Infinite Monkeys

Black Comedy

Over at Fraters Libertas, they've posted a reader's comments on a Neal Justin article reviewing Lewis Black's current HBO special, "Black On Broadway".

Whew! So many hyperlinks there I'm too tired to comment.

Okay, I haven't seen this particular special, but I've seen several of Black's specials on Comedy Central, as well as his weekly (sort of) segments on The Daily Show. My conclusion: Both reader Tom and writer Neil are thinking too hard about this. It's comedy, not philosophy. Black is funny to some people, and not to others. I find him hilarious most of the time, and I identify with his "Is it possible that the whole world is really THIS STUPID?" schtick. Others won't like it, and that's fine.

Justin tries to talk about how "important" it is for "edgy" comics to be around during times like these. Yawn. He's a COMEDIAN. Yes, he does a lot of political comedy, but if you watch his older specials, you can see that he's an equal opportunity political comic. He was ruthless with the Clintons during their reign, and now he shows King George no mercy. But it's all about making people laugh, and a successful comic is one who figures out who he "is" and hones that presentation. I can't imagine Black sitting down with his agent and philosophizing about what sort of comedy America "needs" right now, as if he's performing some sort of comedic public service.

Many popular artists wind up drowning in a sea of phony self-importance. But Black isn't Lenny Bruce. He isn't even Sam Kinison. He's a comic (yes, I know he's also a playwright) who has found a persona that he can work with, and that persona has found an audience. Good for him. Laugh if you find him funny.

Posted by RobbL at May 15, 2004 10:47 AM | TrackBack