What is So Funny About That?!?!

Amy Austin | October 10, 2007
Am I the only one who is sick and tired of seeing Sarah Silverman licking her dog's ass (as if the season intros weren't annoying enough!) in the advertisements for her show... making me ask the question in title???

Seriously... I never really thought I found her funny -- now I am sure. Anyone else? Anyone? Anyone?

Jackie Mason | October 10, 2007
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Amy Austin | October 10, 2007
Yeah... like "girl-next-door" kind of crass, or something...

And, man!!! It makes me feel so "old fogie" to even be commenting on it -- one *more* reason not to like her!

Janeane Garofalo??? I don't think so. She can keep on trying, but I'm not buying.

Scott Hardie | October 10, 2007
Silverman's entire schtick is based on this sweet, sunny, girl-next-door persona saying such crude, transgressive things. That can be very funny at first, but obviously it doesn't last, after you get used to her and only perceive her as foul-mouthed. She wishes she could take the kind of heat that Kathy Griffin did for "suck it, Jesus," which I thought was great.

Scott Hardie | October 10, 2007
For a good compare-n-contrast of top comedians, rent The Aristocrats. That kind of movie was tailor-made for Silverman's schtick, but she couldn't quite nail her part. To me, the funniest laugh came from Richard Jeni, which makes me miss him all the more.

Amy Austin | October 10, 2007
Oh, God, yes... I miss him, too. Haven't seen the movie you mention, but Richard Jeni was just wonderful, period. I didn't even hear about it until months after the fact, and I remember being so much in disbelief and disappointment over it -- I still think about it from time to time, and I still can't believe it.

And yes... Kathy Griffin pulls that sort of crap off well -- I have mixed feelings about her that I guess really translates to "guilty pleasure" ;-D

Not only do I just not think that Sarah's "schtick" doesn't work very well for her, but the repetitive way in which promos and episodes are aired on Comedy Central... it just turns an initially mild annoyance into something *completely* grating.

Tony Peters | October 10, 2007
Kathy Griffin is definitely a guilty pleasure for all straight men...and yes I am tired of seeing Sarah lick her dog's a$$

Aaron Shurtleff | October 10, 2007
I have to agree with Scott. I thought Sarah Silverman was HILARIOUS when I first saw her in various places. But that show sucks stones, and I really don't find her half as funny anymore. I guess a little Sarah goes a long way... And I guess I also don't watch enough Comedy Central, since I haven't seen the commercial but one time.

But Kathy Griffin hasn't really ever been funny to me either. She's got that shouting thing. You don't get funnier the louder you say something, which (IMO) is a common error comedians make (and is probably also part of why I didn't "get" Seinfeld...George Costanza yelling stupid shit doesn't make his point better, and it's not funnier either...and the rest of the characters were no better).

Jackie Mason | October 11, 2007
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Erik Bates | October 11, 2007
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Amy Austin | October 12, 2007
Yeah... this week's South Park has *such* a righteous message. I'm not sure which show was worse this week.

And Sarah is a physically cute gal, yes... Definitely wouldn't go as far as "damn hot", though. Unless you're counting her humor/personality among the criteria. And then I would put "hot" at the Sun and Sarah at Pluto Uranus.

(Okay... maybe Neptune, since it's the last official planet anymore.)

(Wait... no... Geez, *That* should have been an obvious gimme...)

Erik Bates | October 12, 2007
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Amy Austin | October 12, 2007
Even as a means of dumping on Bono -- not sure why that need was so strong -- it just falls *way* short.

They may find Bono annoying (hell, I sure rolled my eyes at seeing him AND the Gates on Time's POTY cover before... the rest of us!), but really... what has he done to earn such derision at the hands of Matt & Trey??? I'm also really curious to know exactly where all the wealth they're amassing off of shit like this (literally) is going.

Jackie Mason | October 12, 2007
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Anna Gregoline | October 12, 2007
Count me in the loving Sara Silverman camp! I think her show is cute, although I'm surprised it's lasted into another season.

I've heard many people say her delivery is off, which I don't get at all. Everything she does is deliberate. It's a brand of humor that many people might not "get" or enjoy, but I like it and I think it's in a realm of social commentary that is very amusing to me. To each their own.

Steve West | October 13, 2007
Sarah Silverman at the Carson Daly roast - definitely at her nasty, foul-mouthed, snarky best. (link)

Amy Austin | October 13, 2007
Sorry, but... if that's true, then *I* should be in show-biz!

Kris Weberg | October 13, 2007
As far as I can tell, Roger Ebert has turned out to be right about Matt Stone and Trey Parker -- in their world, giving a crap about anything is cause enough for derision.

Jason Evans | October 15, 2007
FWIW, I like Silverman... but only in small doses. I watched "Jesus is Magic" or whatever her concert movie was called and it had moments but it got stale towads the end. I agree that her appeal is largely as a cute, somewhat clueless, innocent girl who sudddenly blasts you with trash and filth. It works but soo fades.

However, I wanted to chime in that I thought her joke in The Aristocrats was probably the best joke in the entire film. She had me holwling with laughter!

Oh, and props to all my Duke friends who rocked the goo game this time around. Steve, Mike, Greg... it was a Duke Basketball Report reunion in the semis and finals!!

--Jason

Amy Austin | October 25, 2007
someone out there pretty much agrees with us all...