All that hard work…

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on November 14th, 2005

Read the New York Post review (Free reg. req.) of the limited-run reality series Comedians of Comedy but find something else to do when it actually airs.

Unfortunately, their life on the road is not funny. The series is not very watchable. I mean, really, who cares?

If I wanted to watch people act out and complain, I’d stay home and watch my neighbors.

Ouch.

We’re disappointed by two things: First, the show, had it been centered around comedians who were slightly more upbeat and less narcissistic, would have been watchable, funny and interesting. Second, the Post’s Linda Stasi seemed to be of the opinion that “people who make jokes for a living are funny all the time” but was now of the opinion (after watching C of C and other TV projects) that comedians “are often depressed or sometimes… downright mean s.o.b.’s.” Great. She’s ping-ponging between two extreme (and untrue!) stereotypes, neither of which is very complimentary.

We here at SHECKYmagazine have been doggedly engaged in dispelling various negative stereotypes about comedians. We’re trying to bury the old myths and promote new impressions of the people who make a living causing laughter. Projects like Comedians of Comedy make our task unnecessarily difficult. And Stasi shows that some members of the media hold onto (and promote) the old impressions for far too long.

We saw the movie upon which this new series was based when it was screened in Montreal in July. We took a dim view:

The movie was, to use a favorite alternative comic phrase, “soul crushing.” It is ironic that a movie about comics could be so downbeat. Nearly everything that seemed to motivate Oswalt was negative– Comedy clubs suck; comedy club audiences suck; his target audience (18-24 year olds) don’t make any money; everything sucks, sucks, sucks. Four funny comics, to be sure. But the frame, the underlying themes, the entire raison d’etre of this celluloid exercise was to combat the mediocrity that Oswalt sees in every nook and cranny of the planet… except perhaps when he looks in the mirror. How utterly un-SHECKYlike. To quote our new favorite TV executive and spiritual guru, the Eeyore-esque Moses Znaimer: “Such talented people; such ho-hum ideas.” On the positive side, we applaud anyone who, like Oswalt, assesses his current situation, deems it unacceptable and then takes giant, innovative steps to change it and takes trusted and talented colleagues along for the ride. Very SHECKYlike.

Stasi says she, “…can’t imagine anyone will tune in for more than one show.” We’re hoping she’s right on this one. (Thanks to John Kensil for tipping us off to the NYP piece!)

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