The Comedians of Comedy
- The Comedians of Comedy
- Tour doc following four of the funniest comedians in the country during a 2004 mini-tour of rock clubs along the west coast.
- Rent the DVD on Netflix
- Catch the film on Showtime
One of the biggest problems with stand-up comedy today is that the general perception still sees it as a fossil of the 1980s. From club owners that still hope for another weekend like that one in 1984 when the joint was so hot they auctioned off seats on the floor and everyone bought 35 drinks apiece, to the casual audience members that INSIST that every yukster on the stage is just a shoulder-pad sport jacketed buffoon with a wacky impression of a police siren and a barrage of airline food jokes. While there are still some people out there that market in this tripe, I have some good news: that almost all died in the 90s, and what grew from its ashes was a phoenix of comedy that is just now beginning to shine as brightly as it initially promised. Proof of this comedy renaissance can be found in the Netflix-exclusive DVD documentary, The Comedians of Comedy.
Patton Oswalt (of King of Queens), Brian Posehn (of Just Shoot Me), Zack Galifianakis (of Late World with Zach), and Maria Bamford (of general hilarity) take to the road on a mini-tour of rock clubs after becoming disillusioned with the comedy club scene, and this film is a diary of that time on the road.
The doc (not to be confused with the TV show of the same name, featuring the same people, currently appearing on Comedy Central) opens with Oswalt, who co-financed the tour and movie, finishing up a 3 hour set on-stage at the 40 Watt Club in Atlanta and coming to the realization that maybe he should do some more venues that don’t charge $30 and a drink minimum to see comedy, a burden for young comedy fans. For all those not in the business of comedy, there’s many a reason that a lot of comics detest the comedy club scene, which can be summed up nicely in a tale Oswalt tells about having to make an engagement announcement at a club for a couple that goes horribly awry before even getting to tell a joke because, according to the club owner, that’s how they want it and they’re buying drinks (which, folks, is the only reason 90% of the clubs in the country want to stay in business. They don’t give a shit about bringing you cutting-edge talent or nurturing the art form. They just want you to get piss-ass wasted on their watered-down, overpriced, cutesy named drinks like “The HaHarita,” or “Butter Chuckle Nipple Tanker.” Is it bar-envy? I don’t know [/obvious revelation #765]). The subsequent tour features his three friends who all get a chance to shine both on-stage and off. While Oswalt and Posehn provide the narrative thread of the film by discussing the ups and downs of the business, the scene-stealer is far and away Galifianakis, who throws himself into his performances with the most abandon, appearing as a comic from the 18th century in one scene, then randomly recruiting a group of street performers to accent a joke he tells later that evening on-stage. His comic instinct is very sharp and the doc allows him to shine.
Sadly the most under-utilized person here is Bamford, who seems to only be a background player until the end of the film when she discusses depression with a homeless schizophrenic. One only gets a taste of her odd sense of humor before cutting back time and again to the other guys. As interesting as it was to see Posehn and Oswalt wax philosophical about comic books, everyone would have been better served if this footage was excised in favor of more Bamford on the screen. It would have allowed an innovative female comedian quality face-time to prove that most people are idiots and women are actually funny.
Another highlight of the film is watching the evolution of an idea into a joke, a corner of the comedy world that no one outside of the business really gets to see. Posehn discusses what he wants to convey and we then get to see him feel it out on-stage. Watching a veteran work without a net in front of a paying crowd is a treat since most people only see material that’s been workshopped for years before it is performed on television. Part of the illusion of comedy is making the material sound like the first time you said it with flawless consistency, and the viewer gets to experience the beginning of the ride here, as opposed to seeing the end result. There are a king’s share of dick and fart jokes peppered throughout the doc as well for those who are more interested in just hearing words strung together in a funny manner than the life of an entertainer. Galifianakis actually combines the two in a hilarious sequence where he talks about his opinion of physical comedy while his chair continuously malfunctions.
Despite its flaws I can’t recommend this film enough. It provides an insight to the comedy business that I don’t think anyone expects. What we have here is not just a tour-doc; it’s also the lives of four friends doing what they love. If you are a person who is wary of stand-up comedy for the reasons I listed above, please know that things are better than you thought for the art form. There is a new crop of comedians coming up the ranks right now that are continuing to do edgy, innovative comedy that you need to get out and support. It may take some searching to find them, but they are out there. With the upswing in Comedy Central’s focus on stand-up comedy allowing many comics the chance to get a TV spotlight in an age where there isn’t a direct national stage like a Carson or Sullivan like back in the old days, many are getting easier to access than ever.
Don’t be disillusioned by what you may THINK stand-up comedy is: right now, working their asses off, are a whole mess of people that aren’t Kings, or Queens, or even Latino Kings, or Blue Collar rednecks, or exploitative characters; they’re Comedians. Of Comedy.
BONUS! Some Internet links (Which are like sausage links, but taste like computers):
www.pattonoswalt.com
www.brianposehn.com
www.zachgalifianakis.com
www.mariabamford.com
December 7th, 2005 at 1:58 pm
Hey Matt,
Thanks so much for the in depth review and the praise. You are the only reviewer who took the time to parse out the opening the scenes of the movie, and relate them to everything that follows. As a director it’s gratifying when people take notice of those things.
Hope all is well, and thanks again.
Michael
December 7th, 2005 at 9:29 pm
michael,
you entered your website as na… i assume not applicable. i clicked your name and it brought me to narcotics anonymous. interesting…
December 13th, 2005 at 12:04 am
First off, I thoughly enjoyed the film, and being a fan of all four comics, I went into expecting to thoughly enjoy it, but Zach Galifianakis’s role in the project was disapointingly brief. In my opinon He is one of the most talented, original, and promising comics out today. Not to discredit or insult Patton but his act sometimes feels like an unfocused watered down refelcion of what David Cross does, and what Bill Hicks did before him, and Posehn’s comedy is just plain lazy, he’s still riding Mr. Show’s coat tails and he knows it. Anyway getting to my main point, what really happened to Zach to make him so aleinated he just left the tour half way through? Was it brian and the cameramen insessently wanting to do, hiliarious, scenes with nothing holding them together but the oh so tired, “We’re straight but we like to act gay, and it’s hilarious because we’re straight.” I think Zach saw anymore time in such a lazy and unimaginitive enviornment a waste, so he left. Or maybe it was all Acting! and he planned on being on tour for only a couple of stops, who knows.
December 13th, 2005 at 12:17 am
As if a testament to my passion on this issue i couldn’t even wait to run a word spell check before posting, refelcion was actually meant to be reflection but in my haste i think i’ve invented a new oral-anal method.
December 13th, 2005 at 9:47 am
Did I catch a Jon Lovitz reference at the end there?