"It's a miracle we ever got any work done, because no one can waste time like you and me"
July 22, 2012 8:46 PM Subscribe
Oh! funny too. Rick Gervais - "It feels like I'm being dragged along in a tin bath". Bookmarked. Thanks.
posted by unliteral at 8:55 PM on July 22, 2012
posted by unliteral at 8:55 PM on July 22, 2012
I'm pretty sure they didn't have seatbelts in a 1952 model and Seinfeld probably doesn't want to put them in.
posted by pashdown at 9:11 PM on July 22, 2012
posted by pashdown at 9:11 PM on July 22, 2012
Even though the "Two comedians just chatting for awhile", um, genre (?) is getting a little saturated, I was totally charmed by this.
posted by gwint at 9:18 PM on July 22, 2012
posted by gwint at 9:18 PM on July 22, 2012
Does Jerry Seinfeld still technically count as a comedian?
posted by Effigy2000 at 9:19 PM on July 22, 2012
posted by Effigy2000 at 9:19 PM on July 22, 2012
Not to me
posted by crayz at 9:22 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by crayz at 9:22 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Jerry Seinfeld ran over my dog.
posted by found missing at 9:24 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by found missing at 9:24 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Is it my computer, or is this video at like 7 frames per second? Making it pretty much unwatchable for me.
posted by drjimmy11 at 9:24 PM on July 22, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by drjimmy11 at 9:24 PM on July 22, 2012 [6 favorites]
Does Jerry Seinfeld still technically count as a comedian?
I don't think there is any way I could respond to this that wouldn't be deleted by the moderators.
posted by andoatnp at 9:24 PM on July 22, 2012 [9 favorites]
I don't think there is any way I could respond to this that wouldn't be deleted by the moderators.
posted by andoatnp at 9:24 PM on July 22, 2012 [9 favorites]
See, this is one of those rare things that actually makes me glad I'm in the 21st century. That little ten minute episode was funnier than entire seasons of sitcoms I have watched. Granted, you had two masters like Seinfeld & David riffing on each other, but gee whiz. More please!
posted by KHAAAN! at 9:25 PM on July 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by KHAAAN! at 9:25 PM on July 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
*shrug* If Larry David does. They seem pretty in sync here to me.
posted by maryr at 9:25 PM on July 22, 2012
posted by maryr at 9:25 PM on July 22, 2012
Is it my computer, or is this video at like 7 frames per second? Making it pretty much unwatchable for me
I don't know what frames per second are but it keeps stopping and it's driving me crazy.
posted by bquarters at 9:26 PM on July 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
There is something false and desperate about all of this, in spite of (or partly because of) its relentless effort to seem casual. I know this is a weird thing to say about a multimillionaire, but I feel sorry for Seinfeld. He's the star of an overrated comedy series in the '90s, and he's not done much of any value since then. Perhaps the best thing has been that documentary Comedian, but the real star of that was Orny Adams and not Seinfeld.
In this thing with Larry David, take a look at Seinfeld's face at about 8:35 when he's reacting to David's reaction to the word "debauched." There's a sadness there, a desperation, a longing for the time when people thought he was funny when he was doing something about nothing. Larry David -- who of course has done valuable work since the '90s -- has the air of a man who realizes that his friend is not in a good mental place, but is doing his best to humour him, to play along, to not let on that he's worried and not that entertained.
posted by anothermug at 9:28 PM on July 22, 2012 [4 favorites]
In this thing with Larry David, take a look at Seinfeld's face at about 8:35 when he's reacting to David's reaction to the word "debauched." There's a sadness there, a desperation, a longing for the time when people thought he was funny when he was doing something about nothing. Larry David -- who of course has done valuable work since the '90s -- has the air of a man who realizes that his friend is not in a good mental place, but is doing his best to humour him, to play along, to not let on that he's worried and not that entertained.
posted by anothermug at 9:28 PM on July 22, 2012 [4 favorites]
overrated comedy series
Deep breath. In and out. Count to ten. Go to my happy place.
posted by andoatnp at 9:31 PM on July 22, 2012 [14 favorites]
Deep breath. In and out. Count to ten. Go to my happy place.
posted by andoatnp at 9:31 PM on July 22, 2012 [14 favorites]
Same thing with more mechanics and less coffee? Jay Leno's Garage.
posted by rh at 9:36 PM on July 22, 2012
posted by rh at 9:36 PM on July 22, 2012
I did watch it. At least it is titled truthfully.
car was especially provided for this film So that's fake or misleading.
(I liked the really quick shots that showed where the cameras were attached inside the car.)
Somewhere I read, maybe here, someone wrote "Comedians are supposed to make their audiences laugh, not each other."
posted by caclwmr4 at 9:39 PM on July 22, 2012
car was especially provided for this film So that's fake or misleading.
(I liked the really quick shots that showed where the cameras were attached inside the car.)
Somewhere I read, maybe here, someone wrote "Comedians are supposed to make their audiences laugh, not each other."
posted by caclwmr4 at 9:39 PM on July 22, 2012
> Same thing with more mechanics and less coffee? Jay Leno's Garage.
I seriously wish he just left late night and was in charge of Top Gear america or similar, the guy is such an awesome car nut, he could have actually made the show work.
posted by mrzarquon at 9:39 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
I seriously wish he just left late night and was in charge of Top Gear america or similar, the guy is such an awesome car nut, he could have actually made the show work.
posted by mrzarquon at 9:39 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Jay Leno's Garage
Hey, I thought this thread was about comedians.
posted by found missing at 9:41 PM on July 22, 2012 [8 favorites]
Hey, I thought this thread was about comedians.
posted by found missing at 9:41 PM on July 22, 2012 [8 favorites]
Cars that were built before 1964 are not required to have seat belts.
posted by quazichimp at 9:42 PM on July 22, 2012
posted by quazichimp at 9:42 PM on July 22, 2012
There's a sadness there, a desperation, a longing for the time when people thought he was funny when he was doing something about nothing. Larry David -- who of course has done valuable work since the '90s -- has the air of a man who realizes that his friend is not in a good mental place, but is doing his best to humour him, to play along, to not let on that he's worried and not that entertained.
What in the fuck are you talking about.
posted by pwally at 9:43 PM on July 22, 2012 [29 favorites]
What in the fuck are you talking about.
posted by pwally at 9:43 PM on July 22, 2012 [29 favorites]
Well the guy who thought Seinfeld was overrated is Canadian.
posted by ReeMonster at 9:43 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by ReeMonster at 9:43 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Cars that were built before 1964 are not required to have seat belts.
The reasoning being that anyone who owns such a car is old enough.
posted by TwelveTwo at 9:46 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
The reasoning being that anyone who owns such a car is old enough.
posted by TwelveTwo at 9:46 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Well the guy who thought Seinfeld was overrated is Canadian.
Serenity now!
posted by andoatnp at 9:48 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Serenity now!
posted by andoatnp at 9:48 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
There may come a point where the schtick of Larry David or Jerry Seinfeld pontificating over mundane topics becomes tiresome, but it hasn't happened yet, at least for me. I could watch these two all day.
Particularly liked the "can any mugged drink act as a substitute for coffee in a social situation" discussion.
posted by The Gooch at 9:48 PM on July 22, 2012
Particularly liked the "can any mugged drink act as a substitute for coffee in a social situation" discussion.
posted by The Gooch at 9:48 PM on July 22, 2012
What did the thing about each generation getting better looking have to do with anything? That was such a weird non-sequitur.
posted by désoeuvrée at 10:02 PM on July 22, 2012
posted by désoeuvrée at 10:02 PM on July 22, 2012
I like their real-life personalities a LOT more than their TV ones.
posted by not_on_display at 10:10 PM on July 22, 2012
posted by not_on_display at 10:10 PM on July 22, 2012
Here's my question: Does the semaphore turn signal close automatically? The keep showing it pop open, but they never showed it pop closed. Is it single use? I'm imagining people driving around in little VWs, pulling over every time they turn or change lanes, just to pop that spring-loaded flag back in.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 10:10 PM on July 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 10:10 PM on July 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
"We did a show together in the 1990s"
Oh, Jerry... The entire cast of your show have been trying that line for years, and it's never going to work. You're never going to be able to disown something as massive as Seinfeld was, no matter how much time passes.
That said, I really like this. I often lament that comedy today is conspicuously absent of funny scenes showing characters having a good time. It's harder to pull off, so we do it less and less. This was refreshingly different from that, which is ironic, considering that Seinfeld and David share a lot of credit for driving American comedy in a darker and more cynical direction.
Also, I noticed that the video quality is astonishingly good for web video, which could be why it's completely borking some people's systems. It's also rendering as HTML5 over here, which could be contributing to the issues that some of you are having...
posted by schmod at 10:16 PM on July 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
Oh, Jerry... The entire cast of your show have been trying that line for years, and it's never going to work. You're never going to be able to disown something as massive as Seinfeld was, no matter how much time passes.
That said, I really like this. I often lament that comedy today is conspicuously absent of funny scenes showing characters having a good time. It's harder to pull off, so we do it less and less. This was refreshingly different from that, which is ironic, considering that Seinfeld and David share a lot of credit for driving American comedy in a darker and more cynical direction.
Also, I noticed that the video quality is astonishingly good for web video, which could be why it's completely borking some people's systems. It's also rendering as HTML5 over here, which could be contributing to the issues that some of you are having...
posted by schmod at 10:16 PM on July 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
overrated comedy series
Deep breath. In and out. Count to ten. Go to my happy place.
Serenity now!
Gah wish I could watch this, but I'm on vacation and about to go over my data limit.
Hoochie mama!
posted by littlesq at 10:20 PM on July 22, 2012
Deep breath. In and out. Count to ten. Go to my happy place.
Serenity now!
Gah wish I could watch this, but I'm on vacation and about to go over my data limit.
Hoochie mama!
posted by littlesq at 10:20 PM on July 22, 2012
...this Bugatti has 10 radiators — my car doesn't have any. How is that progress?
That Bugatti also has forty times his car's horsepower. Kind of insane.
posted by knave at 10:20 PM on July 22, 2012
That Bugatti also has forty times his car's horsepower. Kind of insane.
posted by knave at 10:20 PM on July 22, 2012
Well the guy who thought the guy who thought Seinfeld was overrated is Canadian is American.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:46 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:46 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
I believe there were seat belts in the bug, but only lap belts. You can hear them click right at the beginning.
NSAID: The semaphore is controlled by a lever that opens and closes and then closes it when you move it the other way.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 10:56 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
NSAID: The semaphore is controlled by a lever that opens and closes and then closes it when you move it the other way.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 10:56 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
When did Jerry Seinfeld trade faces with Gilbert Gottfried?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:06 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:06 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
i had the same spotty video issues, for the first time ever i opened crackle on my roku and it streamed just fine. all the better to see the semaphore in action without pausing 5 times.
posted by camdan at 11:37 PM on July 22, 2012
posted by camdan at 11:37 PM on July 22, 2012
This was fairly charming. Seemed a bit forced in places...I think that might be because they want it to be funny rather than just talking and having funny bits naturally happen, if that makes any sense.
posted by maxwelton at 11:57 PM on July 22, 2012
posted by maxwelton at 11:57 PM on July 22, 2012
CACLWMR4 hit the nail on the head for me regarding why comedy has fallen flat for me recently.
"Somewhere I read, maybe here, someone wrote 'Comedians are supposed to make their audiences laugh, not each other.'"
It seems like there's this big badge of honor (especially on the so-called alt-comedy scene) to be funniest to other comedians rather to the audience, and it's a turn off because A) that makes the entertainer less funny to me, & B) it has a certain air of smugness to it--like only other comedians know what's truly funny.
posted by EJXD2 at 11:59 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Somewhere I read, maybe here, someone wrote 'Comedians are supposed to make their audiences laugh, not each other.'"
It seems like there's this big badge of honor (especially on the so-called alt-comedy scene) to be funniest to other comedians rather to the audience, and it's a turn off because A) that makes the entertainer less funny to me, & B) it has a certain air of smugness to it--like only other comedians know what's truly funny.
posted by EJXD2 at 11:59 PM on July 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Hawaii Comic Andy Bumatai has been doing something like this with (local to Hawaii) celebrities for about a year.
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:32 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:32 AM on July 23, 2012
One percenter comedy
posted by staticscreen at 12:50 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by staticscreen at 12:50 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
EJXD2: It seems like there's this big badge of honor (especially on the so-called alt-comedy scene) to be funniest to other comedians rather to the audience, and it's a turn off because A) that makes the entertainer less funny to me, & B) it has a certain air of smugness to it--like only other comedians know what's truly funny
I didn't get into stand up comedy the same way most people do (ie Comedy Central specials) but I have been listening to Comedy Bang Bang, which is like the king of alt-comedy podcasts, so my experience with the scene might be different from yours. But I can say that while some comedy is somewhat exclusive (ie just about any time a comic talks about Twitter as an advertising/publishing platform vs. a social one), it's not, as yet, about disregarding the audience. It sounds like most of what you're describing is the up-and-coming comic attitude where their neurotic, self-obsessed 'well my joke was just too smart for you, dumb audience' personality does a lot more for revealing their stage fright and inexperience than it does to mask it.
Parks and Rec post spin-off of The Office writing (ie Season 2 and beyond) is a great example of extremely approachable comedy manned by a lot of alt(ish)-comics. And while the comedians do their best to corpse the hell out of each other, it's never really that tasteless or obtuse and you can pretty much get a couple of good grins out of any given episode. I'd also recommend Paul F. Tompkins in just about anything and Chelsea Peretti's standup is a pretty solid act but now I'm showing just how narrow my understanding of comedy is so take all of this with a big grain of salt. I do know that I'm nowhere close to considering myself a comedian and I find a lot of our current crop of jokes to be pretty easily digested though sometimes some of them do leave a pretty bad taste in your mouth (and the occasional wet smear in your pants).
posted by dubusadus at 1:40 AM on July 23, 2012
I didn't get into stand up comedy the same way most people do (ie Comedy Central specials) but I have been listening to Comedy Bang Bang, which is like the king of alt-comedy podcasts, so my experience with the scene might be different from yours. But I can say that while some comedy is somewhat exclusive (ie just about any time a comic talks about Twitter as an advertising/publishing platform vs. a social one), it's not, as yet, about disregarding the audience. It sounds like most of what you're describing is the up-and-coming comic attitude where their neurotic, self-obsessed 'well my joke was just too smart for you, dumb audience' personality does a lot more for revealing their stage fright and inexperience than it does to mask it.
Parks and Rec post spin-off of The Office writing (ie Season 2 and beyond) is a great example of extremely approachable comedy manned by a lot of alt(ish)-comics. And while the comedians do their best to corpse the hell out of each other, it's never really that tasteless or obtuse and you can pretty much get a couple of good grins out of any given episode. I'd also recommend Paul F. Tompkins in just about anything and Chelsea Peretti's standup is a pretty solid act but now I'm showing just how narrow my understanding of comedy is so take all of this with a big grain of salt. I do know that I'm nowhere close to considering myself a comedian and I find a lot of our current crop of jokes to be pretty easily digested though sometimes some of them do leave a pretty bad taste in your mouth (and the occasional wet smear in your pants).
posted by dubusadus at 1:40 AM on July 23, 2012
I'd love to know how long it took them to do this. On the one hand it looks really spontaneous, but on the other it is done with multiple cameras, so I wonder how much of it was actually done on the fly. A great watch, anyway, and It's a fun idea to use a different car each time.
posted by DanCall at 3:17 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by DanCall at 3:17 AM on July 23, 2012
Jerry answered a couple questions about the show on Twitter and linked to a trailer. I hope they keep going with it.
posted by starman at 4:18 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by starman at 4:18 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
So, this is like Larry and Jerry do The Trip, yes?
posted by LondonYank at 4:20 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by LondonYank at 4:20 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
It would have been funnier if they had done it with different horses every week.
(If they could find that many horses that can drive a car.)
posted by pracowity at 4:24 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
(If they could find that many horses that can drive a car.)
posted by pracowity at 4:24 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Larry David... realizes that his friend is not in a good mental place, but is doing his best to humour him, to play along, to not let on that he's worried
This is simultaneously the least true and most entertaining comment in the thread.
posted by dgaicun at 4:30 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
This is simultaneously the least true and most entertaining comment in the thread.
posted by dgaicun at 4:30 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David were a brilliant team who created one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. It was fun to watch a stylized, tastefully done video of them hanging out and talking about life after all these years.
Oh, sorry, was that not snarky enough?
posted by John Cohen at 4:57 AM on July 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
Oh, sorry, was that not snarky enough?
posted by John Cohen at 4:57 AM on July 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
Coming soon to CBC: Canadians in Cars Getting Coffee (from Tim Horton's).
posted by unSane at 5:02 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by unSane at 5:02 AM on July 23, 2012
Comedians, without an audience, laughing at their own jokes.
posted by thejoshu at 5:44 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by thejoshu at 5:44 AM on July 23, 2012
What did the thing about each generation getting better looking have to do with anything? That was such a weird non-sequitur.
Larry was just talking about his parents nagging him for not being excited so the idea of generations was certainly floating about. Seems to me like enough of a conversational link for Jerry to get in a friendly dig at Larry's rather self-serving observation that each generation gets better looking.
posted by MUD at 5:58 AM on July 23, 2012
Larry was just talking about his parents nagging him for not being excited so the idea of generations was certainly floating about. Seems to me like enough of a conversational link for Jerry to get in a friendly dig at Larry's rather self-serving observation that each generation gets better looking.
posted by MUD at 5:58 AM on July 23, 2012
Well the guy who thought Seinfeld was overrated is Canadian.
Wow, what's next? "Let's get 'im!!!"
But take a look at Seinfeld also in the Talking Funny conversations (with Ricky Gervais, Louis CK, and Chris Rock). The great Rock unfortunately doesn't say enough, Louis and Gervais are brilliant, and it's only Seinfeld who just sails along with nothing particularly insightful to say. For me, there's always an air about him not quite of smugness, but of someone who has had his one big success, and is now floundering for something else. Contrast that to either of those other three comedians, who have been steady, either perfecting their craft or always moving on to new things. Or both.
posted by anothermug at 6:20 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Wow, what's next? "Let's get 'im!!!"
But take a look at Seinfeld also in the Talking Funny conversations (with Ricky Gervais, Louis CK, and Chris Rock). The great Rock unfortunately doesn't say enough, Louis and Gervais are brilliant, and it's only Seinfeld who just sails along with nothing particularly insightful to say. For me, there's always an air about him not quite of smugness, but of someone who has had his one big success, and is now floundering for something else. Contrast that to either of those other three comedians, who have been steady, either perfecting their craft or always moving on to new things. Or both.
posted by anothermug at 6:20 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
look at Seinfeld also in the Talking Funny conversations
This was so much better than the FPP...mostly 'cause of the people who aren't Seinfeld.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 6:31 AM on July 23, 2012
This was so much better than the FPP...mostly 'cause of the people who aren't Seinfeld.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 6:31 AM on July 23, 2012
Tom Scharpling (Best show on WFMU) pointed out that this series is probably just so he can write-off all his expensive cars for tax purposes.
posted by wcfields at 6:53 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by wcfields at 6:53 AM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
That Bugatti also has forty times his car's horsepower. Kind of insane.
It equals out - the Bugatti costs forty times as much.
The video was very enjoyable.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 6:56 AM on July 23, 2012
It equals out - the Bugatti costs forty times as much.
The video was very enjoyable.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 6:56 AM on July 23, 2012
The great Rock unfortunately doesn't say enough, Louis and Gervais are brilliant, and it's only Seinfeld who just sails along with nothing particularly insightful to say.
Your reaction to the Talking Funny episode, not saying it's wrong*, is quite different than most other peoples' take. Every review I've read has pointed out that of the four of them, the only reason Gervais had any place on that sound stage was because he produced the thing. His stand up is nowhere near the caliber of the other three.
Also, from what I've read, Seinfeld's stand up tour is still one of the funniest big-ticket acts out there, and he continually revamps it to keep it fresh from year to year.
*MY GOD IT'S SO WRONG
posted by Think_Long at 7:08 AM on July 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
Your reaction to the Talking Funny episode, not saying it's wrong*, is quite different than most other peoples' take. Every review I've read has pointed out that of the four of them, the only reason Gervais had any place on that sound stage was because he produced the thing. His stand up is nowhere near the caliber of the other three.
Also, from what I've read, Seinfeld's stand up tour is still one of the funniest big-ticket acts out there, and he continually revamps it to keep it fresh from year to year.
*MY GOD IT'S SO WRONG
posted by Think_Long at 7:08 AM on July 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
dubusadus: Actually we have a similar background, as I enjoy Comedy Bang Bang as well as a few of the other podcasts on that network (Sklarbro Country, for example).
One of the recurring themes among comics on there (and this even extends to highly successful ones such as the Sklars or Patton Oswalt) is when they talk about the audience with disdain because it didn't get a particular joke, as if people outside the comedy world are unable to appreciate certain layers of humor.
There's a certain air of "it's funny because I'm funny" that seems to permeate this landscape. It doesn't RUIN the overall experience for me. These people ARE funny, but this is one facet of "the scene" that irks me.
posted by EJXD2 at 7:34 AM on July 23, 2012
One of the recurring themes among comics on there (and this even extends to highly successful ones such as the Sklars or Patton Oswalt) is when they talk about the audience with disdain because it didn't get a particular joke, as if people outside the comedy world are unable to appreciate certain layers of humor.
There's a certain air of "it's funny because I'm funny" that seems to permeate this landscape. It doesn't RUIN the overall experience for me. These people ARE funny, but this is one facet of "the scene" that irks me.
posted by EJXD2 at 7:34 AM on July 23, 2012
the only reason Gervais had any place on that sound stage was because he produced the thing. His stand up is nowhere near the caliber of the other three.
Yes, just to clarify, I wasn't saying that Gervais's standup is as good as Rock's or CK's. It's not. He's not very good by any standard. I was commenting on Gervais's insights into comedy, which are great while Seinfeld doesn't have much insight into his success.
Seinfeld's stand up tour is still one of the funniest big-ticket acts out there
I hear that Justin Bieber's tours have been successful, too.
posted by anothermug at 7:37 AM on July 23, 2012
Yes, just to clarify, I wasn't saying that Gervais's standup is as good as Rock's or CK's. It's not. He's not very good by any standard. I was commenting on Gervais's insights into comedy, which are great while Seinfeld doesn't have much insight into his success.
Seinfeld's stand up tour is still one of the funniest big-ticket acts out there
I hear that Justin Bieber's tours have been successful, too.
posted by anothermug at 7:37 AM on July 23, 2012
He's not very good by any standard.
For what it's worth, I was referring only to Gervais's standup. His TV shows are brilliant.
posted by anothermug at 7:40 AM on July 23, 2012
For what it's worth, I was referring only to Gervais's standup. His TV shows are brilliant.
posted by anothermug at 7:40 AM on July 23, 2012
staticscreen: "One percenter comedy"
The dumpster bit was a little jarring. There are people out there who just don't ever open dumpsters, their garbage just disappears!
posted by that's how you get ants at 7:57 AM on July 23, 2012
The dumpster bit was a little jarring. There are people out there who just don't ever open dumpsters, their garbage just disappears!
posted by that's how you get ants at 7:57 AM on July 23, 2012
Needs more conflict. See Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon's "The Trip" (although that was far too long!)
posted by mrhappy at 8:05 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by mrhappy at 8:05 AM on July 23, 2012
1- Some of the comments here smack of those guys born just a *little* too late to have been Beatles fans, who HATE the love people have for them. Why the hate? You don't have to like it, but you get ZERO points for snarking on something that is almost universally considered to be of high quality.
2- Gervais is a terribly funny guy and knows a lot about the subject of funny. (And the business of show.) But he may not be a great standup. Those are really two different skillsets.
3- "Seinfeld doesn't have much insight into his success." Maybe he just doesn't talk about it, fearing that he will cease being funny and instantly become the Dean of the Friars Club.
posted by gjc at 8:10 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
2- Gervais is a terribly funny guy and knows a lot about the subject of funny. (And the business of show.) But he may not be a great standup. Those are really two different skillsets.
3- "Seinfeld doesn't have much insight into his success." Maybe he just doesn't talk about it, fearing that he will cease being funny and instantly become the Dean of the Friars Club.
posted by gjc at 8:10 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
One of the recurring themes among comics on there (and this even extends to highly successful ones such as the Sklars or Patton Oswalt) is when they talk about the audience with disdain because it didn't get a particular joke, as if people outside the comedy world are unable to appreciate certain layers of humor.
Yes, this does happen, but at the same time I think it's kind of correct, there are lately more layers to this comedy onion, and some of those layers are likely not going to be appreciated by the average comedy fan who doesn't have the same exposure. Comedy is like jazz in that way.
I am a comedy junkie, I have a friend who is a casual comedy fan. I took him to see Norm MacDonald in a club setting last month but I would never have taken him to see Comedy Bang Bang, it's too inside.
Also, Patton and the Sklars are pretty much the bottom of the barrel for me, Patton is kind of a dick and the Sklars are so in love with their own, bad, patter that it is dizzying.
Jerry and David however, together, magic. Every time.
posted by Cosine at 8:14 AM on July 23, 2012
Yes, this does happen, but at the same time I think it's kind of correct, there are lately more layers to this comedy onion, and some of those layers are likely not going to be appreciated by the average comedy fan who doesn't have the same exposure. Comedy is like jazz in that way.
I am a comedy junkie, I have a friend who is a casual comedy fan. I took him to see Norm MacDonald in a club setting last month but I would never have taken him to see Comedy Bang Bang, it's too inside.
Also, Patton and the Sklars are pretty much the bottom of the barrel for me, Patton is kind of a dick and the Sklars are so in love with their own, bad, patter that it is dizzying.
Jerry and David however, together, magic. Every time.
posted by Cosine at 8:14 AM on July 23, 2012
The dumpster bit was a little jarring. There are people out there who just don't ever open dumpsters, their garbage just disappears!
For two neurotics like David and Seinfeld, opening a dirty dumpster is a big deal.
Staying home from work is fun, I get to participate in comedy feuds!
posted by Think_Long at 8:15 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
For two neurotics like David and Seinfeld, opening a dirty dumpster is a big deal.
Staying home from work is fun, I get to participate in comedy feuds!
posted by Think_Long at 8:15 AM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
1- Some of the comments here smack of those guys born just a *little* too late to have been Beatles fans, who HATE the love people have for them. Why the hate? You don't have to like it, but you get ZERO points for snarking on something that is almost universally considered to be of high quality.
I don't really follow the logic here. I have no hate. I was not snarking. Yes, I was disagreeing with the "almost universal" opinion that Seinfeld is a great show, but that's not snarking.
posted by anothermug at 8:19 AM on July 23, 2012
I don't really follow the logic here. I have no hate. I was not snarking. Yes, I was disagreeing with the "almost universal" opinion that Seinfeld is a great show, but that's not snarking.
posted by anothermug at 8:19 AM on July 23, 2012
I guess it's better than "the Marriage Ref.".... and "Bee Movie". But those are some damn low bars to get over.
posted by modernnomad at 9:02 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by modernnomad at 9:02 AM on July 23, 2012
Some of the comments here smack of those guys born just a *little* too late to have been Beatles fans, who HATE the love people have for them. Why the hate? You don't have to like it, but you get ZERO points for snarking on something that is almost universally considered to be of high quality.
Mefites pile snark on stuff that's "almost universally considered to be of high quality" all the time. Jerry Seinfeld is not exempt. Neither are the Beatles. Lower the temperature, for crying out loud.
posted by blucevalo at 9:26 AM on July 23, 2012
Mefites pile snark on stuff that's "almost universally considered to be of high quality" all the time. Jerry Seinfeld is not exempt. Neither are the Beatles. Lower the temperature, for crying out loud.
posted by blucevalo at 9:26 AM on July 23, 2012
I'm with John Cohen.
posted by fivesavagepalms at 10:05 AM on July 23, 2012
posted by fivesavagepalms at 10:05 AM on July 23, 2012
I have no hate. I was not snarking. Yes, I was disagreeing with the "almost universal" opinion that Seinfeld is a great show, but that's not snarking.
Your "hey I'm just a reasonable person expressing their opinion" is a bit hard to reconcile with your weird fantasies about the pity Larry David supposedly is displaying for his depressed friend. Also your "Bieber is successful too", which is I guess an argument that success does not equal quality, doesn't really match up with your "he knows he's washed up and longs for when people thought he was funny". It sounds like you're moving the goalposts:
"No one thinks he's funny!"
"Lots of people think he's funny."
"That doesn't mean he is funny."
if you type "funny" enough it stops looking like a real word
posted by neuromodulator at 10:10 AM on July 23, 2012
Your "hey I'm just a reasonable person expressing their opinion" is a bit hard to reconcile with your weird fantasies about the pity Larry David supposedly is displaying for his depressed friend. Also your "Bieber is successful too", which is I guess an argument that success does not equal quality, doesn't really match up with your "he knows he's washed up and longs for when people thought he was funny". It sounds like you're moving the goalposts:
"No one thinks he's funny!"
"Lots of people think he's funny."
"That doesn't mean he is funny."
if you type "funny" enough it stops looking like a real word
posted by neuromodulator at 10:10 AM on July 23, 2012
Tom Scharpling (Best show on WFMU) pointed out that this series is probably just so he can write-off all his expensive cars for tax purposes.
You could watch the credits and see that they thank someone for the use of the car or even read it in this very thread, but it's easier to quote Tom Scharpling (who?). When Seinfeld starts driving around and filming in his bathtub Porsches we'll revisit the issue.
posted by fixedgear at 10:28 AM on July 23, 2012
You could watch the credits and see that they thank someone for the use of the car or even read it in this very thread, but it's easier to quote Tom Scharpling (who?). When Seinfeld starts driving around and filming in his bathtub Porsches we'll revisit the issue.
posted by fixedgear at 10:28 AM on July 23, 2012
sklero: "Yes, Jerry, you have a very cool car."
I know this was (a lot) about him showing that off. But even though I'm not much of a car guy and not much of a Seinfeld guy, that car (and him showing it off) made me like him a lot more.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:28 PM on July 23, 2012
I know this was (a lot) about him showing that off. But even though I'm not much of a car guy and not much of a Seinfeld guy, that car (and him showing it off) made me like him a lot more.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:28 PM on July 23, 2012
Do you guy just honestly wander around in a fog of ignorance, not even reading or watching what's being talked about? IT'S NOT HIS CAR. It's in the comments upthread, it's in the credits. How can you miss that?
posted by unSane at 12:30 PM on July 23, 2012
posted by unSane at 12:30 PM on July 23, 2012
Weirdly (to some), I should have italicized that. I'm not much of a Seinfeld guy. I like Jerry Seinfeld just fine. Or am neutral about him, I guess.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:30 PM on July 23, 2012
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:30 PM on July 23, 2012
Your "hey I'm just a reasonable person expressing their opinion" is a bit hard to reconcile with your weird fantasies about the pity Larry David supposedly is displaying for his depressed friend.
With apologies to others who don't care about my comments ... Those are not weird fantasies. David was funny and still is. Some of us think that Seinfeld maybe used to be funny (or maybe not), but no longer is. I was making a conclusion based on David's awkwardness at times, and Seinfeld's desperate, exhausting effort to so casually recreate the genius of comedy about nothing.
Also your "Bieber is successful too", which is I guess an argument that success does not equal quality, doesn't really match up with your "he knows he's washed up and longs for when people thought he was funny".
I don't think those are mutually exclusive. Just because someone has a financially successful tour does not necessarily mean that they are funny, or that they think they're funny.
It sounds like you're moving the goalposts:
"No one thinks he's funny!"
"Lots of people think he's funny."
"That doesn't mean he is funny."
I never said the first, and I agree with the second and third.
posted by anothermug at 2:14 PM on July 23, 2012
With apologies to others who don't care about my comments ... Those are not weird fantasies. David was funny and still is. Some of us think that Seinfeld maybe used to be funny (or maybe not), but no longer is. I was making a conclusion based on David's awkwardness at times, and Seinfeld's desperate, exhausting effort to so casually recreate the genius of comedy about nothing.
Also your "Bieber is successful too", which is I guess an argument that success does not equal quality, doesn't really match up with your "he knows he's washed up and longs for when people thought he was funny".
I don't think those are mutually exclusive. Just because someone has a financially successful tour does not necessarily mean that they are funny, or that they think they're funny.
It sounds like you're moving the goalposts:
"No one thinks he's funny!"
"Lots of people think he's funny."
"That doesn't mean he is funny."
I never said the first, and I agree with the second and third.
posted by anothermug at 2:14 PM on July 23, 2012
The car was just the vehicle for the comedy.
posted by not_on_display at 2:54 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by not_on_display at 2:54 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Can I say one thing to you? And I say this with an unblemished record of staunch heterosexuality.
Larry looks fabulous.
posted by shockingbluamp at 3:15 PM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
Larry looks fabulous.
posted by shockingbluamp at 3:15 PM on July 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
If this all feels a bit forced, then this is probably a fun place to mention carpool with Robert Llewellyn (Kryten from Red Dwarf), in which he gives comedians and luminaries a lift in his Prius. Same idea, very lo-fi, no pretension, lovely stuff. Patrick Stewart, Stephen Fry, Tim Minchin, etc
posted by firesine at 4:32 PM on July 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by firesine at 4:32 PM on July 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
I don't get why their table in the diner is in blocking the door. Is that supposed to be some metaphor for their comedy?
posted by spock at 8:48 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by spock at 8:48 PM on July 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
EJXD2: Yeah, I'll agree that it's a recurring theme of the comic basically being an asshole for thing that every 'connection' they make is as transparent as they think it is. I've always just thought of it as a spasm of anxiousness but on second thought, it's likely that I'm just giving most standup comics way too much credit.
posted by dubusadus at 9:14 PM on July 25, 2012
posted by dubusadus at 9:14 PM on July 25, 2012
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posted by unliteral at 8:52 PM on July 22, 2012