A quick chronology: November of 2009, in response to Newsweek's "Twelve Comics Who Aren't Funny,"
I offer in these pages, "Let Us Now Bash Robin Williams Part I," in which I defended (most of) the unfunny twelve, and protested that the author, Sarah Ball, should have taken on sacred comedy cows like the late George Carlin and Robin Williams.
Ball never took me up on it, so today I offer a continuation of my previous complaint:
According to their many fans, Carlin, as well as Williams, deserve exalted status as comedians, right up there alongside Richard Pryor, because they talk about life, culture, politics and have something wise and valuable to say, while at the same time being funny. I'll go out on a limb here -- getting laughs is a good indicator that what is being said is funny. Getting mostly cheers and applause, when not preceded by laughter, is a good indicator that what a comedian is saying may be very wise, but not funny. In ending up with this sort of material Carlin failed at, or ignored, the central challenge that rests upon a comedian and makes being a comedian an art form to be respected: make what you say get laughs. That, in a nutshell, is my problem with George Carlin, particularly in the latter half of his career.
Carlin fans make my point for me. Tony Hendra in his essay, "The Last Words of America's Greatest Comedian Ever," writes, "His mature pieces were essays, broadsides, jazz-like solos" -- great, but that doesn't mean it's stand-up. (That's why there are books -- happily, Carlin left us with six pretty decent ones. Don't miss, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?.) Hendra, more or less, admits as much saying, "In his maturity Carlin became a unique creative force, equal parts actor, philosopher, satirist, poet." Comedian? No.
And, to be honest about it, upon close inspection, Carlin doesn't even have much to say on weighty topics. There are mostly just boilerplate lists of left-wing complaints about society and politics. (Author's note: I'm left wing.) Worse, these routines -- for example, "The American Dream," the riff most celebrated, by fans and even my fellow comics, as an example of Carlin's profundity -- are delivered in a overweening style that condescended to the audience, the tone being something like Dennis Kucinich talking to third graders. Not that Carlin's audience seems to mind. They applaud and cheer. But once again, do they laugh? A couple of times. And, this is an audience of Carlin acolytes -- imagine the trouble getting diaphragm spasms from an audience that has no idea who he is -- i.e., an unbiased "control group."
How did Carlin's rep end up so exceeding what he had to deliver? I'd say it all goes back to "Seven Words You Can't Say on TV." Fans remember it as being cultural criticism on censorship and media, but it was mostly wordplay, Carlin's strength. And, even if had been a cultural critique, one funny routine does not give you a free pass to be unfunny with whatever else you come up with.
If you want to check out someone who offers a relief from all this, check Bill Maher's last special, "But I'm Not Wrong." During his set, -- as on Real Time -- when the audience cheers for a notion that is not a punch line, he admonishes them, "this is not a rally." Then he proceeds to punch lines, and they get laughs, -- and then the applause.
Next column, I shall do my best to eviscerate Williams. In the meantime, I welcome all comments that I'm a bitter, unfunny, jerk. To that end, you can watch my days in stand-up and decide if I should have been part of the aforementioned, "Unfunny 12."
Jonathan Leigh Solomon: Let Us Now Bash Robin Williams -- The Final Chapter.
Second,there is no more visceral art form than comedy. All those around you may be laughing at a comedian,and you sit silent,not understanding what is making them laugh. For example, Sarah Palin is hilarious,and she isn't trying to be funny. That would be irony.
Third,I saw George Carlin in person,and for thirty minutes he made me laugh,then he took what seemed to be an onstage lazy man's break with a barrage of "amusing(?)" questions ("Why do they call them buildings?They are already done,why not call them builts?" ad nauseum) that any half decent comedian could write fifty of in a room with a pen paper,and pot.
Fourth, comedy is not a team sport. There is no legitimate ranking system based on merit or victories. Either the comic makes you laugh or not. That's it,end of story.
Besides,the greatest comedian ever was Richard Pryor,and everyone else is second.
Great point!
Like take this review of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas: "Beethoven imposes on the sonata his strong personality creating a new, impressive, form of art, in which his own life, with its joys and sorrows, is projected." Yes, it may express art, life, joy and sorrow. But is it music? Well "obviously" Lewis Lockwood doesn't think so because he didn't say Simon Sez.
And here's Derek Malcolm on Citizen Kane: "But to revisit it now is still to marvel at its wit, audacity and sheer entertainment value." Wit, audacity and entertainment value, but is it a film? Since Derek didn't say so, he doesn't think so.
I would bet that these people do think Carlin is funny as well. They just didn't think they needed to make an all inclusive list. . A comedian can perform like a Jazz soloist and be funny at the same time. It's like if i hypothetically called you illogical. I can also think you're stupid as well. I just might not say it.
The truth about us said ironically is very funny.
www.ilovegenerationx.com
I only recently discovered him and looked up loads of his material. I found most of it funny, obviously there were a few jokes that were duds.
I have a theory that the very dark and bitter comedy is more of an acquired taste.
My absolute favorite comics are George Carlin, Doug Stanhope, Frankie Boyle and Bill Hicks, all of whom have written some phenomenally dark material. The thing most beautiful in comedy is to be able to split a room. Carlin's later material was certainly some of the best material for that.
robin williams is, of course, not funny
as for the 12 "not funny" commedians
i generally agree, except emo phillips can be really funny (sometimes)
and, as much as i hate to admit it, larry the cable guy really does have some funny lines
unlike the rest of the "blue collar" guys, he is actually a pretty good comic, in spite of (and certainly not due to) his corny stage persona
plus, with larry, it is refreshing to see a comedian break out of the typical liberal orthodoxy thats so common among so many of the hacky comedians that we see so often
but i do understand one of your main points; that a lot of times the audience cheers but doesn't laugh. i've noticed that for years. and bill maher? they do that to him, too.
i can only speak for me, but i'm 31. i never ever saw his pre-80's stand-up so it's not about "the 7 dirty words" or whatever. not for me. it's not abt his liberal boiler plate whatever. i didn't even know what libs or repubs stood for in the 80's and 90's when i think he was at his best. in fact i used to like dennis miller, too. later i found out he was a right-winger. whatever.
i won't list why i think he's awesome. but he is. people cheer because they realize he just said something brilliant TO THEM. something that went beyond just being funny.