Comedy running downhill?

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on February 22nd, 2007

We were pointed toward a mini-screed in the online version of the BGNews (the student newspaper of Bowling Green State University) called “Comedy’s running downhill.”

It’s just a few hundred words and we might be tempted to ignore such a lightweight essay, but, as hardcore SHECKYmagazine fans might recall, The Male Half attended Bowling Green State University for three years. So, in the interest of keeping the (standup comedy) discourse at an acceptable level on the campus of Dear Old BugZoo, we must turn our attention to the scribblings of Jon Ruggiero.

What exactly has happened to comedy nowadays? Stand up comedy, in my eyes, has died because of a few factors, mainly because either people take their comedy styles from the legend of the past, or they just aren’t funny.

That’s how it starts, then it lurches around, contradicting itself and making foggy points and grousing about… about what, exactly?

Comedy has died? Someone thinks he’s an expert on comedy!

Is there anything positive about this tantrum? Yes. Someone at a student newspaper is talking about standup comedy. And he’s urging his cohort to listen to the oldsters (in this case, “oldsters” are Carlin, Steven Wright and Bob Goldthwait.) while trashing some contemporary comics.

But Comedy has died? Ruggiero is being outrageous in the pages of the BGNews merely to provoke a reaction. (Says the Male Half– Been there, done that!)

Comedy is quite alive. Comics have never been more plentiful, more visible, more… funny. Innovation is prevalent and wickedly funny material is being presented in traditional forms as well.

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