I am a student of comedy. I watch and listen to it and so deep analyses of it. I look at body language, word usage, timing, and all other types of meaningless shit. It’s really weird. For example I find Jerry Seinfeld amusing in a light way if I just watch is performance but why I do my worthless analyse I find him to be brilliant. While not totally my cup of tea my standards rank him as one of the greatest of all time.
Right now I am geeking heavy over Louis C.K. and Ricky Gervais. Louis is a real problem. It’s this stupid thing where he is so much like me I am uncomfortable. Everything he says I just totally agree with and his emotions are a lot like mine and I even kinda look like the fucker. It just so horrible that I even care.
His show is one of the most unique, perfectly realized comedy gems I’ve ever seen. The rant about the worthlessness of anyone under 21? The constant, unashamedly perverted fantasies? S many best bits it’s hard to choose but the way it’s all undercut with genuine sweetness is what makes it.
He really does live in NYC with his 2 daughters (not the actresses but the same age). Most surreal moment of my year was almost walking into the three of them in midtown a couple of months ago.
Just an FYI - in case you did not know - Go to louisck.com. He just posted an hour long concert yesterday - Live at the Beacon - that you can download for $5.
My wife surprised me this summer for my birthday- she arranged for my parents to watch our kids for a night - we drove to Chicago for a “mystery trip” - which turned out to be dinner with my brother and his girlfriend who live there and then some event. The event turned out to be a Louis CK concert - like you, I love his stuff. One of the best performances I’ve ever attended. He did at least an hour and a half of material I had never heard. Plus, he had another hour of guests - Richard Lewis (fine, okay, but never really liked him), Steven Wright (was very good), and Jake Johannson (who was extremely funny). Even my wife, who hates stand up comedy, thought he was hilarious.
Last, there is a clip on youtube in which he describes how much of an influence George Carlin was on him - and how prior to learning that George just threw everything out once a year - Louis was just honing the same hour of stuff over a long period of time. Then go back and look at his old act - it was pretty much really bland crappy stuff. Amazing on the transformation.
Meh, all three (Seinfeld/C.K./Gervais) base their comedy on sort of a whiny, ironic detachment. And they’re too “safe,” only slightly edgier than Leno fluff. I prefer the comedy that you’d feel uncomfortable watching with your grandmother.
E.g. Carlin who you felt was truly fucking angry at the world, and went far beyond the mild self-pity of “Can you believe kids these days!” jokes.
"I prefer the comedy that you’d feel uncomfortable watching with your grandmother. "
So you would be comfortable listening to Louis C.K. talk about the bad hand job he got from his wife with your grandmother? Your family needs boundaries.