Topic: Your comedy background...what is it?

[metaldams]

OK, there are a few posters I know well, a few I don't know so well, and some I kind of know.  I know we all love The Three Stooges, but what other comics and brands of comedy do you like?  Knowing this can help trigger future discussion.

As for me, I have kind of a camp sense of humor in some ways, so I love really good bad movies, y'know, Ed Wood type stuff.  My signature about "my perfect body" is a Mickey Hargitay quote from BLOODY PIT OF HORROR, a great, trashy Italian S&M torture fest with Euro Super babes.

I also love the great silent comedians that were a partial influence on The Three Stooges, like Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Harold lloyd, etc.  I'm VERY passionate about those guys.  Also love W.C. Fields, Laurel and Hardy, and Abbott and Costello and like some of the old 30's and early 40's screwball comedies as well.

While I'm no expert, I also enjoy the occasional Monty Python and Mel Brooks film, and love The Simpsons.  THIS IS SPINAL TAP is also pure genius, and for the morbid side of my humor, I find crooked televangelists very entertaining.

What about you guys?

[archiezappa]

I like Abbott & Costello, Laurel & Hardy, Martin & Lewis, The Marx Brothers.  You know, all those old comedy teams like that.  I also like Mel Brooks movies.  I agree that "This Is Spinal Tap" is pure genius.  Hey, imagine the three main characters from Spinal Tap played by Moe, Larry & Curly.  That would be funny.  Moe as David St. Hubbins.  Larry as Derek Smalls.  Curly as Nigel Tufnel.  Wow!  That would really be funny!  Vernon Dent could be that keyboard player.  Imagine the hijinks! 

Moe:  You call that a guitar solo?

Curly:  No, I was just tuning up.  Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!

(Slap!)

Larry:  We have two visionaries in the group...

[busybuddy]

My dad is a huge Stooge fan so he is the one who turned me on to them when I was still in the crib. He has a great classic comedy movie/book selection so I watched a lot of great stuff as a kid. At that time though, I didn't like the Marx Brothers, only because I couldn't comprehend Groucho's jokes. But when I was about 7, I got to see The Coconuts on the big screen when they had a re-opening of our local Paramount theatre.

When I was about 12, my friend Dallas Wait and I started our own comedy team and we watched every sound Laurel and Hardy short that we could get our hands on. Our act disbanded in 2002, but in 2006, we got back together to make a new film (which is still being filmed). You can find out more @ myspace.com/troxelandwait. (shameless plug!)

But we got back together because I read Dean and Me:A Love Story by Jerry Lewis. After that, I became a huge Martin and Lewis/Jerry Lewis solo fan. As a twenty year old now, I  cannot get enough classic comedy. My favorites are:

The 3 Stooges
Marx Brothers
Laurel and Hardy
Martin and Lewis
Abbott and Costello
W.C. Fields
Woody Allen
Hope and Crosby
Monty Python

and as for new stuff, I hate most of it, although I like The Office, Family Guy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld, and Troxel and Wait.

[JazzBill]

I like Buster Keaton a lot. If you don't have it, you need to get a copy of the dvd " Buster Keaton Collection ". It was put out by Sony a couple of years ago. It's the 10 shorts he put out while he was at Columbia in the early 1940's. I think 9 of them were directed by Jules White and one of them by Del Lord. They all used the same cast members as the Stooge shorts. Keep in mind , you will be pissed off when you see what a good dvd Sony can put out when they really want to. Very good commentary and special features. Makes you wonder why they can't do the same for the Stooges.

[jrvass]

Off the top of my head...

Our Gang/Little Rascals
Groucho Marx
Older Beverly Hillbillies
Older All in the Family
Bill Cosby (stand up/concert venue)
George Carlin (stand up/concert venue)
Redd Foxx (stand up/concert venue)
Benny Hill
Red Greene

James

[metaldams]

I like Buster Keaton a lot. If you don't have it, you need to get a copy of the dvd " Buster Keaton Collection ". It was put out by Sony a couple of years ago. It's the 10 shorts he put out while he was at Columbia in the early 1940's. I think 9 of them were directed by Jules White and one of them by Del Lord. They all used the same cast members as the Stooge shorts. Keep in mind , you will be pissed off when you see what a good dvd Sony can put out when they really want to. Very good commentary and special features. Makes you wonder why they can't do the same for the Stooges.

Jazzbill, just curious, but did you ever get around to checking out Keaton's silent material?  I think I remember the Sony set was your Keaton introduction, unless if I'm confusing you for someone else.

[stooged and confused]

Okay, as long as we agree that "This Is Spinal Tap" is genius, which it is, who can forget the Stooges tribute with the drummer Joe "Mamma" Besser, who, like all other Tap drummers exploded on stage!!

[Double Deal Decker]

I've pretty much the same tastes as other folks here. Besides the Stooges, I like The Honeymooners, Abbott and Costello, the Marx Brothers, All In the Family, The Little Rascals, George Carlin, etc. The Stooges are probably my earliest serious influence. I must have started to watch them at 8 or 9 years of age.

[moe-jo]

Larry the Cable Guy

[Justin T]

My Mom was a fan of the Stooges growing up, and she turned me onto them when I was in grade school. I've
been a Stoogemaniac ever since 

Besides the Stooges, I also love...

The Marx Brothers (They were very funny, lost of classic movies)
Abbott and Costello (Who's On First? rules, lots of fun movies esp the ones with Shemp)
Bill Cosby (His stand up and The Cosby Show were awesome)
Mel Brooks (Love his movie work from the 70's and 80's, B. Saddles, Y. Frankenstien, Spaceballs ect.)
Steve Martin (Loved watching his movies growing up)
Monty Python (loved Holy Grail and the TV show)
Larry The Cable Guy (I think he's a hoot)

[Dog Hambone]

I also love the great silent comedians that were a partial influence on The Three Stooges, like Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Harold lloyd, etc.  I'm VERY passionate about those guys.  Also love W.C. Fields, Laurel and Hardy, and Abbott and Costello and like some of the old 30's and early 40's screwball comedies as well.

I agree with you, especially Buster Keaton & Harold Lloyd. I think Abbott & Costello can be funny at times, but I can usually take them or leave them. But, as many times as I've seen the Stooges, they can still make me laugh out loud.   

[Dog Hambone]

I'm not sure what I did wrong, but the 2nd half of the quote in the previous post was my message.

I fixed it for you, Dog.  You were just missing the closing quote tag ([ /quote ]), so I added it for you.

[JazzBill]

Jazzbill, just curious, but did you ever get around to checking out Keaton's silent material?  I think I remember the Sony set was your Keaton introduction, unless if I'm confusing you for someone else.

Yes I did. ( You have a good memory ! ) The man was pure genius. The stunts he did were totally amazing. The General and Sherlock Jr. were my favorites.

[metaldams]

Yes I did. ( You have a good memory ! ) The man was pure genius. The stunts he did were totally amazing. The General and Sherlock Jr. were my favorites.

My memory stinks.  I just happened to stumble upon the thread yesterday.    Glad you discovered silent Keaton though, and yeah those two are amazing films.

Got a lot I wanna respond to in this thread, but I just had a 14 hour work day AND my cat is acting up for attention behind me as I type this, so you'll hear my words of wisdom tomorrow.  Good night, and God bless.

[metaldams]

But we got back together because I read Dean and Me:A Love Story by Jerry Lewis. After that, I became a huge Martin and Lewis/Jerry Lewis solo fan. As a twenty year old now, I  cannot get enough classic comedy. My favorites are:

You know, I never could get into Martin and Lewis.  Well, I take that back, I thought they were good in the TV show appearances I saw, but for entire features, they just don't do it for me.  Maybe 90 minutes of Jerry Lewis unhinged is too much for me, but to each their own.  Their films have their occasional moments, though.  The first 15 minutes of THE CADDY is genius, the rest is Chinese water torture.

Ironically, the few Jerry Lewis solo films I saw I like better.  THE BELLBOY is kind of hit or miss because it's sketch oriented, but Jerry doesn't talk much in it and it reminds me of silent comedy, kind of sort of.  THE NUTTY PROFESSOR he at least plays a couple of interesting characters.

Oh, as for Troxel and Wait, I think it's great you and your partner are doing old school team comedy like that, especially for how young you are.  Which one are you, the long haired guy or short haired one?

[metaldams]

Okay, as long as we agree that "This Is Spinal Tap" is genius, which it is, who can forget the Stooges tribute with the drummer Joe "Mamma" Besser, who, like all other Tap drummers exploded on stage!!

Yes, I too have always loved that little tribute.  He's my favorite Spinal Tap drummer.

[FineBari3]

I watched a lot of Gilligan's Island when I was a little kid, then I discovered Laurel and Hardy, and then the Stooges. From there came the Marx Brothers, Peter Sellers, and Monty Python.

Yeah, big thumb's up on Spinal Tap! The 'Heartbreak Hotel' scene is my favorite! It seems like the movies we watched over and over when I was a teenager (VCR's were just popular) were Spinal Tap, Caddyshack, The Hollywood Knights, and Young Frankenstein.

I watched MASH, Hogan's Heros, and All In The Family every day for about 4 years when I was in high school, and I still watch the Simpsons every day. It's amazing, that I have been able to watch the Simpsons in the same time slot for about 12 years now, and that includes two different states!  I really like Futurama and the Family Guy as well.

[Waldo Twitchell]

In no particular order:

Cartoons: Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Tex Avery (everything).

Stand-up: George Carlin, Rodney Dangerfield, Richard Pryor.

Stage or screen: Three Stooges, Marx Brothers, Andy Clyde, W.C. Fields, Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason, Redd Foxx, Carol Burnett, Bob Newhart, Don Rickles, Don Knotts, Tim Conway, Peter Sellers, John Candy, Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Steve Carel, Tom Green, Sasha Cohen, Chris Farley

Movies: Duck Soup, Some Like It Hot, Plan 9 from Outer Space, The In-Laws (the original w/ Peter Falk and Alan Arkin), The Out-of-Towners(the original w/ Jack Lemmon), Dr. Strangelove, The Party, Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind, The Gods Must Be Crazy, Serial Mom, Blazing Saddles, Office Space, 40-Year Old Virgin (and many more...)

TV Shows: McHale's Navy, Benny Hill, Taxi, Cheers, The Office, Seinfeld, Black Adder, The Carol Burnett Show, In Living Colour, early SNL, Three's Company.

Books: Pranks! (RE/Search Vol. 1), The Devil's Dictionary (Ambrose Bierce).

Radio: Phil Hendrie, Howard Stern (in small doses), Talkback w/ Bob Larson (this aired on AM radio back in the 90s).

[porcupinefan87]

Great topic. I love comedy....not just because it makes you laugh and pokes fun at the absurd parts of life, but because it takes a lot of intelligence as well. The truly great comedians, from my experience, are generally ones who are bright, deep, and are observers of the goings on of life. They just present these observations in a comedic way...rather than trying to be serious...or pretentious. I find I’m often moved to serious emotions by the comedic – because it tends to be very honest – and often I’ll laugh at something that’s attempting to be “too serious”. Good comedy is just brilliance personified…plain and simple…or not so simple.

When it comes to comedy, I find I tend to break the rules a bit.  I know that sometimes there's a split between people who like say...the British comedy, which is sometimes looked at as more cerebral vs the people who enjoy the Three Stooges, etc.  I guess I've never been one to look at things as "high and low" culture...if I like something, I'm usually able to find the "intellectual" value in it. I don't look at the Stooges as "low brow" or anything of that nature.  There's a lot of intelligence in what they do, and a lot of subtle stuff beyond what's easily seen with the naked eye. So obviously I love the boys.

But then I mentioned the "other end". You've got the Brits. British comedy is wonderful because it embraces the absurd. It's great.  With that said though, I'm not a Python girl myself - though they are fun - and it always annoys me how they're considered the be all end all of British comedy.  Always rooting for the underdog and the underrated, I'm a huge fan of Marty Feldman myself..."The B side to Python" if you will. He worked with John Cleese, Eric Idle, and Graham Chapman - the BEST of the Pythons in my view a bit so there was a certain connection there.  Feldman was a comic genius....brilliant writer and daring performer.  He had it all going on. One day I'll write his biography...you watch! His work both as an actor and as a writer (which he did for a long while before he was so well known) – pre, during, and post Mel Brooks is great stuff.

Oh a note on the Pythons...they're fine, I just do not like how they're so raved about while others fall in the shadows. Give others their just due...and then I won't feel bad about enjoying them. I enjoy them better in separate work though. Cleese is a genius...and great in something like "Fawlty Towers" for instance.

With that said, I believe Feldman referred to the Stooges as "two dimensional", which I'd have to disagree with. And that can lead us into...Mel Brooks. He's another brilliant one! Now he, unlike Feldman, was influenced by the Stooges, so there's different comedy stylings...yet they could work together well, to perhaps make an even better comedic styling. Throw Gene Wilder into the mix....oh man he's BRILLIANT....and it's all set.

Another thing about Mel Brooks which sort of goes back to what I was saying earlier...there is a lot of "high" and "low" in comedy which tends to annoy me. People can argue that the Marx Brothers are a more intelligent version of the Stooges just as they can argue that Woody Allen is a high end version of Mel Brooks...but to me that's all BS. Allen to me, just sort of pretends to be more intellectual. His films - only judging from the little I've read and seen about them - buy into a more "look look I'm being deep!" tone.  My roommate was raving about the ending of "Radio Days" the other night, and I was going along enjoying the film and then all of a sudden Allen has to come in with some sappy sentimental voice over closing. I'm thinking, "If this were a Brooks film, there'd be no need for this pretense and sap...yet I'd probably be equally touched." On the contrary though, sometimes Brooks can get a bit too crass, and then it will border on "stupid funny" so everyone's got to be careful not to go to extremes. Allen is talented though, no question about it.  Marty Feldman once said that "Mel rapes" the audience into laughter, while Wilder and Allen "Seduce them".  But Marty himself said that he did "seductive rape". And being a fan of combos and contradictions...and the best of it all...that's probably why I love him.

"Perfect Strangers" is a comedy TV show I've always enjoyed. The duo stylings of Mark Linn-Baker and Bronson Pinchot were brilliant and sort of went back to the olden days of just good chemistry in comedy...great physical work, etc.

And there's lots of TV shows..."All In The Family", "Hogan's Heroes", etc....all of that is great comedy.

So my comedic tastes go all across the board. If I enjoy something...I enjoy it.  I'm not into labeling things.

And in all honesty, if I'm just in need of a nice simple LAUGH...The Stooges are my safest bet.

Either that or Mel Brooks doing "The Inquisition" from "History of the World Part I". Greatness!

And there was my, rather poorly written, manifesto.

[Double Deal Decker]

How could I have forgotten to mention Rodney Dangerfield in my list of influences?  I remember first being introduced to him on the Ed Sullivan from the 1960's.  A true comedy talent who is greatly missed.

[moe-jo]

you knew Rodney Dangerfield?

 Constant stupidity, pointless posts, troll-like behavior; I close the iron door on this person.

[archiezappa]

Good riddance to such stupidity.

[JazzBill]

you knew Rodney Dangerfield?

 Constant stupidity, pointless posts, troll-like behavior; I close the iron door on this person.

And those were his (her) (its) good points.

[metaldams]

Great topic. I love comedy....not just because it makes you laugh and pokes fun at the absurd parts of life, but because it takes a lot of intelligence as well. The truly great comedians, from my experience, are generally ones who are bright, deep, and are observers of the goings on of life. They just present these observations in a comedic way...rather than trying to be serious...or pretentious. I find I’m often moved to serious emotions by the comedic – because it tends to be very honest – and often I’ll laugh at something that’s attempting to be “too serious”. Good comedy is just brilliance personified…plain and simple…or not so simple.

When it comes to comedy, I find I tend to break the rules a bit.  I know that sometimes there's a split between people who like say...the British comedy, which is sometimes looked at as more cerebral vs the people who enjoy the Three Stooges, etc.  I guess I've never been one to look at things as "high and low" culture...if I like something, I'm usually able to find the "intellectual" value in it. I don't look at the Stooges as "low brow" or anything of that nature.  There's a lot of intelligence in what they do, and a lot of subtle stuff beyond what's easily seen with the naked eye. So obviously I love the boys.

But then I mentioned the "other end". You've got the Brits. British comedy is wonderful because it embraces the absurd. It's great.  With that said though, I'm not a Python girl myself - though they are fun - and it always annoys me how they're considered the be all end all of British comedy.  Always rooting for the underdog and the underrated, I'm a huge fan of Marty Feldman myself..."The B side to Python" if you will. He worked with John Cleese, Eric Idle, and Graham Chapman - the BEST of the Pythons in my view a bit so there was a certain connection there.  Feldman was a comic genius....brilliant writer and daring performer.  He had it all going on. One day I'll write his biography...you watch! His work both as an actor and as a writer (which he did for a long while before he was so well known) – pre, during, and post Mel Brooks is great stuff.

Oh a note on the Pythons...they're fine, I just do not like how they're so raved about while others fall in the shadows. Give others their just due...and then I won't feel bad about enjoying them. I enjoy them better in separate work though. Cleese is a genius...and great in something like "Fawlty Towers" for instance.

With that said, I believe Feldman referred to the Stooges as "two dimensional", which I'd have to disagree with. And that can lead us into...Mel Brooks. He's another brilliant one! Now he, unlike Feldman, was influenced by the Stooges, so there's different comedy stylings...yet they could work together well, to perhaps make an even better comedic styling. Throw Gene Wilder into the mix....oh man he's BRILLIANT....and it's all set.

Another thing about Mel Brooks which sort of goes back to what I was saying earlier...there is a lot of "high" and "low" in comedy which tends to annoy me. People can argue that the Marx Brothers are a more intelligent version of the Stooges just as they can argue that Woody Allen is a high end version of Mel Brooks...but to me that's all BS. Allen to me, just sort of pretends to be more intellectual. His films - only judging from the little I've read and seen about them - buy into a more "look look I'm being deep!" tone.  My roommate was raving about the ending of "Radio Days" the other night, and I was going along enjoying the film and then all of a sudden Allen has to come in with some sappy sentimental voice over closing. I'm thinking, "If this were a Brooks film, there'd be no need for this pretense and sap...yet I'd probably be equally touched." On the contrary though, sometimes Brooks can get a bit too crass, and then it will border on "stupid funny" so everyone's got to be careful not to go to extremes. Allen is talented though, no question about it.  Marty Feldman once said that "Mel rapes" the audience into laughter, while Wilder and Allen "Seduce them".  But Marty himself said that he did "seductive rape". And being a fan of combos and contradictions...and the best of it all...that's probably why I love him.

"Perfect Strangers" is a comedy TV show I've always enjoyed. The duo stylings of Mark Linn-Baker and Bronson Pinchot were brilliant and sort of went back to the olden days of just good chemistry in comedy...great physical work, etc.

And there's lots of TV shows..."All In The Family", "Hogan's Heroes", etc....all of that is great comedy.

So my comedic tastes go all across the board. If I enjoy something...I enjoy it.  I'm not into labeling things.

And in all honesty, if I'm just in need of a nice simple LAUGH...The Stooges are my safest bet.

Either that or Mel Brooks doing "The Inquisition" from "History of the World Part I". Greatness!

And there was my, rather poorly written, manifesto.

You know, amidst all the adminstrating and Moe-Jo junk, a great, intelligent post was lost in the mix.

You mention Mel Brooks, and I always found it interesting that he thinks The Ritz Brothers, of all people, were the greatest of them all.  I never understood their appeal, as I can't tell the brothers apart or where the jokes are supposed to be.  I admit they have dance and song talent, even if that's not mu cup of tea.

But the whole "high" comedy and "low" comedy point you bring up can be a thread on its own.  When I have the energy to muster intelligent thought, (between deciphering Moe-Jo logic and work, I'm beat), I'll start this thread unless someone wants to beat me to it.  The Three Stooges definitely get classed as "low" comedy, to the point where I had a college film professor describe them as "universally hated."

[archiezappa]

I never understood why they were called "low" comedy.  I mean, they were brilliant.  But comparing them with the Marx Brothers is wrong.  Most people consider the Marx Brothers as "high" comedy.  You can't compare apples and oranges.  They were comedians, but they were different kinds of comedians.  Granted, I enjoy both the Stooges and the Marxes.