It has been awhile since I had seen an episode of The Three Stooges. Most of my memories of the Stooges are associated with my father, who first introduced me to the trio when I was a child.
While I would say that the clip of the stooges we watched in class was not as well received as previous videos, such as chris rock's or izzard's, I was laughing at the stooges because they still remind me of when I was first introduced to slapstick comedy.
It has been more than 40 years since any stooge-related trio has performed, but after having watching the video of the stooges in class the other day, I started thinking abou how they set the platform for many popular comedy characters today who share many of the same characteristics of moe, larry, and curly.
What do the stooges do? Get involved in odd jobs, in which they utterly fail, comedy ensues, and then they move onto a new job, whether in the same episode or in later episodes.
Now think about what Family Guy's Peter Griffin does. In addition to the non-stop slapstick comedy he provides (falling down stairs, reading comic books while driving, flatulence), Griffin is constantly assuming different jobs. He used to work at a toy factory, later worked at a beer factory, owned a restaurant, became captain of a fishing boat (pretty much the exact same thing that happened in the stooges video), and formed a vigilante group of friends identical to the A-Team. Of course, as with the stooges, Griffin has failed at all business ventures, always to find yet another job.
While Homer Simpson has been able to keep his job at the nuclear plant, as incompetent of an employee as he is, he still exhibits the slapstick comedy seen by the stooges. Homer will hit his head and hand with a hammer while trying to hit a nail, strangle Bart while Bart does the same back, etc.
Although the three stooges were not the first comedy group to tackle slapstick comedy, slapstick comedy cannot be mentioned without thinking of the stooges' contribution to the field. I believe that without the success of the stooges, many of the characters we love today for their slapstick comedy would not be as popular as they are today, also possible that they would not have been created in the first place.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Stereotypes & Comedy
When watching Ralphie May the other day in class, May made a joke about how he had gone to a black theater and watched a black movie. An experience he says that every white person should do at least once. Now before he even began to develop the story into a joke, I knew where it was going. OF COURSE at some point he was going to talk about how blacks cant help themselves when it comes to talking during the movie. Other than blacks talk during movies, lets look at some other classical stereotypes shall we?
- Asians are good at math. They love math. Asians would prefer to do calculus instead of Heidi Klum. They also are really cliquey. Whenever I'm walking through the quad with my group of all-white fraternity brothers we always remark how cliquey they are.
- Whites, well, we can't dance. We have no rythm. We only know how grind on one another. If Im asked to dance, I immediately follow white people procedure and assume position #1: Stripper Pole. I maintiain this position throughout the "dance". The white girl then shakes her "back" on me and everyonce in awhile is so nice to actually turn toward me...just to make sure that she is still with a person and not a piece of metal. If not performed on a dance floor,
"white people dance" would be mistaken for drunken rape. Also, no matter how sexual the dance gets, if the white girl starts to feel anything getting aroused from you "down there" she will slap you and call you a pervert. I don't dance much.
- Mexicans are laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazy. They work hard as hell and the illegal ones work incredibly hard hours in the orange fields for next to nothing so they can support a family of five. We don't care. Mexicans will always be the lazy ones. And whats with the 3 hour lunch and nap during the middle of the day?! Scarf it and Barf it like a real man.
- Indians (not native americans) are either doctors, cab drivers, or convenience store clerks. I think the guy I call for IT support is also Indian...hmmm, he must also be a heart surgeon when not explaining to me why I can't access my damn banner account for the third time in two days. Indians do work hard, but not as hard as the lazy mexicans.
- Native Americans are alcoholics...but there's nothing funny about that.
- Jews are cheap. How was copper wire invented? Two jewish kids fighting over a penny. Nuff said.
Now when May's performance was over, we sort of discussed whether the stereotype of blacks talking throughout a movie could be seen as offensive. The thing is, I believe that some stereotypes have become so engraved in American culture that we just accept them in the world of comedy. But within the world of comedy, I believe these stereotypes are not offensive. We all know that black people talk during movies. Even black people joke about that. Any race can joke about how white people can't dance...we wont be offended. But in the real world we all know that not all mexicans, or others of hispanic descent, are lazy. We know that not all Indians are doctors and not all jews are cheap, especially the ones that rule the zionist media. But in the world of comedy, I think that overall, american audiences have accepted these stereotypes as truths. As long as they do so at the Funny Bone, and not once they get back to their car in the parking lot, then there is no hurt done to anyone.
Accepting the stereotypes enhances the comedy value and makes it easier for us to understand the comedy. The world, as has been told to this communication major, is understood through stories. These stereotypes help develop the comedic narrative so that we have some understanding as to where the joke is going
"Oh, he's at a black movie theater where a black movie is playing. I bet the audience will be talking throughout the film. lets see what he has to say."
"hahaha, he has to call up IT support. I bet the IT guy will be Indian."
"Hahaha....he has to drive through a native american reserva....oh this wont be funny"
Comedy wouldnt be funny if there wasn't at least some truth that rings true to the audience within the joke. And I say SOME truth because thats what stereotypes are: SOME truth. Understood within the context of humor, I think that stereotypes are relatively harmless and can greatly aid a comedian in telling his/her story and greatly aids the audience in understanding the story.
Well Im going to get back to starching my khaki pants before I head out to starbucks where I'll read the J. Crew catalogue for the next five hours. Peace.
- Asians are good at math. They love math. Asians would prefer to do calculus instead of Heidi Klum. They also are really cliquey. Whenever I'm walking through the quad with my group of all-white fraternity brothers we always remark how cliquey they are.
- Whites, well, we can't dance. We have no rythm. We only know how grind on one another. If Im asked to dance, I immediately follow white people procedure and assume position #1: Stripper Pole. I maintiain this position throughout the "dance". The white girl then shakes her "back" on me and everyonce in awhile is so nice to actually turn toward me...just to make sure that she is still with a person and not a piece of metal. If not performed on a dance floor,
"white people dance" would be mistaken for drunken rape. Also, no matter how sexual the dance gets, if the white girl starts to feel anything getting aroused from you "down there" she will slap you and call you a pervert. I don't dance much.
- Mexicans are laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazy. They work hard as hell and the illegal ones work incredibly hard hours in the orange fields for next to nothing so they can support a family of five. We don't care. Mexicans will always be the lazy ones. And whats with the 3 hour lunch and nap during the middle of the day?! Scarf it and Barf it like a real man.
- Indians (not native americans) are either doctors, cab drivers, or convenience store clerks. I think the guy I call for IT support is also Indian...hmmm, he must also be a heart surgeon when not explaining to me why I can't access my damn banner account for the third time in two days. Indians do work hard, but not as hard as the lazy mexicans.
- Native Americans are alcoholics...but there's nothing funny about that.
- Jews are cheap. How was copper wire invented? Two jewish kids fighting over a penny. Nuff said.
Now when May's performance was over, we sort of discussed whether the stereotype of blacks talking throughout a movie could be seen as offensive. The thing is, I believe that some stereotypes have become so engraved in American culture that we just accept them in the world of comedy. But within the world of comedy, I believe these stereotypes are not offensive. We all know that black people talk during movies. Even black people joke about that. Any race can joke about how white people can't dance...we wont be offended. But in the real world we all know that not all mexicans, or others of hispanic descent, are lazy. We know that not all Indians are doctors and not all jews are cheap, especially the ones that rule the zionist media. But in the world of comedy, I think that overall, american audiences have accepted these stereotypes as truths. As long as they do so at the Funny Bone, and not once they get back to their car in the parking lot, then there is no hurt done to anyone.
Accepting the stereotypes enhances the comedy value and makes it easier for us to understand the comedy. The world, as has been told to this communication major, is understood through stories. These stereotypes help develop the comedic narrative so that we have some understanding as to where the joke is going
"Oh, he's at a black movie theater where a black movie is playing. I bet the audience will be talking throughout the film. lets see what he has to say."
"hahaha, he has to call up IT support. I bet the IT guy will be Indian."
"Hahaha....he has to drive through a native american reserva....oh this wont be funny"
Comedy wouldnt be funny if there wasn't at least some truth that rings true to the audience within the joke. And I say SOME truth because thats what stereotypes are: SOME truth. Understood within the context of humor, I think that stereotypes are relatively harmless and can greatly aid a comedian in telling his/her story and greatly aids the audience in understanding the story.
Well Im going to get back to starching my khaki pants before I head out to starbucks where I'll read the J. Crew catalogue for the next five hours. Peace.
Are women funny? Do they need to be?
I believe it was last year that Vanity Fair writer Christopher Hitchens wrote the article "Why Women Aren't Funny". The point of the article was not to suggest that there are zero hilarious women. Hitchens does not deny that women like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are funny. The point of the article is to look at humor as a tool of survival for the human male.
Ask any woman what she looks for in a man and she is sure to say "a good sense of humor" somehwhere in her description of the ideal mate. Most men need a good sense of humor to attract a woman. Unless a man is as good looking as say a George Clooney or a Paul Walker, he will have to have other attributes that will help him get a girl, which will help him get laid, which will allow him to pass on his genes to a new generation.
Men are incredibly simple, at least we all believe we are when compared to the painful complexity as we see it of the human female. The truth is, which Hitchens also makes in the article, is that women dont have to try to be funny around us. We'll sleep with you anyway.
Because it essential for most men to have a good sense of humor, and has been ever since mankind has existed, men are more naturally funny than women. We have to be funny to survive. Women just have to give us a quick smile and a wink of the eye and we are hooked.
So no, I do not agree with Jerry Lewis that there are no funny female comics. Of course there are. But I believe that the reason we see more male comics than female is because men have had to work for thousands of years at being funny so that they have some chance at reproducing. Because this is not the same for women, I would say that the male sense of humor is more well developed than that of females.
We like comedy because it makes us laugh, which in turn puts us in a better mood. What Hitchens article made me notice is that though we all like a good laugh, few of us think of its significance in continuing the survival of the human race
Ask any woman what she looks for in a man and she is sure to say "a good sense of humor" somehwhere in her description of the ideal mate. Most men need a good sense of humor to attract a woman. Unless a man is as good looking as say a George Clooney or a Paul Walker, he will have to have other attributes that will help him get a girl, which will help him get laid, which will allow him to pass on his genes to a new generation.
Men are incredibly simple, at least we all believe we are when compared to the painful complexity as we see it of the human female. The truth is, which Hitchens also makes in the article, is that women dont have to try to be funny around us. We'll sleep with you anyway.
Because it essential for most men to have a good sense of humor, and has been ever since mankind has existed, men are more naturally funny than women. We have to be funny to survive. Women just have to give us a quick smile and a wink of the eye and we are hooked.
So no, I do not agree with Jerry Lewis that there are no funny female comics. Of course there are. But I believe that the reason we see more male comics than female is because men have had to work for thousands of years at being funny so that they have some chance at reproducing. Because this is not the same for women, I would say that the male sense of humor is more well developed than that of females.
We like comedy because it makes us laugh, which in turn puts us in a better mood. What Hitchens article made me notice is that though we all like a good laugh, few of us think of its significance in continuing the survival of the human race
A Modest Proposal: The First Dead Baby Joke
I often cringe at a dead baby joke, but Jonathon Swift's A Modest Proposal is far from the shock value that often accompany's such jokes.
His proposal, Swift tells us, is based on careful analysis with the hopes of bettering his fellow irish citizens. By using newborns as a delicacy, not only will the Irish economy boom, overcrowding will decrease and local chefs will be able to perfect the cooked baby so that the finest of gentlemen will visit their establishment.
The idea of harvesting newborns as a source of food, thus a source of money, sounds ridiculous. It is ridiculous. But what makes this source of satire work is the amount of perceived thought that Swift has put into the proposal. Swift makes six points to defend his proposal: first, it will decrease the amount of papists in the country. Second, the poor will have something valuable of their own. Third, money not being spent on the children will go into the economy, fourth, the irish will no longer have to spend money on their children after their first year of life. Fifth, the food will bring great custom to taverns. Sixth, his proposal would be a "great inducement to marriage."
I had said before in previous posts that what makes one consider something funny is based on many factors, including culture, age, race, sex, language, experiences. Now while I do not find Swifts proposal funny, I can see how someone in Ireland at the time could. With an understanding of the Irish economy at the time, the overcrowding, perhaps starvation, the proposal could be seen as funny with its over-the-top solution for solving the woes of the Irish people.
As an American, what stands out to me in the proposal is Swifts satire of the American people at the time. In this case, Swifts proposal is also a time capsule that holds the attitudes of some in Europe toward Americans at the time. Swift tells us in his proposal that he learned of cooking a child by an American through an aquaintance of his in London. Here it is the American that is seen as savage and barbaric, an image that is still strong today throughout the world. Even after hundreds of years of Swifts proposal, this negative image of Americans still exists today.
His proposal, Swift tells us, is based on careful analysis with the hopes of bettering his fellow irish citizens. By using newborns as a delicacy, not only will the Irish economy boom, overcrowding will decrease and local chefs will be able to perfect the cooked baby so that the finest of gentlemen will visit their establishment.
The idea of harvesting newborns as a source of food, thus a source of money, sounds ridiculous. It is ridiculous. But what makes this source of satire work is the amount of perceived thought that Swift has put into the proposal. Swift makes six points to defend his proposal: first, it will decrease the amount of papists in the country. Second, the poor will have something valuable of their own. Third, money not being spent on the children will go into the economy, fourth, the irish will no longer have to spend money on their children after their first year of life. Fifth, the food will bring great custom to taverns. Sixth, his proposal would be a "great inducement to marriage."
I had said before in previous posts that what makes one consider something funny is based on many factors, including culture, age, race, sex, language, experiences. Now while I do not find Swifts proposal funny, I can see how someone in Ireland at the time could. With an understanding of the Irish economy at the time, the overcrowding, perhaps starvation, the proposal could be seen as funny with its over-the-top solution for solving the woes of the Irish people.
As an American, what stands out to me in the proposal is Swifts satire of the American people at the time. In this case, Swifts proposal is also a time capsule that holds the attitudes of some in Europe toward Americans at the time. Swift tells us in his proposal that he learned of cooking a child by an American through an aquaintance of his in London. Here it is the American that is seen as savage and barbaric, an image that is still strong today throughout the world. Even after hundreds of years of Swifts proposal, this negative image of Americans still exists today.
First Entry
My Name is Thomas Martin and I am a senior. I decided it would a course on Rhetoric and Humor would be fun therfore I decided to enroll. What I am finding interesting about the course so far has been the discussion of the actual theories involved in understanding humor. What is funny? The answer depends on so many factors: culture, context, experience, language, intelligence, sex, race, etc. I am hoping to learn more about how these factors influence our understanding of humor.
When reading about different humor theories, Cicero stated something thast I have always noticed in what I consider to be funny, but I have never actually heard someone comment on this point. Cicero states that "the most common kind of joke is that in which we expect one thing and another is said: here our own disappointed expectation makes us laugh. But if something ambiguous is thrown in too, the effect of the joke is heightened." The simple joke, " a man walked into a bar and said 'ouch' is an example of the audience's expectation being wrong. As opposed to hearing a story about what happened to the man at the bar, the drinking tavern, the bar's context is then changed to refer to a metallic object, thus the man is hurt. By reversing the audience's expectation, the joke is funny, at least to me.
When reading about different humor theories, Cicero stated something thast I have always noticed in what I consider to be funny, but I have never actually heard someone comment on this point. Cicero states that "the most common kind of joke is that in which we expect one thing and another is said: here our own disappointed expectation makes us laugh. But if something ambiguous is thrown in too, the effect of the joke is heightened." The simple joke, " a man walked into a bar and said 'ouch' is an example of the audience's expectation being wrong. As opposed to hearing a story about what happened to the man at the bar, the drinking tavern, the bar's context is then changed to refer to a metallic object, thus the man is hurt. By reversing the audience's expectation, the joke is funny, at least to me.
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