneously producing some of the RAUNCHIEST, borderline OBSCENE material meant to probe and titillate at the same time. its beyond INTERESTING that they had both poles so expertly covered during a period of such cultural and political turmoil in the UNITED STATES with the VIETNAM WAR sill very much in effect as well as the aftermath of the FEMINIST, ENVIRONMENTALIST and CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS from the previous decade.
i feel i understand why the DRUNK, STONED, BRILLIANT, DEAD: THE STORY OF THE NATIONAL LAMPOON (NETFLIX, 2015) documentary came out when it did almost a decade ago. the SAD reality is that those involved with THE NATIONAL LAMPOON are dying of old age. in fact numerous PROMINENT WRITERS interviewed for this film have passed away just in the past three years. in many ways this film is meant as a testament to their legacy in-their-own-words a la recent efforts to the same effect by other INFLUENTIAL upstart and/or legacy publications like MAD, CURVE, PLAYBOY, BIG BROTHER and CREEM. not to mention the surviving members of MONTY PYTHON, who are a comedic universe and institution unto themselves to rival that of THE NATIONAL LAMPOON. one aspect of this retrospective lens a work in this film that i found COMPELLING was how the HUMOR itself wasnt examined that deeply, i.e. all the SEX-CRAZED stuff from an obvious MALE GAZE perspective that would absolutely not play in recent decades. it feels that such an examination is meant for another film by another party as DRUNK, STONED, BRILLIANT, DEAD seems more concerned with faithfully explaining their mindset as they saw it. not how such somewhat RETROGRADE comedic tropes would fit into our current more INCLUSIVE era. given how influential films like ANIMAL HOUSE and CADDYSHACK have been on subsequent decades of comedic films, a cottage industry unto itself, that examination would be fruitful if pursued elsewhere no doubt. i appreciate this film for what it is: a timely reminder of the legacy of a major publication that helped mold AMERICAN HUMOR. interview participants beyond the surviving WRITERS, ARTISTS and COMEDIANS included numerous ACTORS (KEVIN BACON, TIM MATHESON, BEVERLEY D'ANGELO, JOHN GOODMAN, BILLY BOB THORNTON & MEAT LOAF) and DIRECTORS (JUDD APATOW & IVAN REITMAN). its an INSANE story but i still feel this film was a bit of a hagiography and a bit of a MISSED OPPORTUNITY to examine how their comedic perspective was reshaped, morphed or completely discarded down the line by subsequent HUMORISTS, COMEDIANS and WRITERS since the publication went under in 1998. photo & text by nacrowe
there were several points while reading CELEBRATED actor/director/comedian SETH ROGEN's IDIOSYNCRATIC memoir YEARBOOK (CROWN, 2021) that made me laugh so hard i needed to put the book away and calm down for fear of fainting. not that i think his ambition or objective with this memoir was to HUMOROUS per se, more that it presented a COHESIVE WORLDVIEW throughout various anecdotal happenings in his life; from discovering drugs and pornography in CANADA to dealing with NICOLAS CAGE during meetings with an inexplicably forced BAHAMANIAN accent. that and other MEMORABLE stories revolving around RIDICULOUS encounters with the likes of KANYE WEST, GEORGE LUCAS, TOM CRUISE, his grandparents, SACHA BARON COHEN, STEVE WOZNIAK, EDDIE GRIFFIN, JERRY SEINFELD and KIM JONG UN among many others.
whether dealing with anti-semitism or making sense of an absolutely INSANE situation (with or without the added variable of drug intoxication) the through line the connects all of these disparate anecdotal essays is ROGEN's VOICE. it is readily apparent that he is a TALENTED writer and that one can effortlessly imagine him narrating this memoir as the combined CADENCE, RHYTHM and SARCASTIC TONE of his well-publicized public PERSONA is so effectively captured throughout these narratives. one can only imagine that reading one his scripts would be a similarly hilarious experience. you also get the sense that ROGEN at his core is an INCLUSIVE soul whose motivation is to entertain while diving headfirst into the absurd and find nuggets of TRUTH and HUMOR, rather than to trade on the character assassination of people. even the celebrities he mentions in these anecdotal stories are mentioned, at times, due to the excessive lengths to which their ACTIONS and BELIEFS have led them astray from anything resembling a normal REALITY. ROGEN in this sense is VIRGIL leading us on a curated tour through the various levels of WARPED realities encountered amidst HOLLYWOOD power players as well as the CONVOLUTED and INEFFABLE process by which the sausage of moviemaking is conducted. for whatever reason (maybe his nuanced marijuana advocacy or public support of sex workers) ROGEN's public PERSONA would have him pegged as BUFFOONISH or an unreliable narrator, but within YEARBOOK he is a CONSIDERED, ARTICULATE, CREDIBLE and DELIBERATE voice of reason in a sideshow circus profession that is often too FARCICAL to be believed. whether or not you are fan of his films like SUPERBAD (COLUMBIA, 2007), PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (COLUMBIA, 2008), THE INTERVIEW (COLUMBIA, 2014) or THIS IS THE END (SONY, 2013), his writing on the last season of THE ALI G SHOW (HBO, 2004) or his notable acting roles in KNOCKED UP (UNIVERSAL, 2007), DONNIE DARKO (UNITED ARTISTS, 2001), STEVE JOBS (UNIVERSAL, 2015) or ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO (WEINSTEIN COMPANY, 2008), YEARBOOK is well worth checking out as it unveils the CREATIVE mindset and HUMOROUS perspectives of an ENGAGING comedy mind. that and its one of the funniest things ive read in a long time. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
to call BILL HICKS a COMEDIAN is a bit REDUCTIVE. its also misleading because his work at its peak functioned on an entirely different plane of consciousness than mere jokes and cheap laughs. i liken him more to a PROPHET. or even an ORACLE marking the cultural path for humanity to evolve as a species. if that all sounds a bit HOIGHTY TOIGHTY and PRETENTIOUS, its probably because to his legions of fans, HICKS was a ONE-ONE-ONE. a true AMERICAN original.
AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY (VARIANCE, 2009), is a documentary that attempts to uncover and inform the viewer regarding the personal experiences and motivations that informed his legendary CONTRARIAN and CONSCIOUS-EXPANDING stand-up routines. this is done through archival footage of HICKS, as well as more recent interviews with his peers and collaborators and most of his surviving family at the time of production. HICKS grew up and went to school for the most part in HOUSTON, where his parents settled after a few years of peripatetic existence around the AMERICAN SOUTH when he was very young. his family was part of the SOUTHERN BAPTIST church and he was raised in an EVANGELICAL community. after a brief dalliance with the idea of becoming a veterinarian, HICKS discovered COMEDY while watching JOHNNY CARSON on television and subsequently thereafter reading a book about WOODY ALLEN. HICKS being the force of nature that he was, he very much took concept of being a COMEDIAN to heart and self-taught himself as well as local friend DWIGHT SLADE to write and perform at school. this led to them trying out and becoming regulars at the recently built COMIX ANNEX in nearby HOUSTON as teenagers. SLADE's family didnt like this and moved to OREGON abruptly, leaving HICKS to find his voice in isolation. a failed stint in HOLLYWOOD where he couldnt get off the ground as a scriptwriter and a bought of alcoholism after returning to HOUSTON later, HICKS took his drug intake to the extreme and somehow walked it back. that sense of SELF-DISCOVERY and SELF-KNOWLEDGE gained through experience, both physical and chemical (as well as a healthy sprinkling of EASTERN PHILOSOPHY), informed his new material that transcended the form. this is the period of his career for which he is much CELEBRATED and has become something of a CULTURAL ICON and FOLK HERO for his acolytes, including ALTERNATIVE METAL band TOOL whose album AENIMA is an extended MEDITATION of sorts on the METAPHYSICAL CONCEPTS in HICKS' routines regarding the NATURE OF REALITY and the COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS being the manifestation of a single expression, a single vibration. that WE ARE ALL GOD and that we are all of each other. HICKS in his later years was causticly POLITICAL in his STAND-UP, being unnerved by the televised wanton death of the first GULF WAR and the ATF's alleged overreach in firing first on the nearby WACO BRANCH DAVIDIAN compound headed cult leader DAVID KORESH. for HICKS, who had recently been diagnosed with late-stage PANCREATIC CANCER and had a failed appearance on LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN (of which his brilliant turn was excised from broadcast due to supposed "standards and practices" by LETTERMAN himself), the two examples of government overreach for him translated to an infringement on FREEDOM. we armed IRAQ during their war with IRAN and then turned on them when they got in the way of our oil interests. footage shows that the fire that took out the BRANCH DAVIDIAN compound originated with the ATF contrary to reports at the time. for HICKS, this all meant that if you were POLITICAL and monetarily WEAK, you had no voice or rights worth defending in the UNITED STATES. in the years since its difficult to not see our current predicament with CLIMATE CHANGE, ANTI-INTELLECTUALISM and POLITICAL CORRUPTION in a HICKSIAN light. in the aftermath of the 2008 economic meltdown, homeowners got screwed and thrown on the street while powerful banks restored despite their insatiable GREED being the root of the disaster. and dont get me started on the second GULF WAR in the aftermath of 9/11. the continued prescience of his ideas regarding the AMERICAN culture and politics is remarkable to say the least. but his insight into the sad VANITY and stale MYOPIA at the heart of the AMERICAN DREAM is the dagger that continues to pierce the veil of our collective national SELF-DELUSION. the ILLUSION that we are a force for good in the world, that we are somehow EXCEPTIONAL or WORTHY of the power and influence we've nurtured through the past two centuries. for me, his pointing out and evisceration of that extended FALLACY for what it is, a DELUSION, is what cements his cultural legacy as a COMEDIAN of the first order and modern MORAL PHILOSOPHER in my humble estimation. he is someone i continually check in on and reacquaint myself with his ideas, as they are always relevant to my identity as a QUESTIONING and INQUISITIVE AMERICAN. photo & text by nacrowe
seriously, i should have known better reading anything by NORM MACDONALD.
this "memoir" ironically entitled BASED ON A TRUE STORY: NOT A MEMOIR (RANDOM HOUSE, 2016). comes from none other than MACDONALD, a man whose job description is to DEFY EXPECTATION. can't say it is not an accurate title, since being "based on true story" is an admittance of sorts that what you are about to enter is not entirely factual, true or based in any demonstrative reality that humans encounter on a daily basis. the world of this "memoir" is one that allows MACDONALD to go on a series of inane trips and encounters that have NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING. things like going on a drug fueled bender in LAS VEGAS gambling away life savings to hopefully garner funds for a ranch in MONTANA while reminiscing about how you once took a MAKE-A-WISH patient to CANADA to help him fulfill his dream of stabbing a baby seal between the eyes. and so on. only interspersed between this seemingly random INSANITY are brief asides about SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, meeting CHRIS FARLEY, hosting WEEKEND UPDATE and his film DIRTY WORK (MGM, 1998). and how did he go about securing the much heralded WEEKEND UPDATE gig you may ask? through peddling opiates to show producer LORNE MICHAELS, of course. reading this book is akin to listening to MACDONALD's legendary "moth" joke (embedded below from a celebrated CONAN appearance). in fact, the joke is included in BASED ON A TRUE STORY as being said by a doctor at a hospital before getting into a fight with MACDONALD. this non-memoir is in essence an ENDURANCE TEST. all premise and no punch line or paint. but maybe that is the joke. the joke is on me for spending time and energy to read it expecting anything. and that is why i love MACDONALD. just the fact that he would write a memoir that defied all expectations of the genre. talk about playing the long game. well played sir, well played. you are still missed. RIP NORM MACDONALD photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
ive been rewatching CONAN O'BRIEN clips for months now and basically rediscovering the COMEDY GENIUS that is comedy writer BRIAN STACK in the process. i just gradually came to realize that he was at the heart of many of my favorite sketches that are absolutely RIDICULOUS. over his 18 years following CONAN on all three of his shows iterations, STACK created and played on so many great sketches like "THE INTERRUPTER," "STEVE ST. HELENS," "JOE GALLIANO," "THE FANTASTIC GUY," "THE SLIPNUTZ," "THE GHOST CROONER, "INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE CHANNEL," "TWO GUYS FROM ANOTHER DIMENSION," "BULLET-PROOF LEGS," "WIKIBEAR," "HANNIGAN THE SALESMAN" and "FRANKENSTEIN WASTES A MINUTE OF OUR TIME" among many others.
what makes STACK so funny is his unflappable FEARLESSNESS and ability to fully commit to being irredeemably ABSURD, no matter how JUVENILE or BRILLIANT the material is. if im having a bad day, my go to move for the longest time was to watch anything NORM MACDONALD-related. that still stands but now trying to find classic STACK sketches on CONAN is close behind. STACK has been writing for fellow SECOND CITY alumni STEPHEN COLBERT on his LATE SHOW program on CBS since taking over for comedy legend DAVID LETTERMAN in 2015 and is celebrated for his voice over reoccurring sketches like "GOD," "CARTOON DONALD TRUMP" and "THE GHOST OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN." if you are not familiar with his work, definitely check out some of the clips below from both CONAN and COLBERT. BRIAN STACK is most definitely worth it. photo & text by nacrowe
touring is an activity that often gets romanticized in the public consciousness since it reeks of personal freedom and the seemingly endless enticing possibilities that come with a constant change in scenery. the REALITY is much different, as witnessed in NEW YORK CITY comedian TODD BARRY's tour memoir THANK YOU FOR COMING TO HATTIESBURG: ONE COMEDIAN'S TOUR OF NOT-QUITE-THE-BIGGEST CITIES IN THE WORLD (SIMON & SCHUSTER, 2017) which effectively journals his time on the road at small secondary and tertiary stateside markets.
this memoir is less about his craft as a writer and comedian and more about trying to not get ripped off by small-time promotors, enduring multiple connecting flights and combatting BOREDOM on tour by seeking quality COFFEE and FOOD, as well as small museums and eccentric roadside attractions. the nearest comparison i could relate to this memoir is HENRY ROLLINS' similarly constructed GET IN THE VAN: ON THE ROAD WITH BLACK FLAG (review linked HERE) which follows the personal hardships of a life on the road with no guard rails or safety nets. BLACK FLAG at the time was trailblazing a new path and establishing a network of nontraditional venues and communities and ROLLINS account gets into the MINUTIAE of what said travails meant on a day-to-day basis. it also gets at the PERSONAL TOLL of such an extreme NOMADIC existence, which is similarly relayed in BARRY's less extreme memoir. you really get the sense in THANK YOU FOR COMING TO HATTIESBURG, that the sheer REPETITION of the experience is what leads to all these cycles of experiencing new physical situations, such as commenting on the quality of hotel accommodations, backstage green rooms, bathroom cleanliness, venue layout and REFRESHMENTS available on site. i imagine once you have your jokes down and your routine polished, the routine physical details of your predictable day-to-day existence are what take over, which is the opposite of the romanticization of being on the road for a living. which is the point. but i think BARRY is doing a service in promoting and, in essence, glorifying these small venues in out-of-the-way cities and towns in his memoir. it shows that meaningful ART and CULTURE can happen anywhere, even ASBURY PARK or rural MISSISSIPPI. kind of ironic it took a NEW YORKER to make that point. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO HATTIESBURG is definitely a quirky yet thoroughly enjoyable look at life on the road and as a solitary entertainer. i dont know how standup comedians do it, i would be absolutely petrified having to walk into new surroundings and attempt to make a room full of strangers laugh. respect. photo & text by nacrowe
i first became aware of AMY POEHLER via her short-lived cable show UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE (COMEDY CENTRAL, 1998-2000). in essence i was such a big fan of MR. SHOW (HBO, 1995-1998) after the fact that i went back in search anything similar from that period which led me to shows like THE STATE (MTV, 1993-1995) and KIDS IN THE HALL (CBC, 1989-1995). i was made aware of her again when i discovered the UCB THEATER in NYC when a friend from graduate school and his improv group did a show there in the late 2000s.
her memoir YES PLEASE (HARPERCOLLINS, 2018) is a playfully sarcastic take on being a woman in COMEDY. she tackles everything from WRITING, DIVORCE, MOTHERHOOD, CHILDHOOD, THE ART OF IMPROVISATION, CREATIVITY, DOUBLE STANDARDS, WRITING ROOMS, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, SECOND CITY, TOXIC MASCULINITY, FORGIVENESS, OWNING YOUR MISTAKES, WHITE PRIVILEGE and the like with poise, dignity and more than a little self-flagellation. she comes across as someone cognizant of greater forces that affect her psychological and emotional well-being and seems somewhat on top of combating such with humor and grace. for me the most interesting aspects of this book revolve less around her career and more around her personal and professional relationships. reading about how she interacts with COLLABORATORS, FAMILY and even her EX-HUSBAND really gives you a sense of the impossible complexity of maintaining the balance of a career and family life. you also get the sense that while she seeks outside affirmation and the "pudding" of winning awards, she similarly gets equal gratification from devising up some group hijinks among the nominees to combat the misogynistic trope and bad optics of woman battling each other. awards are dumb and ultimately meaningless compared to the work itself and the collaboration between partners and ultimately the shared communication with an audience. that interaction seems to be the heart of this book, POEHLER's efforts to communicate the COMMON HUMANITY of her characters, whether on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC, cast member, 2001-2008) or PARKS AND RECREATION (NBC, 2009-2015) among her previously mentioned projects. my only gripe with this book is how she seems to routinely quote and lionize LOUIS C.K. as some sort of zen master who has a pithy quote for every difficult life situation. obviously that didn't age so well and is a little awkward to read, yet entirely understandable given their past collaborations pre-scandal. what did age well is everything related to frequent collaborator and "wifey" TINA FEY, who as a writer and producer seems to utilize her platform(s) to promote women (and men) that she feels deserving of the opportunity. i think ultimately that is the model that POEHLER wants for her legacy as evidenced by her grassroots involvement with IMPROVISATIONAL COMEDY and the UCB THEATERS in both NYC and LOS ANGELES (along with their associated training centers). IMPROVISATION by definition is the giving of oneself to the premise of an absurd collective identity that only works with total commitment. seems as fitting a metaphor as any other for her efforts. its funny how that concept of "paying it forward" never gets brought up with all the biographies i've read concerning male artists and musicians. must be a guy thing, i guess? photo manipulation by nacrowe
DESUS & MERO is some of the funniest shit i have seen in years.
i know DESUS NICE & THE KID MERO represent a different voice in comedy and bring a much needed urban perspective to late night, but forget all that. they are just hands down funnier than the competition. and their takedowns of industry goons (cough, cough, DJ ENVY) are both savage and legendary. in a perfect world these guys would have a network show, but sadly we dont live in that world. thus JIMMY FALLON. until then i have to hand it to SHOWTIME for outbidding VICELAND to bring these guys over. their show is definitely worth checking out. you're welcome. photo manipulation by nacrowe
i cant recall when i became aware of the classic BRITISH comedy show YES MINISTER (BBC, 1980-84) but the premise of the show still feels relevant today in a political climate full of commonly used conspiracy terminology like the deep state and fake news.
the premise deals with a lowly minster newly sworn in to a minor department in the BRITISH bureaucracy. idealistic, wet behind the ears and naive to the machinations of government he is routinely put in ever more dire situations by his aide. every statement he makes is taken and interpreted in a manner that makes the minister look weak, uninformed and daft. as the aide and other "backbenchers" of the civil service are present and unchanging throughout all administrations, the show gives off the impression that it is really they that hold the reigns of power, not public officials. the main aide to the MP, expertly played by SIR NIGEL HAWTHORNE, is as ruthless and linguistically manipulative a character as SHAKESPEARE's IAGO. comedy-wise it is a much smarter version of any BUGS BUNNY / ELMER FUDD cartoon, often lampooning the OXBRIDGE and ETON/HARROW/RADLEY crowd and their pretensions of incontestable refined sophistication and intelligence. the fact that an aide and an anonymous sea of civil servants could upend this dunce is almost a victory for common BRITAINS. obviously now in the age of TRUMP this who premise is reversed, these civil servants seen at best as obstructionists to the will of the people and at worst an enemy within. beyond interesting, and deeply hilarious, example of BRITISH comedy made even more timely in our current climate. whats even more biting is the fact that the follow-up series was YES PRIME MINISTER (BBC, 1986-88) as the blabbering idiot of an MP, deftly played by PAUL EDDINGTON, moved up the food chain, kinda like our resident idiot. photo manipulation by nacrowe
years ago i spent a week the summer before i started graduate school at childhood friend's place in MONTREAL. what a gorgeous enchanted city, especially during the summertime. i'd never been to CANADA, only made fun of it my entire waking life at that point. besides eating smoked meat late night at the famous SCHWARTZ'S DELI and hanging out with my friend's peers and acquaintances, what i remember most fondly is watching this reality show KENNY VS. SPENNY (CBC, 2003-2010) on repeat.
it blew my mind. first off, i hate REALITY TV as a matter of principal. i just feel that they are mindless dribble and the worst kind of voyeurism since they elevate attention-seeking cretins hungry for 10 minutes of celebrity. but this was different. the show is basically two friends (KENNY HOTZ and SPENCER RICE) that have a competition each week. they agree on a challenge and then the person that loses said competition gets humiliated by the other at the end of the show. KENNY is basically the devil incarnate, always trying to find loopholes to the rules and taking advantage of his friend SPENCER, who is likewise a stand-up yet gullible figure. some of these competitions are brutal, such as:
this show was on network television (CBC no less) and it was easily, scripted or not (i still dont know), the most mean-spirited thing i have seen on television to date. for the DEAD OCTOPUS episode KENNY slips SPENCER LSD and convinces him that he is being chased, resulting in SPENCER lying in a fetal position crying for help. for the KISSING THE MOST WOMEN episode KENNY decides to kiss SPENCER's sister in front of him. for the 10 MILE RACE episode KENNY knew SPENCER was more athletic so he got him away from the track where they were to race at a predetermined time by having SPENCER's mom convince her son that she got cancer and needed him at the hospital. the cruelty is absolutely boundless on this show, which blew me away because its CANADIAN. out of 80+ episodes i must have watched 50 over a few days. i was obsessed. it was a weird trip because at some point on television there was a televised debate for some public office where one candidate said to the other that he "disagreed intensely based on firm principles." it was so CANADIAN because they didn't demean one another. fast forward a few nights of watching KENNY VS SPENNY and my opinion of CANADIANS has permanently shifted. plus deep down i know im more SPENCER than KENNY, sadly. im telling you, this is the most debased, depraved, irredeemably cruel show i've ever watched. I TOTALLY RECOMMEND IT. photo manipulation by nacrowe
HELLO CLEVELAND!
arguably the greatest parody film of all-time and the most painful for touring musicians to watch. i can't even count the amount of musicians in interviews i've read who namecheck this film as the most painful thing they've ever seen. SLASH himself said that THIS IS SPINAL TAP (MGM, 1984) ruined an entire GUNS N' ROSES tour for him since it hit the mark with such precision. where this film excels is in its mocking of the utter ridiculousness of nearly all forward-facing aspects of ROCK N ROLL, everything from album covers, lyrics, gear, stage set design to JESUS-complex surrounding musicians that drank the kool-aid on their image. in my estimation all the classic lines of this film have that core ribbing as its moral center. i remember once GENE SIMMONS saying that all bands (at the time he was referencing the then-current GRUNGE bands out of SEATTLE) were in the KISS business. they all sold records and merchandise. such is true. no matter how "serious" or "artistic" your band is and no matter how respected they are by those whose opinion carries sway, at the end of the day you are a product that is being sold. THIS IS SPINAL TAP showcases a band that didn't get that memo and seemingly trample over every fault-line a band has to negotiate throughout their recording and touring cycles. having been around musicians in studios to some extent, the ridiculous nature of it all has never been lost on me. that is what makes it compelling and not part of the straight world. the music is also classic. its obvious they are mocking specifically post-OZZY BLACK SABBATH and DEEP PURPLE and late 70s/early 80s METAL in general with their silly set designs and focus on the macabre. but my favorite song in the movie is their send-up of BRITISH INVASION-era songwriting in "GIMME SOME MONEY." never fails to make me smile. classic movie with classic lines that still stings its subjects. quite an accomplishment. photo manipulation by nacrowe
leave it to AARP of all places to produce this gem of a YOUTUBE series where the late comedic legend DON RICKLES (R.I.P.) gets taken out to eat and talk shop with various comedians including ZACH GALIFIANAKIS, AMY POEHLER, JUDD APATOW, SARAH SILVERMAN, SNOOP DOGG, ROBERT DENIRO, MARTIN SCORSESE and MARISA TOMEI.
i know his insults were not exactly the most politically correct or compliant with our current age's cancel culture, but shit that guy was funny. and sharp. even in his late 80s which in a sense makes the AARP thing make perfect sense. here is an elderly dude giving these young bucks a run for their money. you see him not missing a beat with witty comebacks and razor sharp barbs. its totally endearing. you also just get a real sense of how much he was loved and cherished by comedians, actors and directors. almost like a surrogate family. definitely worth checking out if you haven't already. side note: i remember when living in VLORA, ALBANIA during my time as a PEACE CORPS volunteer i told new, incoming sitemates that there were three rules to being a good volunteer. now you have to remember that PEACE CORPS had all these maxims and without a doubt, they were all effectively bullshit. here were my three rules. rule #1: don't be a dick. rule #2: dont be a dick. rule #3: whatever you do, don't be a dick. i remember going around town and hearing different ALBANIANS i knew complaining about my sitemate, the fact that he said all these nasty things to their face. i had to explain to them that he was just repeating things that i already said to them earlier a few weeks back. their response was "yeah, but you didn't mean it." i would tell them they knew i meant it and we'd all laugh. i feel like what RICKLES did was similar in that he tore down the walls that we put up against each other in order to inhibit honest communication. in a sense he was creating a shared sense of affection through his comedic barbs. i almost see it as a kind of empathy in the way that the ALBANIANS i knew really felt i saw things from their perspective because i was so adept at mocking it and throwing it in their face repeatedly. it definitely went both ways and it was all love. for my sitemate they werent convinced he knew where he was and it came off as spiteful and full of hate. oops. BOOK REVIEW | "THE CHRIS FARLEY SHOW: A BIOGRAPHY IN THREE ACTS" BY TANNER COLBY AND TOM FARLEY, JR.6/8/2020 photo & text by nacrowe
i've already made explicit my love for comedian CHRIS FARLEY and his all-too brief career (check out that article HERE), but after reading this loose oral biography THE CHRIS FARLEY SHOW: A BIOGRAPHY IN THREE ACTS (VIKING, 2009), co-written by his older brother TOM FARLEY JR and compiling quotes from his friends, family, colleagues, childhood acquaintances and peers alike what becomes apparent was his complex humanity that far transcended his public persona.
what struck me about this book was not the stories of his kindness towards strangers or even the revelation that he was a vulnerable, deeply empathetic person that drew strength from his catholicism. no what struck me about this book was his relationship with his father. in my estimation this book is not about CHRIS FARLEY, it is about TOM FARLEY SR and CHRIS FARLEY. TOM SR was an academic standout who graduated from GEORGETOWN and was a rising talent with within the WISCONSIN GOP, even knowing then-SENATOR JOSEPH MCCARTHY. he was destined to become a lawyer but shortly after beginning law school had two heart attacks a promptly moved back to WISCONSIN and supported his family by running a company that paved roads for the local government. his job was basically to take people out to restaurants and schmooze them over lunch/dinner. he'd do this several times a day throughout WISCONSIN depending on the clientele. in essence, CHRIS (much like his brothers) adored his father and sought to please him throughout his career. CHRIS' only ambition was to be on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, the show whose member JOHN BELUSHI was a favorite of his father. throughout this narrative of his life, CHRIS made fateful decisions based on the flawed logic of his father. whether that be delusions about whether or not they both had a problem with food or alcohol (both were alcoholics that were morbidly overweight). even when he got to 600 pounds, his father held psychological sway over CHRIS, who wouldn't lose weight as a means of solidarity with his father. even creative choices that were detrimental to his career, and against the advice of peers, agents and his own better judgement, were made by the outsized influence of his father. for one, he did BEVERLEY HILLS NINJA (SONY PICTURES, 1997) not because of the quality of the script but because TOM SR had convinced him to take the money. to me this makes sense given that they had an IRISH-CATHOLIC clan mentality and again, for CHRIS his goal in life was to make his father laugh. its just tragic that he didn't get help because his generosity and sense of humor was inclusive and such a positive force in an unseen number of people's lives. there was a vulnerability to his work. a humility. this was a sad painful book to read if only because he was such a singular talent that was beloved by his peers at every step of his career and to this day he is still such a beacon of unbridled joy. the fact that he self-destructed so spectacularly and was such a lonely figure is heart-wrenching. selfishly, like so many others i would have loved to see the DAVID MAMET-directed "FATTY" ARBUCKLE biopic that was in development at the time of his death. what an apt project. anyway, this book was beyond compelling and well-worth seeking out if you are interested in SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE or the history of AMERICAN COMEDY. its a tragedy that is so GREEK Its uncanny. what a sad, sad story. photo manipulation by nacrowe
i think character development is overrated. SEINFELD made a killing by having multi-dimensional characters that from the get-go we recognize as archetypes for friends, neighbors, colleagues and family members we've come in contact with in the past. and then they put them in crazy situations that they largely wondered into unknowingly but somehow with hubris and passion. each show is concluded and nothing is carried over from episode to episode. nothing gained. nothing referenced later on (that i can remember at least). each episode is its own universe.
for me IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA has that same basic format going on accept in their reality, each one seeks a downward trajectory of moral depravity and dehumanization in futile hopes of clawing their way out of the psychic morass they collectively created. the writing is ingenious and you get the sense that the bar is lowered significantly from season to season. each episode attempting to out-pathetic and the one before with no carry over. no lessons learned. no character development. since there are three sets of real-life marriages represented in the actors that portray the characters, there is an interesting subtext utilized for comic effect that i've never seen beforehand. One main character (CHARLIE) is routinely rejected by his love interest (THE WAITRESS) in increasing savage and emasculating fashion (the two are married in real-life) while another main character (SWEET DEE) who is visibly pregnant is essentially called a tramp all season by the cast (including her real-life husband) who question who the father might be. its brutal. but that is what makes the show work. it showcases modern AMERICAN life as pugilistic with little to no safety net or realistic professional opportunities. the only thing constant in this show is conflict and, oddly, family. this group is a family unit of sorts, dysfunctional beyond repair, but a cohesive surrogate family nonetheless. they all can be counted on to mock, injury and defame one other. its almost enduring. given that the growing economic disparity and structural racism in our country has pushed our democracy to the brink and left any notion of our AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM as a sad biting joke, in my eyes this show is right for the moment. it both displays what moronic self-interest leads to on a micro scale as well as mocks the development of that depraved worldview from inception to execution. itd be funny if it wasnt so real since we are all living through a REALITY TV show right now. a shitty one at that. oh check out the songs from the show though. they're great. embedded below ok admittedly this last one is just genius editing by someone in youtube land.
photo manipulation by nacrowe
for me the FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS (HBO, 2007-2009) is indicative of a definite place and time. the wildly popular TV SERIES, which only lasted two seasons, followed the antics of newly transplanted KIWI musicians to QUEENS and their inability to acclimate to their new surroundings. essentially its THE BIG LEBOWSKI premise minus the whole film noir plot line. in essence all the plots are excuses to showcase the inventive genre parody songs the duo had built up in their preceding standup career. once those songs, and their corresponding albums, were all published, the series ended.
as someone in the late 00s who had moved to NYC to attend graduate school at COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, the themes of displacement and isolation and the problems of integration with new surroundings was very prescient to me at the time. there is also a slight undertone of gentrification and hipsterdom that follows this film, as the music is wildly eclectic and relays an interest in global sounds and rhythms. in real-life INDIE ROCK bands such as VAMPIRE WEEKEND were being criticized for cultural appropriation at the time, much like PAUL SIMON had a generation before. i think in the contexst of the show FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS got away with it 1) because they were foreigners and 2) the songs were explicitly homages that paid respect to their origins with an eye for details. with INDIE ROCK bands of the time these corresponding sounds just smelled of rank opportunism and the use of foreign tropes as a way selling "exotic" music to a conservative white audience. its still interesting to rewatch the show and see how they handled that dubious territory that is the intersection between PARODY and HIPSTER CULTURE. in many ways we are still living through that prism today as notions of WHITE PRIVILEGE and INSTITUTIONAL RACISM have only become more apparent in the decade since. i really wonder at times how this show would look like if the duo had come from SENEGAL, PANAMA or THAILAND. is there something about an anglophone country like NEW ZEALAND that gives them the ability to navigate this divide while still being foreign themselves? just a thought. for me the songs still stand and the TV SERIES is funny and reminds me of the years i was constantly a foreigner in a foreign land. beyond ironic that i feel that way now in my own country after returning to TRUMPLAND after being abroad so many years. regardless, great show worth revisiting. photo manipulation by nacrowe
arguably the greatest buddy comedy of all-time, CHEECH & CHONG's UP IN SMOKE (PARAMOUNT, 1978) is a classic film that draws on the systematic oppression of hispanics by the AMERICAN political class and police apparatus and the rejuvenating power of ROCK AND ROLL and counterculture lifestyle as the spring from where its humor is rooted.
that and marijuana. its almost as if the cultural exchange that occurs as a result of immigration is part of what makes the fabric of american society so compelling and rich. its our strength and what truly makes us "exceptional" to borrow a phrase from my lug-headed compatriots on the right. culture is what unites us. the flow of ideas and information and the constant reaffirmation of core principles and beliefs over generations and geography. my favorite part of this film is when CHEECH needed to attend a wedding in TIJUANA, so he called INS and got a free ride. him and all his cousins are dressed up in suits ready to party. what a great scene. being originally from southern CALIFORNIA, it was part of my social studies classes in elementary school the level to which our culture and history was intimately intertwined with our neighbors to the south. that is why i never understood the hardliners i was surrounded by growing up who demonized hispanics yet paid them to do unskilled labor off the books. its beyond hypocritical. i was there when former governor PETE WILSON promoted PROPOSITION 187, which sought to deny education to the sons and daughters of unregistered foreign aliens. out of all my friends' parents, only one was against it. just them and my parents. all my teachers spoke in favor of it. probably the greatest gift my parents ever gave me was getting me the hell out of ORANGE COUNTY and exposing me to the world they seemed so bent on shutting out. when i watch UP IN SMOKE, i am just reminded of the fear of these WHITE SUBURBAN SOCCER MOMS, those being that these blazed-up hispanics and their seductive music and alternative beliefs will seduce and ultimately corrupt their daughters. so yeah, huge fan. and i don't even smoke. honest. |
NICHOLAS ARCHIVES
March 2024
CATEGORIES
All
|