Comments on: A Lesson in Comedy http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/05/21/a-lesson-in-comedy/ Overthinking It subjects the popular culture to a level of scrutiny it probably doesn't deserve. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:05:13 +0000 hourly 1 By: wrather http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/05/21/a-lesson-in-comedy/#comment-309 wrather Fri, 23 May 2008 13:23:09 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=283#comment-309 (It may not be entirely clear when I'm joking. I consider that good. As a hint, though, you can look for the word "rubes".) (It may not be entirely clear when I’m joking. I consider that good. As a hint, though, you can look for the word “rubes”.)

]]> By: wrather http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/05/21/a-lesson-in-comedy/#comment-308 wrather Fri, 23 May 2008 13:21:27 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=283#comment-308 That's a great moment. In case you haven't seen it: http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=011a501bc0009d305be89db1103bac03 Still, it's different for a couple of reasons. 1) It's verbal not visual. 2) The irony is a lot more overt and knowing. 3) It sends up the pretensions of an American cultural elite rather than the mainstream of American culture. And for those reasons, I prefer it less. I mean, I BELONG to an a American cultural elite. I write (infrequently) on a blog, for instance. I don't want my popular entertainments to skewer my aspirations, I want them to make fun of those crass bourgeois yokels in the flyover states! Those rubes. That’s a great moment. In case you haven’t seen it:
http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=011a501bc0009d305be89db1103bac03

Still, it’s different for a couple of reasons.

1) It’s verbal not visual.

2) The irony is a lot more overt and knowing.

3) It sends up the pretensions of an American cultural elite rather than the mainstream of American culture.

And for those reasons, I prefer it less. I mean, I BELONG to an a American cultural elite. I write (infrequently) on a blog, for instance. I don’t want my popular entertainments to skewer my aspirations, I want them to make fun of those crass bourgeois yokels in the flyover states! Those rubes.

]]> By: Matthew Belinkie http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/05/21/a-lesson-in-comedy/#comment-307 Matthew Belinkie Fri, 23 May 2008 00:27:40 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=283#comment-307 The greatest Family Guy moment, for me, is still... Stewie: How you uh, how you comin' on that novel you're working on? Huh? Gotta a big, uh, big stack of papers there? Gotta, gotta nice litte story you're working on there? Your big novel you've been working on for 3 years? Huh? Gotta, gotta compelling protaganist? Yeah? Gotta obstacle for him to overcome? Huh? Gotta story brewing there? Working on, working on that for quite some time? Huh? (voice getting higher pitched) Yea, talking about that 3 years ago. Been working on that the whole time? Nice little narrative? Beginning, middle, and end? Some friends become enemies, some enemies become friends? At the end your main character is richer from the experience? Yeah? Yeah? The greatest Family Guy moment, for me, is still…

Stewie: How you uh, how you comin’ on that novel you’re working on? Huh? Gotta a big, uh, big stack of papers there? Gotta, gotta nice litte story you’re working on there? Your big novel you’ve been working on for 3 years? Huh? Gotta, gotta compelling protaganist? Yeah? Gotta obstacle for him to overcome? Huh? Gotta story brewing there? Working on, working on that for quite some time? Huh? (voice getting higher pitched) Yea, talking about that 3 years ago. Been working on that the whole time? Nice little narrative? Beginning, middle, and end? Some friends become enemies, some enemies become friends? At the end your main character is richer from the experience? Yeah? Yeah?

]]> By: Dan Alt http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/05/21/a-lesson-in-comedy/#comment-306 Dan Alt Thu, 22 May 2008 23:29:14 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=283#comment-306 This is why I love the Marx Brothers and Charlie Chaplin. This is why I love the Marx Brothers and Charlie Chaplin.

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