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    Questions: Bringing the Funny

    So earlier this week, we discovered that several daggers - perhaps even a majority - do not believe Curb Your Enthusiasm is funny. One of my co-bloggers was perhaps the most strident of the Curb-haters, calling the show 'an atrocity' and Larry David the 'least funny on-screen performer ever given a screen on which to perform.' This made Mortimus mad, and trust me, you won't like Mortimus when he's angry (I've put the big green guy on tilt at poker several times and barely survived to tell the tale).

    Now me, well I just found the revelation really surprising - like I-just-found-out-I-was-adopted or my-girlfriend-once-had-a-penis surprising - and it did make me wonder whom I'm blogging alongside. I mean, what exactly are we putting in our Humor and Satire category??? So to find out once and for all where we all stand when it comes to the funny, it's question time (I will wait a while to get some of your answers before giving out the 'correct' answers)

    1) Ellen's a lesbian, so I'm not sure she entirely counts.

    2) Jim Almighty (and Almighty Bad)

    3) Obama introduces the new Guantanamo

    4) Two and a Half Chuckles per episode

    5) Talk Show Hosts

    6) When's the next Santa Clause coming?

    7) Longest-running sitcoms

    8) Show Nevermore Laugh-worthy

    9) Pull my finger.

    10) Alex, Who is Deadman?

    Bonus) $200 million-plus comedies

    Series: 

    Comments

    1) Can women be as funny as men at stand-up? Which woman alive today do you find the funniest (If at all possible, please embed a clip of this woman being funny as I will have trouble believing it without video proof)


    I think stand-up comedy is just about the hardest and bravest thing humans have ever attempted. Most attempts suck, but a live performance that connects can be an epiphany. Women can be as good as men, but their problem is the profanity barrier. Swearing is essential to standup, and we all assume men swear by nature.A woman comic has to convince us.

    That's why Sarah Silverman wins hands down. She projects innocent naivete, then transcends the limits on foul-mouthedness by pretending to trip over them. Or just heads directly for the raunch: Her duet "I'm fucking Matt Damon" had me in tears. I'm so in love with her, I imagined my chances had improved when she broke up with that Kimmel guy.  


    sarah is funny (and yeah, pretty hot) - i have really enjoyed her on talk shows, and in some of her acting (esp. as  a crazed fan on Monk) but ive never seen her do stand-up, and i've heard some really mixed, but generally negative things. i also havent seen her Comedy Central show, but it looks funny on the trailers.


    I thought "I'm fucking Matt Damon" was hilarious too, and I loved the Great Schlep. But generally, I find Sarah Silverman a little too vulgar, which I know is going to seem inconsistent when I tell you that Margaret Cho is my fave. Yes, she's vulgar too--shockingly so. But her vulgarity has a point whereas Silverman just seems to do it for the shock value.

    Warning: explicit sexual content in the video. Definitely rated R.


    Ok, i watched this clip and about a half-dozen other cho youtube clips after, and I just don't get your fascination with her. She's aiight, i guess, with some solid laughs and witty observations in there, but most of the jokes just didnt do it for me ... and some of it was awful (the clip entitled 'laura bush's pussy tastes like lysol' - where she looks like a totally different person by the way - was particularly atrocious. her mom impersonation is cute but gets old).

    she's bisexual so im not sure she totally counts anyway Laughing


    I have lots of femele comedians on my site.


    That's "female". Some day I'll learn the English alphabet. Maybe.


    Women can be as good at stand-up as men, but it is very rare. I believe this is somewhat related to what I'll call the Hillary Clinton problem - good stand-up usually comes from a mean, bitter, harsh, vulgar place, and I think a lot of women don't feel totally comfortable playing in that game. Moreover, when they do, it ends up turning off many people and coming off as more shrill than funny.


    2) Jim Carrey is a paradox. i think he has been at times in his movie career one of the funniest comedic actors of all time and at other times, among the most annoying and unfunny ones.

    Rank these Jim Carrey comedy movies (Leave out any you havent seen):

    1. Me, Myself and Irene
    2. The Mask
    3. The Cable Guy
    4. Liar Liar
    5. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
    6. Dumb and Dumber
    7. Fun With Dick and Jane
    8. Yes Man
    9. Bruce Almighty

    Haven't seen enough to rank them; in fact, many of them I've been advised not to see. But The Mask worked as a showcase of Carrey's talents. The storyline imposed almost no limits, so Carrey could bounce off as many walls as he liked without disrupting things. Didn't he also play The Riddler in one of the Batmans? Batmen? That qualifies as a comedic role.

    He's one of those comic actors who can't help but overfill the screen -- like Robin Williams, Steve Martin. When they crank it way back for a serious role, it can be a revelation -- Jackie Gleason in The Hustler, Jerry Lewis in The King of Comedy. I'd love to see Carrey in the serious role he was born to play -- whatever that is.


    I looooove Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and thought he was terrific in it (he cranked it real back in that movie - have you seen it canuck?). He was also damn good in The Truman Show, which holds up pretty well as a solid work of art.

    as far as batman is concerned, i limited the list to carrey-led vehicles, that was more of a (crappy) ensemble movie.

    btw, i dont know who's advising you (and maybe they know your sense of humor better), but carrey at his best is friggin hilarious. a couple of movies on that list are must-see comedies, in my opinion. ill rank them soon.


    I've only seen Bruce Almighty and Fun with Dick and Jane. I thought they were both okay, but nothing spectacular. But I did see Carey at a comedy club in San Francisco in the spring of 1990, just before or just after In Living Color went on the air. It was the funniest performance I've ever seen in my life, bar none. My stomach muscles hurt the next day and I'm pretty sure I deprived of a lot of oxygen.

    Ill put up my ranking soon, but you are totally missing his funniest movies.


    Man On The Moon. 

    Win.


    ok, ill give you the win - another fine dramatic performance by carrey. id have to see the movie again - i remember being vaguely disappointed with it despite enjoying the acting.


    1. Dumb and Dumber - just a hilarious movie. One of the classic all-time, buddy comedies.

    2. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

    3. The Cable Guy - dark but underrated.

    4. Liar Liar

    5. The Mask

    6. Me, Myself and Irene

    7. Bruce Almighty

    Did not see the others.


    3) By some cruel twist of fate, you are forced to spend 3 days straight with some sort of Bob Saget entertainment. You have three options: You can either spend the time watching a marathon of Full House episodes, listening to him host America's Funniest Home Videos (without getting to see the videos), or having him waterboard torture you. What do you choose?


    Waterboard.

    I reject the premise of the question. Obviously, I would be the one doing the waterboarding.

    Full House, of course. I can't get enough of Dave 'Cut...it..out!' Coulier! no seriously, please waterboard me.


    4) For the last week of 2008, Two and a Half Men was once again in the top 10 broadcast TV shows, according to Nielsen (It was the only comedy in the top 10, and has been a top-20 show every year in the six seasons it's been on the air, averaging right around 15 million viewers). This will be a three-part question:

    4a) How often do you watch the show? a) Always b) A lot c) Occasionally d) Two and a half times e) Never

    4b) The show is the top-rated comedy on TV, but what current sitcom do you think belongs at the top of the list?

    4c) Does it bother you that Charlie Sheen makes $825,000 an episode??


    I've only seen it enough to be puzzled by its appeal. $825,000 an episode sounds over-priced, even if I liked the show.


    I think I've seen a grand total of 10 minutes of this show, always by accident. It is possibly the most inane show they've ever put on television. I've always assumed that only republicans watch it.

    4a) I've seen it about two and a half times. Exactly two and a half times too many. It literally revels in indulging in everything that is wrong about the sitcom format.

    4b) A tie between 30 Rock and The Office. Both incredibly funny and innovative. followed closely by Family Guy.

    4c) It doesn't bother me. I'm sure he's single-handedly supporting the Southern California sex worjkers community.


    5) Which one of these doesn't belong? David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Craig Ferguson, Jay Leno, Jon Stewart, Howard Stern, Stephen Colbert.


    I don't get Stern, but of the others Jay Leno is the host with the least edge, which is a key late-night-host attribute. The edginess of the others increases in the precise order you list them here. From what I've seen of his past work, Stern might be edgiest of all; maybe too edgy. But Leno is just too lame to watch.


    What acanuck said.

    Acanuck is right. Jay Leno doesn't belong because he is not funny, gives awful monologues and is an even worse interviewer.


    6) Every holiday season, it's pretty much a given that Hollywood studios are going to force upon us at least one crappy Christmas comedy. What's the most recent Christmas comedy you saw? What's the best one you've seen? What's the worst?


    I can proudly say I've never gone to see a Christmas comedy. Never will.


    I try to stay away from the holiday movies although I did see that Ben Affleck one a few years back. Not so good.

    A Christmas Story is hands down the best Christmas comedy ever.


    Quinn is right, Elf wins ... Christmas Story is a close second. the worst (at least the first one coming to mind, I'm sure I've seen worse) is the one with Sinbad ... I'm too lazy to even look the name up right now, but i believe he's searching for a toy in it (Ah-nuld was in it, too).


    7) I think we can all agree - yes even Orlando - that Two and a Half Men doesn't come close to being one of the top sitcoms of all time.

    Rank these long-running hit shows (all which were on for 10 or more years):

    • The Simpsons
    • Cheers
    • King of The Hill
    • M*A*S*H
    • Happy Days
    • Married ... With Children
    • Friends
    • The Jeffersons
    • Frasier
    • South Park
    • Murphy Brown

    What, you left off Seinfeld? Mary Tyler Moore? Hell, the Honeymooners?

    OK: The Simpsons (in its heyday), Friends, Cheers, Frasier (annoying though it could be), MASH, Happy Days (pre-shark) ... and now I'm losing interest in the question. I know I watched Murphy Brown when it was on, though I recall little memorable from it except the Dan Quayle dust-up, and I actually went to see the South Park movie.

    But there were some really great shows that may or may not have made the 10-year theshold; Larry Sanders (truly ground-breaking), Family Guy (censor-defying), Arrested Development, Moonlighting, Mork and Mindy, Third Rock From the Sun, Futurama, that cop-precinct show with Abe Vigoda, Dharma and Greg (OK, maybe great is not the right word -- but shows with some kind of spark of originality).

    And who can leave Fawlty Towers off their list -- 13 perfect gleaming gems, before which all sitcom writers bow? 


    Yeah, the lead-in to the list made it sound like it was supposed to be a list of all-time great sitcoms, which it wasn't (tho some of them would qualify). i just listed all contemporary sitcoms that lasted more than 10 years.

    I'll rank the ones i listed soon, but others that i think qualify as best sitcoms of all time: Arrested Development, Family Ties, Family Guy, Barney Miller, Taxi, The Office, All in the Family, Seinfeld, and 30 Rock.


    Uh, The Office? Also Arrested Development. And I agree again with acanuk about Fawlty Towers, but maybe you're not counting the British ones. Because if you were, Coupling would also be on the list (the BBC version, not the sad, sad, American counterpart). From your list, MASH, Friends, and Murphy Brown. I loved South Park when it first came on, but then I lost interest. I'm sure it's still funny though. Also, Wings, Just Shoot Me, News Radio, and Roseanne.


    I forgot Soap. Possibly the best of all time.


    MASH. Cheers. Simpsons. South Park. Happy Days. Married With Children. Friends. Jeffersons. Frasier. Murphy Brown. king of the Hill.


    8) Name the four funniest SNL cast members (Try to give one from each decade, starting with the 70s). And what about the best News Update anchor?


    The '70s were the gold standard: John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Steve Martin and Gilda Radner. (A good friend won an Emmy writing for these people.) The '80s had Canadians Martin Short and Mike Myers, not to mention Dana Carvey, Al Franken and the late, great Phil Hartman. Midway through the '90s, I sorta lost interest, though in this decade Tina Fey has come close to luring me back. Narrowing it down to one a decade: Belushi, Myers, Hartman and Fey.

    Dennis Miller, much as I mourn his later descent into dementia, remains the classic News Update anchor in my mind; Kevin Nealon was also great. Perhaps my all-time favorite skit was the Aykroyd-Curtin point-counterpoint parody in which Aykroyd begins his argument: "Jane, you ignorant slut ... ."

    Now that I think about, thank you, Lorne Michaels,


    My mom wouldn't let me watch SNL and I could never stay awake that late in the 70s anyway. In the 80s, I had to sneak watch it on sleepovers at friends' houses. My favorite was always Eddie Murphy. I've never been a serial watcher. During political campaigns, it's fun to watch the opening scene and I always loved Weekend Update. Now, thanks to the internet, now I don't have to stay up and watch the crap that comes in between.

    I agree about Dennis Miller, but I also loved Tina Fey and Amy Pohler together.


    I didn't mean to slight John Candy and Eddie Murphy. In passing, Murphy's live performance in Raw is the filthiest, funniest standup routine ever put on film. It's not a "movie" per se, so I didn't mention it below. But if you can take the vulgarity, you will -- pardon my French -- piss your pants.


    This is tougher than I thought - but I'll go Belushi in the 70s (Murray runner up), Murphy in the 80s (Hartman distant runner-up), Carvey in the 90s (Farley a close second, and Myers not too far off that), and Farrell in the 00s (hes really mostly 90s but i dont have a favorite right now).

    I didnt really watch enough of the News in the early years, so I'm not sure if i can judge properly, but I really loved Norm McDonald.


    9) Are farts funny?


    No.


    No.

    No. Unless you dealt 'em.

    That is correct. The answer is no. Real farts are not funny. The Whoopee cushion tho is hilarious...


    10) Finally, and most importantly, which dagblogger is the funniest (You cannot vote for yourself)?


    I.m not saying this post hasn't been fun, Deadman. But Genghis wins, if only for the New Year's Resolution Generator.


    I gotta go with Cardboard Obama.


    You're right. Sorry, Genghis.


    Any guest blogger.


    I'm going with Genghis. His sarahpalingrrrl is a riot. And his satirical posts are very funny. Mortimus is a close second.


    Bonus) The following comedies all made more than $200 million in U.S. box office, according to IMDB (I left out animated or blatant kids films). Which is your favorite? Which is your least favorite?

    1. Austin Powers: Spy Who Shagged Me
    2. Wedding Crashers
    3. Back to the Future
    4. Mrs. Doubtfire
    5. Bruce Almighty
    6. Men in Black
    7. Meet the Fockers
    8. Forrest Gump
    9. Beverly Hills Cop

    Beverly Hills Cop is the best of the bunch, though Men in Black is also good fun. Forrest Gump was worth watching once, but its appeal hasn't held up. Back to the Future was well crafted and had its funny moments, and Austin Powers delivered on the stupid silliness it promised. Mrs. Doubtfire worked, but as drama more than as comedy. The others I didn't see, so I can't say which is worst. I gather from others it's a tossup between Meet the Fockers and Bruce Almighty. I'd give the edge to the Fockers, simply for the inane title.

     


    Forrest Gump was a comedy? I've seen them all, which surprises me because I usually like the dramas better. But, in order:

    1. Austin Powers
    2. Wedding Crashers
    3. Beverly Hills Cop
    4. Back to the Future
    5. Men in Black
    6. Forrest Gump
    7. Meet the Fockers
    8. Bruce Almighty
    9. Mrs. Doubfire

    Omitted: Ruthless People, Little Miss Sunshine, and I'm sure a whole bunch more that I can't think of because I haven't had my coffee yet.


    The problem is the $200 million cutoff. For sheer fun, I'd list The Jerk, Young Frankenstein, Dr. Strangelove, A Fish Called Wanda.


    Mrs. Doubtfire made over $200 million? What kind of a country do I live in?


    What... Pirates of the Caribbean was a documentary?

    Yes, that probably belongs. For some reason, I considered it more of an action film, but its at least as much of a comedy as Forrest Gump.


    My favroite in this is probably Beverly Hills Cop. My least favorite by far is Meet the Fockers.

    In addition to Beverly Hills Cop, Austin Powers, Wedding Crashers, Back to the Future are great.

    Forrest Gump and Men in Black are solid.

    Mrs. Doubtfire and Bruce Almighty are passable, but belong nowhere near the top comedies of all time.


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