How is it that a figure sacred to so many Americans has become the punch line of so many jokes? And why is it acceptable to poke fun at Jesus when other sacred figures are deemed off limits or there is hell to pay for mocking them?
The explanations are as numerous as the laughs.
Immigration shifts from the 1960s changed the ethnic and religious faces of the country so no tradition dominates today. The Christian right made such a moral spectacle of itself that it practically begged to be mocked. The emergence of “spiritual, but not religious” sensibilities left many Americans willing to denounce or laugh about traditional faith. The public rise of agnosticism, atheism, and secularism led to aggressive mockery as a form of persuasion.
If we pause to consider why we’re laughing, we find that the comic bits delve into some of our thorniest and unresolved problems. The jokes reveal much more about us than they do Jesus. They speak to how our society has changed, how it hasn’t, and what we’re obsessed with.
My Take: What all those Jesus jokes tell us / by Edward J. Blum / November 10th, 2012 / cnn.com
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Thursday, November 15, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
WTF with Marc Maron / Episode #255: Big Jay Oakerson
Big Jay Oakerson: Its interesting you said being influenced by (Dave) Attell... especially when you start off, when you're one of the new guys, there's always people like if you're doing well at all, or you're getting better, all of these people come out of the woodwork that hate you and they tell you why you're doing so good. And Keith Robinson gave me advice in the beginning. He goes, "Look, you don't have to worry about like writing your manifesto yet of what you're going to do." He goes, "Get your 15 minutes that works and work it. Like work it hard. And then when you're in everywhere and there's a confidence in you, you can do whatever you want."
I barely do material at comedy sets in the city. I just talk to the crowd and see where it goes. But um, and Kurt would tell me, "Jay's getting into the comic strip now in Stanton, NY." And they'd be like, "Yeah, doing the same 15 minutes." And he's like, "Yeah, but he's getting in. He's getting the work now."
And all that kind of hatred comes your way... That was the big dig on me, "He's just doing Attell. He only sounds like Attell." And maybe one of the reasons why I was able to kind of develop my own voice from it was my first instinct on that when they said that was to attack the problem. I went right to Dave Attell and I said, "I keep getting told that I sound exactly like you and I'm just doing what you do. Like, can you watch me and if you have any thing, please, I love to hear it."
And he watched me at the (Comedy) Cellar and he was like, you know, in his own way, giggling, 'cause you could still smoke inside of there. I remember watching him intently because I admired him so much. He's like 'mnh, mnh, mnh' cause he's so nonchalant. And I went out into the hallway and I go, "Whadya think?" And maybe because he thought I did sound like him, and maybe because he thought I didn't, but he goes, "What are you doing two weekends from now? You wanna open for me at The Stress Factory?" And I went, "Yeah". And from that point I became like one of his staple guys that would go on the road with him.
WTF with Marc Maron / Episode #255: Big Jay Oakerson / aprox 00:17:00
I barely do material at comedy sets in the city. I just talk to the crowd and see where it goes. But um, and Kurt would tell me, "Jay's getting into the comic strip now in Stanton, NY." And they'd be like, "Yeah, doing the same 15 minutes." And he's like, "Yeah, but he's getting in. He's getting the work now."
And all that kind of hatred comes your way... That was the big dig on me, "He's just doing Attell. He only sounds like Attell." And maybe one of the reasons why I was able to kind of develop my own voice from it was my first instinct on that when they said that was to attack the problem. I went right to Dave Attell and I said, "I keep getting told that I sound exactly like you and I'm just doing what you do. Like, can you watch me and if you have any thing, please, I love to hear it."
And he watched me at the (Comedy) Cellar and he was like, you know, in his own way, giggling, 'cause you could still smoke inside of there. I remember watching him intently because I admired him so much. He's like 'mnh, mnh, mnh' cause he's so nonchalant. And I went out into the hallway and I go, "Whadya think?" And maybe because he thought I did sound like him, and maybe because he thought I didn't, but he goes, "What are you doing two weekends from now? You wanna open for me at The Stress Factory?" And I went, "Yeah". And from that point I became like one of his staple guys that would go on the road with him.
WTF with Marc Maron / Episode #255: Big Jay Oakerson / aprox 00:17:00
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank #32: Hollywood Director
Neal Brennan: Its hard not to be defensive... I find it hard not to be defensive. I feel like I'm very predisposed to being written off. Meaning, I'm sensitive to it. Because I started in comedy as a doorman.
Ari Shaffir: Yeah, me too.
NB: Literally as a doorman at the Boston Comedy Club 20 years ago or 19 years ago. So there's a legion of guys... Maron, Jeff Ross, Greg Fitzsimmons...
AS: (Joey) Diaz told me that. Any city you start in... you will never be respected in that city.
NB: Yeah.
AS: They'll always see you as an open miker.
NB: So I'm still a door guy. I've heard Jeff say when I was on stage, "How did he do this?" I was killing one night and he said, "How did he do this?" Like how did this happen? They mistake being quiet with being unfunny. Its like, no, I'm just quiet. So I'm predisposed that when people are like, "Yeah, I didn't know you did movies." I want to take their fuckin'... I want to bring them to set. And show them what the job is. Oh yeah, I can do fuckin' movies. I'm in charge of a hundred people. And they're all looking to me to figure out what to... but that's my own defenses. It's the Joe Pesci 'Go get your shine box' thing.
AS: I feel like that when I do comedy sometimes. Let's say its my parent's friends. Like, "Oh, you do comedy? Here something you should do." I'm like, hey listen, this is actually something I've done for over a decade.
Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank #32: Hollywood Director / aprox 00:23:00
Ari Shaffir: Yeah, me too.
NB: Literally as a doorman at the Boston Comedy Club 20 years ago or 19 years ago. So there's a legion of guys... Maron, Jeff Ross, Greg Fitzsimmons...
AS: (Joey) Diaz told me that. Any city you start in... you will never be respected in that city.
NB: Yeah.
AS: They'll always see you as an open miker.
NB: So I'm still a door guy. I've heard Jeff say when I was on stage, "How did he do this?" I was killing one night and he said, "How did he do this?" Like how did this happen? They mistake being quiet with being unfunny. Its like, no, I'm just quiet. So I'm predisposed that when people are like, "Yeah, I didn't know you did movies." I want to take their fuckin'... I want to bring them to set. And show them what the job is. Oh yeah, I can do fuckin' movies. I'm in charge of a hundred people. And they're all looking to me to figure out what to... but that's my own defenses. It's the Joe Pesci 'Go get your shine box' thing.
AS: I feel like that when I do comedy sometimes. Let's say its my parent's friends. Like, "Oh, you do comedy? Here something you should do." I'm like, hey listen, this is actually something I've done for over a decade.
Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank #32: Hollywood Director / aprox 00:23:00
Monday, November 12, 2012
Joe Rogan Experience #193: Jim Gaffigan
Jim Gaffigan: I had more time so I was working out more consistently and not eating horribly at three in the morning. And it entered my mind, its like, am I going to be too in-shape for some of these jokes? But that's just me being neurotic.
JR: (laughing) Am I going to be too in shape for some of these jokes! That's hilarious. What a great escape clause: My act is so important I can't do sit-ups.
JG: I can't, you know, I work out but it might mess up that third chunk in the hour.
JR: This is so stupid but I really believe this. I was getting into meditation and I was getting into yoga and a bunch of things when I was young. And when I first started getting into comedy, I thought about it and I said, you know what? Maybe I shouldn't do this 'cause maybe becoming more enlightened is probably bad for my act. 'Cause then I wouldn't be making fun of so many things or picking as many victims...
JG: Now that's a comedian thinking there, right?
JR: Especially Boston-style comedy is so mean, so attack-style. And I was thinking, man, if I become enlightened and I was all like peace and love, this would be terrible for my act. And I'm not going to stop being a comedian.
JG: I wouldn't want to eat healthy, you know? I think I got another hour in me being fat.
Joe Rogan Experience #193: Jim Gaffigan / aprox 50:56
JR: (laughing) Am I going to be too in shape for some of these jokes! That's hilarious. What a great escape clause: My act is so important I can't do sit-ups.
JG: I can't, you know, I work out but it might mess up that third chunk in the hour.
JR: This is so stupid but I really believe this. I was getting into meditation and I was getting into yoga and a bunch of things when I was young. And when I first started getting into comedy, I thought about it and I said, you know what? Maybe I shouldn't do this 'cause maybe becoming more enlightened is probably bad for my act. 'Cause then I wouldn't be making fun of so many things or picking as many victims...
JG: Now that's a comedian thinking there, right?
JR: Especially Boston-style comedy is so mean, so attack-style. And I was thinking, man, if I become enlightened and I was all like peace and love, this would be terrible for my act. And I'm not going to stop being a comedian.
JG: I wouldn't want to eat healthy, you know? I think I got another hour in me being fat.
Joe Rogan Experience #193: Jim Gaffigan / aprox 50:56
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Clever, How They Earn That Laugh
Most comics, when starting out, make so little working in New York that they are, in a sense, paying to perform. Some move up to well-known theaters and showcases, but they still might not draw much more than graduate students. Television offers a big payday, but it’s not the fortune that some imagine. Comedy Central routinely offers $15,000 for a half-hour special that can take a year or more to develop. Even as well-known comics get modest fees, relative unknowns can do very well — in the right field. Buzz Sutherland may not be a household name, but he pulled down $350,000 last year, with his largest source of income coming from the lucrative college circuit.
Earning a livable salary through comedy is not easy, but these working comics reveal the diversity of ways to make money. (Some salaries are approximate.) Of course money is not the only form of reward. Comedians perform because they love what they do. Or the prestige of a respected gig. Or simply to get better. As with any freelance job, their work requires resourcefulness, determination and creativity. Being funny is essential, but a few accounting skills don’t hurt.
Earning a livable salary through comedy is not easy, but these working comics reveal the diversity of ways to make money. (Some salaries are approximate.) Of course money is not the only form of reward. Comedians perform because they love what they do. Or the prestige of a respected gig. Or simply to get better. As with any freelance job, their work requires resourcefulness, determination and creativity. Being funny is essential, but a few accounting skills don’t hurt.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
WTF with Marc Maron / Episode #255: Big Jay Oakerson
Big Jay Oakerson: You know, I always say that as a comedian your innocence is so lost... that's the shittiest part about being a comedian is that your innocence in comedy is lost. It's hard to just sit back and laugh at a...
Marc Maron: Oh yeah, I talked about that last night on stage. Where its like you're so jaded the only time you can enjoy a show is when someone is struggling.
BJO: Yeah, you wanna go see someone have a rough time so that they can dig out of it in some way. You really have no interest in going in there and like uh... as much as I like (Dave) Attell I don't go in the room for Attell every time anymore because I just know he's going to do good. But when they go, "This guy turned on Attell and he's down there doing it." Now I want to see what he does. 'Cause that's when I think the magic kicks in.
WTF with Marc Maron / Episode #255: Big Jay Oakerson / aprox 00:17:00
Marc Maron: Oh yeah, I talked about that last night on stage. Where its like you're so jaded the only time you can enjoy a show is when someone is struggling.
BJO: Yeah, you wanna go see someone have a rough time so that they can dig out of it in some way. You really have no interest in going in there and like uh... as much as I like (Dave) Attell I don't go in the room for Attell every time anymore because I just know he's going to do good. But when they go, "This guy turned on Attell and he's down there doing it." Now I want to see what he does. 'Cause that's when I think the magic kicks in.
WTF with Marc Maron / Episode #255: Big Jay Oakerson / aprox 00:17:00
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank #32: Hollywood Director
Neal Brennan: I don't know if I've ever explained the entire process of a movie. So I did... I created the Chappelle Show with Dave (Chappelle) and basically its like being a good high school basketball player. You just get recruited by...
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Neal Brennan: So when you do a good thing on TV or you make a short you get on these approved lists.
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Neal Brennan: So when you do a good thing on TV or you make a short you get on these approved lists.
Ari Shaffir: If you as a screenwriter…
NB: Generally its as a director. There’s a whole ‘nother
screenwriting list. That’s a whole ‘nother list.
AS: Did you write ‘The Goods’?
NB: No. I was on the list during ‘Half Baked’ and subsequent
years. I’m probably still on some list. I’m just so far down. ‘Cause you have
to renew it every year. You have to write a good script every year and a half
and I just haven’t written…
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NB: So they send me… They’ve sent me every comedy script for
the last 7 years. Every ‘You, Me & Dupree’, the ice skating movie (Blades
of Glory), ‘The Brothers Solomon’, fuckin’ ‘Horrible Bosses’. Literally, "Would
you be interested in directing this?"
AS: Superbad…
NB: Superbad they sent me. I just never read it.
AS: Who directed the ice skating movie?
NB: They guys who directed the Geico commercials with the
caveman.
AS: Wow.
NB: They were hot from that. So then they got… the ice
skating movie I was up for. They really wanted me for that.
AS: So they just gauge your interest and then ‘we’ll talk’?
NB: Yeah, but when we talk… I’m pitching.
AS: You’re pitching yourself?
NB: Yeah. As how I would… what I would make the movie look
like.
AS: Who do you talk to?
NB: You talk to the studio head and the producer.
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