Funny People

They say that comedy is the hardest thing to do as an actor, and we nod because we know it's hard to make people laugh. But it must be even harder as an actor to laugh, with convincing spontaneity, at someone telling the same joke in take after take. Maybe that's why most movie comedy consists of characters being funny to the audience, not funny to the other characters.

Watching Seinfeld as a kid I especially enjoyed those occasions when Jerry would slip into a bit or try out a new joke — I liked seeing him try to make his friends laugh, because my friends and I were always trying to make each other laugh. Sometimes Jerry or Kramer* would get a giggle out of Elaine, which I loved, but more often the show's writers preferred to let Jerry's jokes fall flat — in which case we laughed at Jerry's failure, but that was more cynical than the joyful experience of giggling along with Miss Benes. The shared appreciation of humor is uplifting.

Two of my favorite working stand-ups are Patton Oswalt and Zach Galifianakis, whose Comedians of Comedy tour was documented by Comedy Central in an excellent series (and feature film) that shows us these entertainers shooting the shit backstage, on the tour bus etc. They talk about comedy, about its function for them personally and in society. They trade stories, riff on one another and craft new material. Always there is expression of admiration and appreciation for their fellow artisans — for their idols and for the rising talent that excites them. Oswalt argues that we ought to follow our favorite stand-ups the way we follow our favorite musicians, observing how they progress and hone their skills over time.

If the Comedians of Comedy is a single case study in stand-up culture, then The Aristocrats is a national convention. More like jamboree. Produced by the righteous Penn Jillette — assiduous advocate for atheism, I add — this encyclopedic documentary uses the world's dirtiest joke as a conceit around which to gather conversation between every living comedian since Lenny Bruce about what we think is funny. A powerful impression I take away is that the participants, although frequently competitive and not always amicable, view the mission to bring laughter as a cooperative enterprise.

Funny People is astonishingly original in that the humor comes primarily from the characters making each other laugh. The situational aspects of the script — the traditional bread and butter of movie and TV comedy — are not funny or blackly funny but sad. It is true to the depression that many comedians admit to suffering, and to the fact that the world does not concoct wacky scenarios to lighten our days; dedicated and hard-working humorists write our every joke. Credit where credit is due.


* You better vote the way we want you to... [whipcrack]