this guy knows what I'm talking about!
July 15, 2009 11:46 AM Subscribe
It's RAAAAAAAANDY!!!!!!!! (nsfw)
There are many fake comedian's websites being used to promote the new Judd Apatow movie Funny People. But Aziz Ansari's parody is THE BEST and somehow manages to transcend the source (apparently he barely appears in the movie itself). Given that he's performing the character even without the props, will he ever be able to go back to his old style of telling jokes? Not if he becomes a meme!
There are many fake comedian's websites being used to promote the new Judd Apatow movie Funny People. But Aziz Ansari's parody is THE BEST and somehow manages to transcend the source (apparently he barely appears in the movie itself). Given that he's performing the character even without the props, will he ever be able to go back to his old style of telling jokes? Not if he becomes a meme!
Wow, wasn't expecting RAAAANDY to show up here. I love Ansari.
posted by dead cousin ted at 11:54 AM on July 15, 2009
posted by dead cousin ted at 11:54 AM on July 15, 2009
you know, I've always enjoyed fictional movies about comedians, almost without exception. From Punchline to The King of Comedy, to Funny Bones. I've loved them all. Something about that (inevitably depressing) insight into a comedian's life just grabs me. I'm totally hooked into this new movie. I desperately want to see it.
posted by shmegegge at 11:57 AM on July 15, 2009
posted by shmegegge at 11:57 AM on July 15, 2009
When I first saw the commercial for the new show Bored to Death I thought it was a viral for Funny People because it looked like exactly the kind of shrill, ridiculous, indie-cool pandering sort of show that Jason Schwartzman's character, the star of Yo Teach...!, would make when he wanted to go high-brow. Look, the show has a trendy comedy costar in Zach Galiafinankis! It's made legit by the presence of Ted Danson! Ha ha, how funny! The commercial came on HBO last week and I noted to my wife how smart it was that they put this on HBO as a method of legitimizing the spoofs in Funny People and then I realized... it was real.
posted by incessant at 11:57 AM on July 15, 2009
posted by incessant at 11:57 AM on July 15, 2009
Man, comedy is just not funny.
I'm pretty tired of this Judd Apatow cult, it's created a formulaic style of comedy. If I see one more dumb ass movie poster with the words "From the producers of 40 year old Virgin and Knocked Up" , I"m gonna flip out.
posted by Liquidwolf at 11:59 AM on July 15, 2009 [6 favorites]
I'm pretty tired of this Judd Apatow cult, it's created a formulaic style of comedy. If I see one more dumb ass movie poster with the words "From the producers of 40 year old Virgin and Knocked Up" , I"m gonna flip out.
posted by Liquidwolf at 11:59 AM on July 15, 2009 [6 favorites]
I like that he has a backup DJ guy while he does his comedy. And I like that its not Dane Cook.
posted by ElmerFishpaw at 12:05 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by ElmerFishpaw at 12:05 PM on July 15, 2009
so the new funny isn't? Holy, ummm, ironic.
posted by philip-random at 12:07 PM on July 15, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by philip-random at 12:07 PM on July 15, 2009 [1 favorite]
In a sense, though, he is Dane Cook.
posted by brain_drain at 12:07 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by brain_drain at 12:07 PM on July 15, 2009
Is this supposed to be funny-funny or parody-of-not-funny-funny or just parody-of-not-funny? I'm so confused.
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 12:10 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 12:10 PM on July 15, 2009
Aziz is complaining that people think he's actually Raaaaaaaandy, but what makes it confusing (I'd imagine) is that Raaaaaaaandy is performing some of Aziz's jokes. I remember seeing Aziz perform that hot tub joke about a year ago at UCB theater in NYcC
posted by piratebowling at 12:13 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by piratebowling at 12:13 PM on July 15, 2009
"From the producers of 40 year old Virgin and Knocked Up"
yeah that's gonna make me run to the theater
posted by Zambrano at 12:13 PM on July 15, 2009
yeah that's gonna make me run to the theater
posted by Zambrano at 12:13 PM on July 15, 2009
What the Lighthouse said. Am I supposed to be laughing at how bad this is? The way the DJ was talking it seemed like this was supposed to be a parody of the act, but it's toeing the line so I'm not sure.
posted by cavalier at 12:14 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by cavalier at 12:14 PM on July 15, 2009
I'm pretty sure he's doing an intentionally unfunny dane cook impression in order to mock him. I could be wrong though.
posted by dead cousin ted at 12:15 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by dead cousin ted at 12:15 PM on July 15, 2009
Man am I relieved this is parody.
posted by cortex at 12:16 PM on July 15, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by cortex at 12:16 PM on July 15, 2009 [2 favorites]
BuhBAM!
I thought this was hilAR
IOUS!
You don't need no root canal! You need a new DJ, homie!
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:16 PM on July 15, 2009
I thought this was hilAR
IOUS!
You don't need no root canal! You need a new DJ, homie!
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:16 PM on July 15, 2009
Regardless, yes it is a parody.
posted by dead cousin ted at 12:16 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by dead cousin ted at 12:16 PM on July 15, 2009
I'm pretty sure he's doing an intentionally unfunny accurate dane cook impression in order to mock him.
posted by graventy at 12:21 PM on July 15, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by graventy at 12:21 PM on July 15, 2009 [1 favorite]
"I been doin' comedy... for like 2 months."
beautiful.
posted by shmegegge at 12:22 PM on July 15, 2009
beautiful.
posted by shmegegge at 12:22 PM on July 15, 2009
Corrected for truth.
posted by dead cousin ted at 12:23 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by dead cousin ted at 12:23 PM on July 15, 2009
His delivery reminds me a lot of Oprah.
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 12:25 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 12:25 PM on July 15, 2009
As both a fan of movies and an idiot, I usually spend the first 15 minutes trying to follow the premise, and the more I know about the characters, the easier it is. So, as long as I must constantly be surrounded by advertisements, I prefer the whole "fake real websites for fictional characters on the actual web" viral scheme to a crammed-together commercial or a poster's tagline.
posted by jake at 12:27 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by jake at 12:27 PM on July 15, 2009
Well, on second thought, I wasn't entirely truthful. I spend the first 15 minutes watching commercials for other movies, mobile phone providers, and cars.
posted by jake at 12:29 PM on July 15, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by jake at 12:29 PM on July 15, 2009 [1 favorite]
The three e's in peeedro seem so stingy now that Raaaaaaaandy is on the scene.
posted by peeedro at 12:32 PM on July 15, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by peeedro at 12:32 PM on July 15, 2009 [2 favorites]
Raaaaaaaandy is performing some of Aziz's jokes.
What makes this even better is that Aziz isn't a very funny stand-up and a pretty poor joke-writer, but he creates a character that's meant to be a horrible stand-up, does the EXACT SAME JOKES, and suddenly I'm laughing. He's lampooning himself, although I'm rather sure he doesn't know it. I know someone who works very closely with him, and he doesn't have very thick skin apparently.
posted by incessant at 12:32 PM on July 15, 2009 [4 favorites]
What makes this even better is that Aziz isn't a very funny stand-up and a pretty poor joke-writer, but he creates a character that's meant to be a horrible stand-up, does the EXACT SAME JOKES, and suddenly I'm laughing. He's lampooning himself, although I'm rather sure he doesn't know it. I know someone who works very closely with him, and he doesn't have very thick skin apparently.
posted by incessant at 12:32 PM on July 15, 2009 [4 favorites]
Combustible Edison Lighthouse: I've put together the timeline like this (based on this interview):
Aziz gets a role playing a dumb comedian in a Judd Apatow movie. He creates this character for some minor scenes--he just talks in a goofy voice and has a DJ. Some of the material is his own, told in a ridiculous way. It's not supposed to go anywhere.
People seem to like Raaaaaaaandy, Apatow asks him to play at a big concert with other fake comedians in LA to promote the movie.
Raaaaaaaandy kills onstage. AA's cleverness and wordplay plus Raaaaaaaandy's absurd over-the-top vulgarity, catchphrases, and amazing dance moves are genuinely hilarious, especially if you recognize the childish lowbrow antics as parodies of a certain brand (or brands--urban + Dane Cook) of stand-up. Or not--if you are an idiot (like me) he's just a little old cartoon character who says DICK a lot lol.
Now Aziz can't stop doing it--the people, they love Raaaaaaaandy. It's either the end of the beginning of his career (or both cf Steve Martin). He's like a character from Infinite Jest, trapped playing a role he created as joke that everyone loves for precisely the wrong reasons. Watch for his real HBO Comedy Special and sitcom in 2011.
Perhaps he will one day give in and become Raaaaaaaandy. Perhaps we all will. Who then will tell the satire from the satyr?
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:33 PM on July 15, 2009 [24 favorites]
Aziz gets a role playing a dumb comedian in a Judd Apatow movie. He creates this character for some minor scenes--he just talks in a goofy voice and has a DJ. Some of the material is his own, told in a ridiculous way. It's not supposed to go anywhere.
People seem to like Raaaaaaaandy, Apatow asks him to play at a big concert with other fake comedians in LA to promote the movie.
Raaaaaaaandy kills onstage. AA's cleverness and wordplay plus Raaaaaaaandy's absurd over-the-top vulgarity, catchphrases, and amazing dance moves are genuinely hilarious, especially if you recognize the childish lowbrow antics as parodies of a certain brand (or brands--urban + Dane Cook) of stand-up. Or not--if you are an idiot (like me) he's just a little old cartoon character who says DICK a lot lol.
Now Aziz can't stop doing it--the people, they love Raaaaaaaandy. It's either the end of the beginning of his career (or both cf Steve Martin). He's like a character from Infinite Jest, trapped playing a role he created as joke that everyone loves for precisely the wrong reasons. Watch for his real HBO Comedy Special and sitcom in 2011.
Perhaps he will one day give in and become Raaaaaaaandy. Perhaps we all will. Who then will tell the satire from the satyr?
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:33 PM on July 15, 2009 [24 favorites]
that actually sounds like Larry The Cable Guy's dilemma, right there. Apparently it's something he never originally intended to be the entirety of his routine, but which he now has to do exclusively to maintain his career. Also, apparently, the accent isn't his and he has to try to maintain it even off stage for fear that he'll accidentally drop it on stage if he's used to speaking as he normally would.
posted by shmegegge at 12:41 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by shmegegge at 12:41 PM on July 15, 2009
I thought the video of Raaaaaaaandy wasn't very funny, with the exception of the end where he puts his face over that of the male porn stars - hilarious.
posted by Bort at 12:50 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by Bort at 12:50 PM on July 15, 2009
part of the reason this is so funny is that the crowd seems to be in sync with him, laughing with him instead of at him. Do they get the joke? Probably, but that doesnt come across in the clips. At first I thought the crowd was acting too.
posted by milestogo at 12:56 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by milestogo at 12:56 PM on July 15, 2009
oh god kill me now
ZOMG SEX STORIES BY HYPERACTIVE KID THAT JUMPS TOO MUCH ARE SO FUNNY AMIRITE?
posted by litleozy at 12:57 PM on July 15, 2009
ZOMG SEX STORIES BY HYPERACTIVE KID THAT JUMPS TOO MUCH ARE SO FUNNY AMIRITE?
posted by litleozy at 12:57 PM on July 15, 2009
I saw him perform @ the Punchline a few weeks back and man was it unbearable. He kept name dropping Kanye (not as Raaaaaaaaaaaaandy) and I couldn't tell if it was a joke or not. Just doesn't do it for me.
posted by dizzymisslizy at 12:58 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by dizzymisslizy at 12:58 PM on July 15, 2009
so when people see him now, are they going to see a Dane Cook parody or a genuine comedic personality?
posted by milestogo at 12:59 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by milestogo at 12:59 PM on July 15, 2009
i want to go to one of his shows with a tranquilliser gun
posted by litleozy at 1:00 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by litleozy at 1:00 PM on July 15, 2009
You know, I saw a little bit of "Dane Cook" on some tv thing last summer and I was really impressed at how not funny it was. I mean, really seriously impressed - that is not funny, people are paying to see it, yet it is not funny.
I came away from it thinking this "Dane Cook" is a genius fuck-nut I want to never see or hear of again. For the most part my fervent little wish has come true.
This Raaaaaaaandy character is funnier than "Dane Cook" by trying to be worse than "Dane Cook". Now if that doesn't tell you you suck at something, you're beyond help.
posted by From Bklyn at 1:01 PM on July 15, 2009
I came away from it thinking this "Dane Cook" is a genius fuck-nut I want to never see or hear of again. For the most part my fervent little wish has come true.
This Raaaaaaaandy character is funnier than "Dane Cook" by trying to be worse than "Dane Cook". Now if that doesn't tell you you suck at something, you're beyond help.
posted by From Bklyn at 1:01 PM on July 15, 2009
Apparently it's something he never originally intended to be the entirety of his routine, but which he now has to do exclusively to maintain his career.
Wait, say what? We heard him on the radio for years upon years here in Central Florida and that was his only schtick. In fact he was so commited to it that I was suprised when he landed a TV role that he wasn't just some old (like, grey bear old) redneck hilljack. Has he really tried to shed that image?
posted by cavalier at 1:05 PM on July 15, 2009
Wait, say what? We heard him on the radio for years upon years here in Central Florida and that was his only schtick. In fact he was so commited to it that I was suprised when he landed a TV role that he wasn't just some old (like, grey bear old) redneck hilljack. Has he really tried to shed that image?
posted by cavalier at 1:05 PM on July 15, 2009
And oh god, you mean those crowds are not fake? Oh, god.
posted by cavalier at 1:06 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by cavalier at 1:06 PM on July 15, 2009
Has he really tried to shed that image?
Well, I'm going by Wikipedia, so caveat lector and all that. My impression is that that was just one of his characters, and he never intended it to be his whole thing. If that's incorrect, then hey that's wikipedia for you. as far as trying to shed that image, again from wikipedia, the idea is that no he isn't trying to shed it, because he believes he can't.
posted by shmegegge at 1:09 PM on July 15, 2009
Well, I'm going by Wikipedia, so caveat lector and all that. My impression is that that was just one of his characters, and he never intended it to be his whole thing. If that's incorrect, then hey that's wikipedia for you. as far as trying to shed that image, again from wikipedia, the idea is that no he isn't trying to shed it, because he believes he can't.
posted by shmegegge at 1:09 PM on July 15, 2009
And oh god, you mean those crowds are not fake? Oh, god.
They're in on the joke. Apatow filmed a few of these comedy shows in January for the film. Jonah Hill performed as his character in the film, as did Seth Rogan and Adam Sandler (and, obviously, Aziz). The audience was completely in on it.
posted by incessant at 1:13 PM on July 15, 2009
They're in on the joke. Apatow filmed a few of these comedy shows in January for the film. Jonah Hill performed as his character in the film, as did Seth Rogan and Adam Sandler (and, obviously, Aziz). The audience was completely in on it.
posted by incessant at 1:13 PM on July 15, 2009
I thought the video of Raaaaaaaandy wasn't very funny, with the exception of the end where he puts his face over that of the male porn stars - hilarious.
posted by Bort at 3:50 PM
Yeah, I didn't laugh until the part where he says "I always leave him in. I just think he kinda looks like Hercules." That was very amusing.
posted by orme at 1:15 PM on July 15, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by Bort at 3:50 PM
Yeah, I didn't laugh until the part where he says "I always leave him in. I just think he kinda looks like Hercules." That was very amusing.
posted by orme at 1:15 PM on July 15, 2009 [2 favorites]
Do you have to invent an alternate universe every time you want to advertise a movie?
posted by hellojed at 1:16 PM on July 15, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by hellojed at 1:16 PM on July 15, 2009 [1 favorite]
incessant: If by in-on-it you mean-- "Knows the act is deliberately over-the-top" then I agree. If you mean they are pretending to laugh I disagree. Most crowds like Ra8ndy's shtick it seems, better than they do Aziz's regular jokes.
I like them both in different ways. I also like how he name-drops Kanye all the time because if I knew Kanye I would totes tell everyone I knew him all the time always.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:20 PM on July 15, 2009
I like them both in different ways. I also like how he name-drops Kanye all the time because if I knew Kanye I would totes tell everyone I knew him all the time always.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:20 PM on July 15, 2009
I wish all comedy was multi-layered-Meta-comedy. I kinda like the fact that some people are struggling to separate the artist from the art here. George Carlin played the same game for the majority of his life, and I've read a few accounts that said he was nothing like his on-stage persona, while others claim he mostly was.
Ansari and others, like Galifianakis, are proof that there's this bigger business that has grown out of the collision of stand-up and the web. Your actual act (standing on stage for 45 minutes) is no longer your whole act.
This guy was on Scrubs and will be back on in Parks and Recreation in the fall. I don't think he gives a shit how many people go see him at The Looney Bin in East Bumfuck, PA. His brand is probably built on the shittiness/awkwardness/lameness of his stand-up, among ten other things. I personally think his twitter feed is funnier than any routine I've seen him do. He also maintains a blog that is sometimes entertaining.
posted by snapped at 1:27 PM on July 15, 2009
Ansari and others, like Galifianakis, are proof that there's this bigger business that has grown out of the collision of stand-up and the web. Your actual act (standing on stage for 45 minutes) is no longer your whole act.
This guy was on Scrubs and will be back on in Parks and Recreation in the fall. I don't think he gives a shit how many people go see him at The Looney Bin in East Bumfuck, PA. His brand is probably built on the shittiness/awkwardness/lameness of his stand-up, among ten other things. I personally think his twitter feed is funnier than any routine I've seen him do. He also maintains a blog that is sometimes entertaining.
posted by snapped at 1:27 PM on July 15, 2009
Ha, that's actually funny.
I just hope they get more (good, Freaks and Geeks) Apatow in my Sandler then they get Sandler in my Apatow. I've felt for a while Judd is is serious danger of turning into Adam, what with surrounding himself with a "crew" that gets less funny as you go down the line, but due to overall success start to get their own starring vehicles anyway (fat curly-haired kid = Rob Schneider?), and the increasing dependence on formulaic "likable-sad-sack" stories.
posted by drjimmy11 at 1:30 PM on July 15, 2009
I just hope they get more (good, Freaks and Geeks) Apatow in my Sandler then they get Sandler in my Apatow. I've felt for a while Judd is is serious danger of turning into Adam, what with surrounding himself with a "crew" that gets less funny as you go down the line, but due to overall success start to get their own starring vehicles anyway (fat curly-haired kid = Rob Schneider?), and the increasing dependence on formulaic "likable-sad-sack" stories.
posted by drjimmy11 at 1:30 PM on July 15, 2009
Ansari is awesome.
posted by chunking express at 1:41 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by chunking express at 1:41 PM on July 15, 2009
I saw Aziz Ansari about 4 years ago at the UCB theater, when he was doing a show called Aziz Ansari Punched A Wall, which was about how he got so mad about a girl he punched a wall and broke his hand and had to wear a ridiculous cast and healing device. He would also do this thing called "crash test," where comedians go on stage in the middle of the night to test their material. On the whole, I think he's really funny and warm and genuine, which is why people can't figure out whether he's joking when he's doing his Dane Cook impression or he's being legit. Personally, I don't care. I just like the guy.
posted by orville sash at 1:43 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by orville sash at 1:43 PM on July 15, 2009
cavalier, if you haven't seen it, check out this.
I don't know if he tried to shed it, but it's clear how contrived it is.
posted by tomierna at 1:45 PM on July 15, 2009
I don't know if he tried to shed it, but it's clear how contrived it is.
posted by tomierna at 1:45 PM on July 15, 2009
Most crowds like Ra8ndy's shtick it seems, better than they do Aziz's regular jokes.
Confidence and stage presence go a long way in person. From the clips, Raaaaaandy has far more of both than Aziz doing his regular act. It reminds me of an old metafilter comment regarding Sinbad. Even if the jokes aren't that funny sitting at home analyzing them, the delivery makes it work when you see it live.
The style reminds me more of Def Comedy Jam than Dane Cook, for what it's worth.
posted by Gary at 1:50 PM on July 15, 2009
Confidence and stage presence go a long way in person. From the clips, Raaaaaandy has far more of both than Aziz doing his regular act. It reminds me of an old metafilter comment regarding Sinbad. Even if the jokes aren't that funny sitting at home analyzing them, the delivery makes it work when you see it live.
The style reminds me more of Def Comedy Jam than Dane Cook, for what it's worth.
posted by Gary at 1:50 PM on July 15, 2009
I'm on board with incessant on this one, more or less. I find the Raaaaaandy thing funny the jokes aren't very good but the character it's coming from makes it more tolerable. Aziz Ansari does these same jokes as himself. But without a silly character to hang the jokes on they don't work nearly as well. I know Aziz probably doesn't think about himself this way but he is famous for the exact same reason as Dane Cook. Smart and relentless self promotion.
posted by I Foody at 2:02 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by I Foody at 2:02 PM on July 15, 2009
I think I learned everything I needed to know about Aziz Ansari from his IMAX whining. Human Giant somehow manages to be funny even with him around.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:07 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:07 PM on July 15, 2009
Not sure what to make of this at the moment. Maybe I just don't get it yet, and I'll revisit after I see the film. It's interesting to see Apatow hate on this thread re: Funny People. I can understand people getting tired of all the increasingly mediocre stuff that rides on his name & coterie, but in my opinion the two movies he's produced/written/directed (40 Year Old Virgin & Knocked Up) are some of the least formulaic, most refreshing comedies in a long time. That's certainly enough to make me give Funny People the benefit of the doubt.
posted by pziemba at 2:19 PM on July 15, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by pziemba at 2:19 PM on July 15, 2009 [1 favorite]
oh great... I'm the "Sinbad guy" now.
The first thing i thought when I saw Raaaaaaaaandy... "women be shoppin!"
Aziz Ansari is a funny guy. But he's just young. Used to be a comedian had to go on the road for 10 or 15 years to get to the career level that most young comics get now after a few years.
posted by billyfleetwood at 3:09 PM on July 15, 2009 [2 favorites]
The first thing i thought when I saw Raaaaaaaaandy... "women be shoppin!"
Aziz Ansari is a funny guy. But he's just young. Used to be a comedian had to go on the road for 10 or 15 years to get to the career level that most young comics get now after a few years.
posted by billyfleetwood at 3:09 PM on July 15, 2009 [2 favorites]
I think aziz is good. I saw him last year at SXSW at the mess with texas 2 (mess with texas 3 didn't have comedians for some reason). He was hilarious and the human giant bit they did was great. I made Rob break character, which was great.
Raaaaaaaandy is hillarious to me too.
posted by djduckie at 3:51 PM on July 15, 2009
Raaaaaaaandy is hillarious to me too.
posted by djduckie at 3:51 PM on July 15, 2009
So where's the Walken impression? Huh? Helllloooooooo!!!!
*crickets-boos self from milk crate*
(almost as bad as raaaaaaaandy)
posted by snsranch at 3:56 PM on July 15, 2009
*crickets-boos self from milk crate*
(almost as bad as raaaaaaaandy)
posted by snsranch at 3:56 PM on July 15, 2009
That ended up way funnier than it started.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:59 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:59 PM on July 15, 2009
OK I laughed....at DJ Ol' Youngin'! (M'uhf*ckers need to KNOW)
posted by OHenryPacey at 4:07 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by OHenryPacey at 4:07 PM on July 15, 2009
Gee, somebody should really tell everybody who goes to see Dane Cook that Dane Cook isn't funny. I mean, obviously, they're laughing wrong, and if someone would just point out that he's an untalented hack, he'd stop selling out stadiums and slide back into obscurity where he belongs.
Dane Cook has been duping the American public long enough! Please, somebody stop him!
posted by xingcat at 4:42 PM on July 15, 2009
Dane Cook has been duping the American public long enough! Please, somebody stop him!
posted by xingcat at 4:42 PM on July 15, 2009
I love hearing the same joke over and over and over again. It's funny.
posted by Chuffy at 5:08 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by Chuffy at 5:08 PM on July 15, 2009
Dane Cook has been duping the American public long enough! Please, somebody stop him!
I'm a big defender of the essential goodness of people and wouldn't dream of reducing someone's actual worth to this world based on subjective aesthetic disagreements, but having disclaimed that I don't think there's anything controversial about suggesting that a lot of the American public has, for one reason or another, fairly shitty taste.
Dane Cook's success is not infuriating because he's secretly actually good; it's infuriating because that he's bad isn't stopping him. He is the all-mugging, hack-a-day Dan Brown of comedy: his success is not a refutation of his critics but a condemnation of his fans.
posted by cortex at 5:31 PM on July 15, 2009 [3 favorites]
I'm a big defender of the essential goodness of people and wouldn't dream of reducing someone's actual worth to this world based on subjective aesthetic disagreements, but having disclaimed that I don't think there's anything controversial about suggesting that a lot of the American public has, for one reason or another, fairly shitty taste.
Dane Cook's success is not infuriating because he's secretly actually good; it's infuriating because that he's bad isn't stopping him. He is the all-mugging, hack-a-day Dan Brown of comedy: his success is not a refutation of his critics but a condemnation of his fans.
posted by cortex at 5:31 PM on July 15, 2009 [3 favorites]
Dane Cook is not funny. Just because he sells out shows in stadiums (the best place for stand-up, bar none) doesn't mean he's funny. It means whoever markets him is smart
sucks sucks, lots of people liking it doesn't make it otherwise. Just as my saying it doesn't make it so. But still, I'm sticking by my argument - he's any un-funny unoriginal uninteresting comedian. A failure who is making a lot (? I dunno, is he) money at it.
posted by From Bklyn at 5:35 PM on July 15, 2009
sucks sucks, lots of people liking it doesn't make it otherwise. Just as my saying it doesn't make it so. But still, I'm sticking by my argument - he's any un-funny unoriginal uninteresting comedian. A failure who is making a lot (? I dunno, is he) money at it.
posted by From Bklyn at 5:35 PM on July 15, 2009
Gee, somebody should really tell everybody who goes to see Dane Cook that Dane Cook isn't funny. I mean, obviously, they're laughing wrong, and if someone would just point out that he's an untalented hack, he'd stop selling out stadiums and slide back into obscurity where he belongs.
Dane Cook has been duping the American public long enough! Please, somebody stop him!
Looks like someone likes dane cook! Now we're all gonna wail on your ass!! Whhoooo!
posted by dead cousin ted at 6:27 PM on July 15, 2009
Dane Cook has been duping the American public long enough! Please, somebody stop him!
Looks like someone likes dane cook! Now we're all gonna wail on your ass!! Whhoooo!
posted by dead cousin ted at 6:27 PM on July 15, 2009
"Used to be a comedian had to go on the road for 10 or 15 years to get to the career level that most very very few young comics get now after a few years."
FTFY
posted by incessant at 7:19 PM on July 15, 2009
FTFY
posted by incessant at 7:19 PM on July 15, 2009
I wish all comedy was multi-layered-Meta-comedy.
Boy am I glad it isn't. At some point you've gotta stop sucking your own dick to come up for air.
posted by nola at 7:48 PM on July 15, 2009 [3 favorites]
Boy am I glad it isn't. At some point you've gotta stop sucking your own dick to come up for air.
posted by nola at 7:48 PM on July 15, 2009 [3 favorites]
Incessant, I'm not sure exactly what you "fixed" for me?
Used to be a young comedian had to go on the road for 10 or 15 years to get to a career level that a comedian can now get to in much less time.
Same point, edited for clarity. If you actually have a different take, I'd love to hear it, because I think it's an interesting topic.
posted by billyfleetwood at 8:47 PM on July 15, 2009
Used to be a young comedian had to go on the road for 10 or 15 years to get to a career level that a comedian can now get to in much less time.
Same point, edited for clarity. If you actually have a different take, I'd love to hear it, because I think it's an interesting topic.
posted by billyfleetwood at 8:47 PM on July 15, 2009
He's right about Evan Stone. Gotta love that guy.
posted by wemayfreeze at 11:52 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by wemayfreeze at 11:52 PM on July 15, 2009
Either he is taking too many drugs, or I'm not taking enough. FAIL.
posted by vac2003 at 12:38 AM on July 16, 2009
posted by vac2003 at 12:38 AM on July 16, 2009
billy, his point is that comedy is a dying scene. it's true that some young comics get to have tv shows right off the bat, but that was always true. meanwhile, touring for 10 years doesn't get you jack shit but a dead liver and an amorphous hatred for humanity.
being the sinbad guy is awesome by the way, sinbad fucking rocks.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:34 AM on July 16, 2009
being the sinbad guy is awesome by the way, sinbad fucking rocks.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:34 AM on July 16, 2009
Billy, I agree with you that comedians have more avenues for getting their comedy out there and they seem to break earlier nowadays, but you said that "most" young comics get to that career level that older comics used to have to work 15 years to get to. Comics succeed earlier now, but still VERY VERY FEW of them succeed. When those comics succeed has changed (Galifianakis the exception that proves the rule), but the numbers of them that succeed have stayed the same or even declined. I was just making the point that success in comedy remains exceedingly rare and that there are still thousands and thousands of disastrously unsuccessful comics out there, young or old, youtube or no.
posted by incessant at 10:55 AM on July 16, 2009
posted by incessant at 10:55 AM on July 16, 2009
That's louder than your face, man.
posted by chunking express at 12:30 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by chunking express at 12:30 PM on July 16, 2009
Also those Yo Teach videos are pretty well done. I could totally see NBC making a shitty TV show like that.
posted by chunking express at 5:39 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by chunking express at 5:39 PM on July 16, 2009
(The Miki Moves Up episode is great.)
posted by chunking express at 5:42 PM on July 16, 2009
posted by chunking express at 5:42 PM on July 16, 2009
Part 2 of the documentary is up.
posted by chunking express at 10:35 AM on July 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by chunking express at 10:35 AM on July 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Part two is more explicit in its mockery of Dane Cook, particularly the way he "upgrades" jokes.
posted by Bookhouse at 12:21 PM on July 20, 2009
posted by Bookhouse at 12:21 PM on July 20, 2009
I skipped the documentary the first time and didn't understand the Dane Cook derail. The comedy style is not Dane Cook, but the documentary is definitely modeled after Tourgasm (even more so in part 2). Three lesser known comics travel around with Raaaaaaaandy and talk about how lucky they are to know him.
If Dane would have just ripped off "The Comedians of Comedy" entirely, there could have been something there (for those who don't hate his act entirely, at least). But the first episode tried so hard to create fake drama that I gave up on yet another terrible reality show. I expected more from HBO, at least.
posted by Gary at 3:14 PM on July 20, 2009
If Dane would have just ripped off "The Comedians of Comedy" entirely, there could have been something there (for those who don't hate his act entirely, at least). But the first episode tried so hard to create fake drama that I gave up on yet another terrible reality show. I expected more from HBO, at least.
posted by Gary at 3:14 PM on July 20, 2009
It's all bungled up over there, man. Make me want to smack somebody. Not you, sweet heart.
posted by chunking express at 6:38 AM on July 27, 2009
posted by chunking express at 6:38 AM on July 27, 2009
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posted by Bookhouse at 11:54 AM on July 15, 2009