Tag: Comedy

Add Satire to the List of the Dead

The Grim Reaper is hiring

The list of the things killed by this soul-less adminstration and it’s bloodthirsty allies keeps growing.

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In the wake of the Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel silencing, satire now joins Congress, The Rule of Law, Irony, Facts, The Constitution, Academic Institutions, Law firms, Religion, the Media, corporate titans, health care, women’s rights…the list just keeps growing.

At this rate the graveyards are filling up and the Grim Reaper will be the only one hiring soon enough.

Eventually they will run out of targets. You could argue that the way they are turning on each other over the Epstein files and a few other things they are fast approaching that point.

I just wish that pace of cannibalism would speed up.

Marc Maron’s Panicked Is Worth Watching

Don’t panic. Just watch.

Got a chance to watch Marc Maron’s latest on HBO or whatever it calls itself this week. Called Marc Maron Panicked, it’s genuine good stuff if you’re a fan of Maron’s comedy and satire, or even if you’re not.

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Playing off of the panic most of us feel about most things these days, Maron’s pointed observations not only hit his targets, they knock a few of them down, delivering more than a few belly laughs.

If you think he’s panicked and anxious about the criminals running the country these days, you’re right. But as usual Maron takes sharp aim at liberal failings that helped usher them into office. It’s not all politics. Evacuating during the LA fires, end of life issues, avoiding Nazis and other calamities fuel his panic and his comedy.

Highly recommended, even if you’re not a Marc Maron fan.

You can also find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above. 

Are You Laughing or Crying?

Comedy kills or killing comedy?

Just a quick link to this piece from Alexandra Petri that had me laughing called Are You Laughing Yet? She also had me angry, but then that’s my state of things these days. I laughed because the writing and commentary is excellent. I got angry, because, well if you’re not angry at what’s going on these days, you’re either dead, or… well, I’ll just leave it at that.

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Petri has a blisteringly funny take that begins with Trump’s takedown shakedown of Stephen Colbert via his pressure on Paramount. But it quickly spins into a larger take that’s well worth your while, especially if you enjoy comedy.

Well worth your time. Scroll back up and click the link.

(Image from Miguel Alcântara on Unsplash.)

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above. 

Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs Sequel Trailer Is Brilliant

Just posting this here because in the midst of all of the shit going down around us, it surfaced and made me laugh. And I needed that for just a minute. 

Mel Brooks announced a sequel to his wacky sci-fi comedy, Spaceballs. It’s been awhile and he takes full advantage of that in this brilliant trailer. 

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above. 

A Wonderful Trip Down Memory Lane With SNL50 Special

A terrific funny walk through comedy history.

I’ve blown hot and cold with Saturday Night Live through the decades. That said, watching the SNL 50th Anniversary Special was a wonderful nostalgic trip down several memory lanes. How to Stream the SNL 50th Anniversary Special Online for Free MAIN. Like the series itself the evening had its ups, its downs, and its moments of mediocrity, but taken as a whole it was a keystone event chronicling a key cultural touchstone in entertainment history that’s been in and out of my life since the year after I graduated high school. I remember the first time I saw the show, well into its first season, and remarking in a bit of awe that they can’t do that on TV. Well, they did. And I’m glad they did. Like I said, I’ve blown hot and cold through the years, but having been around show biz for the majority of my life I know there are more misfires than there are direct hits. Even so, you certainly can’t deny the cultural impact the show has had and that’s a credit to both longevity and the willingness to fail and flail. While I’m sure some of the sketches from the special will be criticized for not landing, the fact that some did and some didn’t seems like the perfect celebration of walking that fine line. The good news for those who might not have tuned into the broadcast is that you don’t have to wait around for highlights to appear on YouTube as the entire special (over 3.5 hours) is available for streaming. You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above. 

This Is A Must See: QuestLove’s Video Tease of 50 Years of SNL Music

One helluva a teaser for the retrospective of 50 years of SNL music.

Hands down. Stand up. Let your head spin. This Questlove video mix of 50 Years of SNL Music is a must watch for fans, non-fans, or anyone who has a heartbeat. 

 The clip above teases the upcoming Ladies & Gentlemen…50 Years of S.N.L Music airing on January 27th. If you’re not teased I don’t know what else could do that for you. As if the memories of the performances in this tease aren’t enough, the editing is something to be in awe of.

Just sit back. Watch it. I’ve archived it everywhere I could. You should too. I’m looking forward to the full show. How could you not be?

Then New York Times has a write up on the piece and interview with Ahmir Light (Questlove) by Alan Light you might also want to check out. 

FYI: You may have to find the video on YouTube. The Watch on YouTube link above appears to work sometimes and others note.

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above. 

Where’s Wanda? Is Worth A Watch

Good laughs to be had in this screwball black comedy.

Where’s Wanda on Apple TV+ is certainly worth a watch but it also begs the question my wife asked after we concluded viewing the first season, “where was the advertising and marketing for this show?”

Perhaps we missed whatever short marketing window Apple opened for the series, but it escaped our radar, and we only recently stumbled on it at the tail end of our queue by accident. Regardless, as I said, it’s worth a watch, especially if you’re in the mood for some good laughter.

Where’s Wanda? is a German language streaming series written by British writer Oliver Lansley, and directed by German director Zoltan Spirandelli. It was and is marketed as a black comedy, but I think black screwball comedy is more appropriate. Yes, there are subtitles. They also have some fun with that throughout.

The Wanda of the title is a young teenage girl gone missing and the plot ends up involving not only her family but their entire small town in searching for her. While the family drives the story, they guide us through enough of the town to be charmed and amused by the folks we meet with both recognition and surprise, as the plot evolves and involves more and more of the town in its mysteries.

The cast is uniformly excellent and I especially thought Heike Makatsch as the mother was superb. The moments between the younger cast members were some of the most engaging, hilarious, and touching scenes about the awkward moments in young people’s lives I’ve seen in a while. Where’s Wanda? gets silly, it gets serious, and it gets under your skin because of excellent work all around by the team that put it together.

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above. 

Tampering With Words

This cracks me up. The NFL is investigating whether or not there was tampering between its teams and potential free agents. Of course this tampering comes outside of the officially condoned “Legal Tampering Window” the NFL allows prior to free agents being able to sign with other teams.

The Oxford dictionary defines “tampering” this way:

1. Interfere with (something) in order to cause damage or make unauthorized alterations.

2. Exert a secret or corrupt influence upon (someone).

Sounds bad. I’m not sure prefacing it with the word “legal” softens it as much as some lawyers thought it would.

My reaction isn’t about the monkeyshines that happens when players and teams are trying to one up each other. That would be akin to being shocked if there was gambling going on in a casino or in NFL locker rooms. All’s fair in love and war and apparently in billion dollar businesses that can tamper with language in ways that only a lawyer can love.

Just who do they think they’re fooling?

You can find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome.