Splitsider - Inside Jokes

On Almost Live!: What Seattle Sketch Comedy Gave to Us

@Amber Petty@facebook That's cuz it's spelled "Quan" not "Kwon." Search again. They are on YouTube. I never missed an episode of Almost Live when I lived in Seattle. I didn't watch the series on Comedy Central, but it's some BS that they removed local references (according to Wikipedia). I distinctly remember Bill Nye as Speed Walker long before he became the Science Guy. High Fivin' White Guys and Uncle Fran also big favorites. The cast was really talented and the comedy was top notch. I wouldn't denigrate it as a footnote just because it was primarily local.

Posted on September 28, 2011 at 2:20 am

0

On Will Ferrell, Will Forte and All Your Favorite Comedy Dudes Apologize to All Women for Everything

>> Gonna go with "DIE" I honor your priggish devotion to anal retention.

Posted on June 22, 2011 at 4:58 pm

0

On Anatomy of a Failure: The Paul Reiser Show vs. Curb Your Enthusiasm

I'm Brosef K. And that's one to grow on.

Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:28 pm

0

On Anatomy of a Failure: The Paul Reiser Show vs. Curb Your Enthusiasm

There's a simpler explanation. Reiser's show is on NBC, Curb on HBO. If you think the diff is just a few potty words, you're missing the point. The antiquated broadcast Big Four still cling to a toothless, safe, and ultimately fatal censorial process which neuters quality humor. Add this tendency towards defanging any good bit with Reiser's own proclivity to take the saccharine route, and there's simply no wiggle room for funny. "But," you say, "What about Modern Family, 30 Rock, SNL, and 'all of the other funny shows' on broadcast?" Personally, I've never found any of those shows funny. At all. In fact, the only time those shows are funny is when the talent manages to subvert, sneak, or smuggle a laugh past the talentless fuckwits who control the content from top down. I don't think there is one funny show on ABC, NBC, CBS, or FOX right now. Not one. What of Seinfeld (which I loved)? A small miracle and aberration. Some very few shows do manage to thread the needle. 99% don't. Usually they survive by flying under the radar until they build enough of a following to queer the inevitable assault from above. Shows like Seinfeld are like penicillin-resistant strains of bacteria which somehow manage to survive in the toxic ecosystem of the mainstream system. And then what of Community? I don't like that show either, despite being a very, very big fan of Harmon and Channel 101. And believe me, I have tried so hard to like Community, but the brilliance of the writing is bleached to the point of mundanity by the compromises of the ABC environment. If I want the comedy of Community, I can just save time and sanity by consuming the not-watered down beverage of Channel 101. Any given month of Channel 101, "failed" and "cancelled" shows included is in every way superior to any one season of Community.

Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:26 pm

0

On ABC's Best in Film and the Trouble with "Authoritative" Lists

Let me clear this up: 1. Dr. Strangelove 2. Some Like It Hot 3. Monty Python and the Holy Grail 4. Raising Arizona 5. Sleeper 6. Bottle Rocket 7. Life of Brian 8. Rushmore 9. The Jerk 10. This is Spinal Tap 11. Harold and Maude 12. The Big Lebowski NO Mel Brooks (Overrated. Yes, I said it). Ghostbusters was a fun movie, to be sure, but not particularly funny. That College Humor list is just a horror show. Strangelove is a masterwork from start to finish and is littered with comedy silk spun from the asses of some of the finest comedic talents ever to grace our species… of spider people… or something. My metaphor has been extended beyond its sell-by date, but you see my point. I would half consider slipping Pulp Fiction in there at number 8 because there were some howlingly hilarious moments in that film. Also, Singin' in the Rain might deserve a spot, but that's more musical than comedy.

Posted on March 25, 2011 at 7:20 am

0

On Enough Is Enough With "SNL Isn't Funny Anymore"

>> SNL remains the most ambitious comedy program currently on television. No.

Posted on January 30, 2011 at 12:59 am

0

On Why More Women Should Write Comedy: A Mathematical (But Not Boring) Study

One other thing... Splitsider, can you caption your photos? If not directly than at least in the ALT attribute of the IMG tag, when I do a mouseover. Who those people be? I don't know. Faces recognized, but names escape me.

Posted on January 30, 2011 at 12:41 am

0

On Why More Women Should Write Comedy: A Mathematical (But Not Boring) Study

I'm going to agree with this guy/gal. I think men by the very nature of our biological imperatives and primary function in this world, namely to pursue, cajole, and ultimately proliferate are more competitive than women. And this drive to differentiate lends itself to flamboyant displays of value. Most women express that they prefer a man who is physically superior either in form or function or is entertaining. Ideally, he is both. In order to mate, dudes need to have one or the other. I don't want to be cruel to my fellow comedy brothers, but a lot of comedians tend to lack certain physical attributes which are associated with the desirable alpha male. If you have a bird chest and spindly sticks, you'd better start working on some ha-ha bits. Women are competed for, typically. Not the other way around. Again, before anyone jumps on my neck and starts curb stomping, there's a difference between biological imperatives and culture mores. I think comedy is competitive by its very nature and men tend to be more competitive. Not because they are superior, gifted with some innate brilliance that is beyond the reach of the "lesser" species, but just because of our hormone ratio, and about 200,000 years of homo sapiens evolution. Homo rhodesiensis was not funny. Everyone knows that. Also, the Hitchens jab? I don't think he was serious. I adore Hitchens and I'm pretty sure he was just stirring shit up for no good reason. He always has that twinkle in his eye and I think he was just trolling to see how many ladies he could get worked up. If anything, his real thesis was that MANY women -- but not all -- can't take a joke (but even that, I don't think he'd pursue with any zeal). The "women aren't funny" thing was just bait.

Posted on January 30, 2011 at 12:25 am

0

On Why More Women Should Write Comedy: A Mathematical (But Not Boring) Study

Boners are comedy's biceps.

Posted on January 30, 2011 at 12:05 am

0

On Roseanne, Rhea, and the Rise of the Female Sitcom Star

One more thing... the female comedians who dominated pre-80s did so pre-cable, pre-VCR, and pre-Internet. There were three channels. Three. That means EVERYONE who had a TV was watching Lucille Ball. EVERYONE was watching Laverne and Shirley. Kids talked about last night's episode on the playground, adults around the water cooler. TV was more central as a cultural touchstone. For Lucille Ball or Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams to really command that central stage and hold the national interest was a much greater accomplishment. The significance of this cannot be overstated. Also, Roseanne began in late 1988 and ended in 1997. It's really more a product of the 90s and competed in a different era.

Posted on January 29, 2011 at 11:57 pm

0