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Post by Vercetti on Mar 20, 2006 22:46:37 GMT
Anybody else a fan? Personally I consider him the best stand-up comedian ever, though most will disagree and say Pryor or Bruce. I had the extreme pleasure of seeing him at Foxwoods last December performing Life Is Worth Losing. It's amazing how he can go off track from comedia to a tirade with comedic pinches and still maintain fascination. I love him. There are a few things I disagree with when it comes to his comedy, but for the most part he's hilarious. Some of you may know him from Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and Dogma. He's coming to my city soon doing the same show and I'm debating whether to see him again. Complaints and Grievances (2001) You Are All Diseased (1999) Life Is Worth Losing (2005) Back In Town (1996) Jammin' In New York (1992) Doin' It Again (1990) Carlin on Campus (1984)
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Post by Vercetti on Mar 20, 2006 22:46:52 GMT
Human beings will do anything, anything. I am convinced. That's why when all those beheadings started in Iraq it didn't bother me. A lot of people here were horrified, "Whaaaa, beheadings!" What, are you fucking surprised? Just one more form of extreme human behavior. Besides, who cares about some mercenary civilian contractor from Oklahoma who gets his head cut off? Fuck 'em. Hey Jack, you don't want to get your head cut off? Stay the fuck in Oklahoma. They aint cuttin' off heads in Oklahoma, far as I know. But I do know this: you strap on a gun and go struttin' around some other men’s country you better be ready for some action Jack. People are touchy about that sort of thing. And let me ask you this... this is a moral question, not rhetorical, I am looking for the answer: what is the moral difference between cuttin' of one guys head, or two, or three, of five or ten - and dropping a big bomb on a hospital and killing a whole bunch of sick kids? Has anybody in authority given you an explanation of the difference? Now, in case you're wondering why I have a certain interest, or fascination lets call it, with torture and beheadings and all of those things I have mentioned, is because each of these items reminds me in life over and over again what beasts we human beings really are. When you get right down to it human beings are nothing more than ordinary jungle beasts. Savages. No different from the Cro Magnon people who lived twenty five thousand years ago. No different. Our DNA hasn't changed substantially in a hundred thousand years. We're still operating out of the lower brain. The reptilian brain. Fight of flight. Kill or be killed. We like to think we've evolved and advanced because we can build a computer, fly an airplane, travel underwater, we can write a sonet, paint a painting, compose an opera. But you know something? We're barely out of the jungle on this planet. Barely out of the fucking jungle. What we are, is semi-civilized beasts, with baseball caps and automatic weapons.
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Post by Mike Sullivan on Mar 20, 2006 23:57:14 GMT
I consider George Carlin as the greatest stand-up comedian ever, with his greatest rivals being Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce.
Carlin, more than anything, has a frankfulness about him. No bullshit. And that in itself is his genius.
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RNL
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Post by RNL on Mar 21, 2006 1:30:19 GMT
How revered is Billy Connolly in America?
I don't think any comedian has ever made me laugh as hard as he has.
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Post by Vercetti on Mar 21, 2006 1:33:46 GMT
I've heard him a lot on satallite radio and find him pretty good but not amazing. Oddly enough when I think of him I think of his role in Boondock Saints and White Oleander.
If I may complain off-topic, one comedian I consider grossly overrated is Mitch Hedberg, whose death has sparked even more popularity, especially on satellite radio. Personally I find his jokes to be very stupid, like something a 1st grader would say.
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RNL
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Post by RNL on Mar 21, 2006 1:42:55 GMT
I love Mitch Hedberg, but I have to be in the right mood. It's far from stupid, but it's supposed to be dumb, that's part of why it's funny.
"Somebody asked me if I wanted a frozen banana. I said, 'No... but I want a regular banana later, so... yeah...'"
"I walked into Target... and missed..."
"Wearing a turtle-neck is like being strangled by a really weak guy... all damn day! In fact, if you wear a backpack and a turtle-neck, it's like a weak midget trying to bring you down!"
I dunno. I guess it either works for you or it doesn't. I just love the creative simplicity and absent-minded delivery.
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Post by Vercetti on Mar 21, 2006 1:47:39 GMT
I don't know, it's too deadpan for me.
One in particular I hate is the "Dr. Acula" joke.
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RNL
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Post by RNL on Mar 21, 2006 2:07:00 GMT
Yeah, that's not very good. It's often hit and miss, but it usually works for me, and it's better that he moves between one-liners so fast, because I don't think there's anything worse than five-minute build-ups to mild chuckles, or overkill of a single concept (which Seinfeld frequently is guilty of). Hedberg delivers a punchline every few seconds.
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Mar 21, 2006 2:39:46 GMT
I've seen Billy Connolly on some of the late night shows here in the states, and I found him very funny.
I like Mitch Hedberg a lot too, but I do agree that his death has made him a little overrated, as sad as that is.
There's one joke he does about escalator's never being out of order, but becoming temporary stairs, that gets me everytime. Simple, but brilliant observations.
George Carlin is too hateful for my taste, even if it is part of his act. Though I respect him greatly as a person. Maybe his comedy will grow on me.
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Mar 21, 2006 12:18:22 GMT
I hate Connolly. Never listened to Carlin.
I rarely like stand-up.
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Post by Vercetti on Mar 21, 2006 20:19:11 GMT
Omar, I think you should start with his older stuff if you want to grow on him. It's much more tame. The older he gets the more hateful, but I think his fierce latter shows are his best.
As soon as they close the door to the aircraft, that's when they begin the Safety Lecture. I love the safety lecture! This is my favorite part of the airplane ride! I listen very carefully to the safety lecture, especially that part where they teach us how to use the seatbelts! Imagine this: here we are, a plane full of grown human beings... many of us partially educated, and they're actually taking time out to describe the intricate workings of a belt buckle! ---- Don't you think it's just a little bit strange that Ronald Reagan had an operation on his asshole, and George Bush had an operation on his middle finger? ---- I locate my nearest emergency exit, and then I plan my route. You have to plan your route. It's not always a straight line, is it? Sometimes there's a really big fat fuck sitting right in front of you. Well, you know you'll never get over him. I look around for women and children, midgets and dwarves, cripples, war widows, paralyzed veterans, people with broken legs, anybody who looks like they can't move too well; the emotionally disturbed come in VERY handy at a time like this. You might have to go out of your way to find these people, but you'll get out of the plane a lot God damn quicker, believe me. I say, "Let's see... I'll go around the fat fuck... step on the widow's head... push those children out of the way... knock down the paralyzed midget, and get out of the plane where I can help others." [audience laughs] I can be of no help to anyone if I'm lying unconscious in the aisle with some big cocksucker standing on my head. I must get out of the plane, go to a nearby farmhouse, have a Dr. Pepper, and call the police. ---- This next piece of material is fairly simple. It's just a list of people who oughta be killed.
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Post by Michael on Mar 21, 2006 21:04:13 GMT
The only standups I've ever seen in their entireties are Dave Chappelle's Killin' em Softly and For What it's Worth.
Both are side-splittingly funny. Especially Killin' em Softly.
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Post by Vercetti on Mar 21, 2006 21:05:58 GMT
I don't think Chappelle is nearly as funny on stage as he is in skits, though he's still great on stage.
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Post by Mike Sullivan on Mar 24, 2006 1:06:22 GMT
Agreed. Chappelle could polish his stage routine. I think one of the things Dave has going for him is his co-writer and producer, Neal Brennan who contributed alot to "Chappelle's Show".
Vercetti, you meantioned that Carlin's stuff becomes more ferce and hateful as the years go along and I agree but he also becomes more frank and fearless and he's willing to say the things no one wants to, which is more than any other comic can say because their stuff is tame when compared to Carlin's tirades.
I aplaud Carlin. He's a god.
"Why is that when it's a human being it's an abortion but when it's a chicken, it's an omlete?"
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Jenson71
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Post by Jenson71 on Mar 25, 2006 4:45:05 GMT
I could not listen to Carlin for more than a minute I think. I like Omar's way of putting it - too hateful for my taste.
I like Robin Williams.
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Post by Vercetti on Jun 26, 2006 0:44:26 GMT
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RNL
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Post by RNL on Jun 26, 2006 2:56:14 GMT
Yeah, a little of that goes a long way. His verbal control is impressive, but it seems very rehearsed and overwritten to me.
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Post by Vercetti on Jun 26, 2006 3:05:34 GMT
Of course it is. He goes around all over the country doing the same show or building a new one up with minor changes here and there. The show I went to see back in December was the same as his October or November HBO special Life Is Worth Losing with a few other things, one part due to a heckler. Even in interviews he seems very intelligent in his speaking.
Still, I love his work.
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RNL
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Post by RNL on Jun 26, 2006 3:24:56 GMT
Of course it's prewritten, but his wording, however well he's able to recite it, seems clunky.
"...and it's always rotten music. It's either New Age, that pointless, meandering, zombie noise played by pseudo-spiritual lunatics who think wind-chimes are a musical instrument, or else it's Soft Rock, that lame-ass, weak, non-threatening suburban whiteboy junk played by bands like Men Without Testicles."
I think that's overly verbose. It becomes obvious that there's no actual wit in the observation itself and he's hoping you'll find his snarky tone and condescension funny.
But the more I listen to those clips the less I'm liking him.
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Post by Vercetti on Jun 26, 2006 3:27:43 GMT
I guess I'm the opposite, I love his verbal style. I have a feeling you'd like his earlier 70's-80's period more.
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