The Clarity in Comedy

Why do we laugh? If you think about it, you’ll find that we as a species, find humor in inconsistencies in the natural order-  it could be physical, emotional or logical. When something just doesn't make sense, we find it funny. It could be a guy walking along and then suddenly slipping on a banana peel or the realization of something illogical in a common institution or practice. This is, by far, I think, the greatest evolutionary response mechanism nature granted us. It keeps us sane.

I’m going to focus on the magnificent art of stand up comedy and its greatest artists. I’ll tell you why. In my lifelong pursuit of instant gratification and easy entertainment, I've watched thousands of movies and countless episodes of TV shows in multiple languages. It was by chance that somewhere along the line, with the advent of broadband internet, I watched a stand up comedy act on the internet. I think it was Chris Rock. At this point in my late teen years, I was heavily invested in philosophy and was generally dissatisfied with how I thought that we as a society functioned. I thought the more I read and the more I understood, the more I would be able to intelligently argue my side of things (Ah! Sweet childhood..). Ignorance really was bliss.

Anyway, I never thought I would find entertainment as well as intellectual comfort in comedy. And being a modern, relatively urban Indian youth, I was unaware of the huge and thriving culture and art of stand up comedy (Not a big thing in India). Until I started watching videos on the Internet.

Okay, I have to be careful not to mention the actual jokes themselves (because it’s bad form and I’m not that familiar with copyright laws yet..),  but explain my position nevertheless. Rock was talking about the civil war going on among African Americans themselves. Some of you might know which bit I’m referring to. The point is, it was the first time I witnessed the art of taking something everyone knows but actually dissecting it and presenting it in a manner that actually makes them see and laugh out loud.. at themselves. The fact that was he himself was African American was the most impressive thing of all to me. To genuinely poke fun at yourself and your own community and make it so damn entertaining and thought provoking was just amazing. A culture we definitely need in India by the way. We have a tendency to take things a little too seriously, in spite of a rather colourful social climate. People are a little touchy about certain things. You can blame it on a rather harsh history, but then again the African American community aren't exactly strangers to harsh histories.

Okay, I’m going off on a tangent. Getting back..  I quickly moved on to other black (yeah! The terminology was getting a little too formal for the topic at hand) comedians like Richard Pryor to Bernie Mac to Redd Foxx to Dave Chapelle. I was hooked on what I thought was my particular brand of comedy, one born out of struggle and a rich history and something, belonging to an ethnicity myself, I could relate to. But the internet being the wonderland of jumping from link to link, I chanced upon the man himself – the great George Carlin.

I, in my naivety, had assumed that great observational humor can only be rooted in a history of struggle, personal or historical; the point of view of the underdog. Therefore, no relatively well to do white American guy born in the 30s’ could deconstruct the fallacies of society as well as the other comedians. Boy, was I ever categorically wrong! Carlin’s intelligence and articulation of jokes set him apart from everyone else. He was an equal opportunity, take no prisoners, insult and expose everyone- comedian. His views on fundamental concepts like religion, politics, human rights, environmentalism, modern civilization and many more are priceless and will keep you laughing out loud and thinking for years. I realized then that great comedy is universal; that keeping an open mind will give you ample opportunities to laugh at many, many things.

Having gained some perspective, I moved from one comedian to the next regardless of sex, culture, race or nationality. The late Bill Hicks and Sam Kinnison who voiced their outrageous concerns and anger at the all powerful establishments and human behavior, in general. Seinfeld’s more soft spoken brand of observational comedy ranging from the Helmet law to the Olympics. Eddie Izzard’s unpredictable, silly and genius interpretation of history and us. Jimmy Carr’s razor sharp act of one liners. Lee Stewart’s classical analysis of popular literature to over hyped, but ultimately useless reality shows. And so many more...

Right now, I’m obsessed with the genius that is Louis CK. His joke construction and intelligence of thought, resulting in some of the most outrageous and scandalous ideas ever, is so f*cking funny that I keep watching them over and over again. He has Carlin’s gift of touching upon deep rooted social issues with utter disregard for individual sensitivities and playing with ‘done to death’ comedic fodder like men and women or relationships, but doing it in a completely innovative way that will make you pee your pants and then question your own values and take stock of some real shit.

It takes a tremendous amount of intelligence, talent and courage to do what these guys do. Stand up comedians are one of the, if not the most, smartest group of artists or entertainers out there. The stuff they get away with saying would normally get you killed out on the street, but not only do they say it out in the open , in front of large audiences and cameras, repeatedly, but they get you to pay to listen to them and want to - again and again.

If that isn't pure talent and genius, I don’t know what is... Maybe it’s “legalized insanity” like Robin Williams says or just natural God given gift. Either way, I’m lucky to have found them in my young life.

There may not be many, but those of you who aren't familiar with any or all(the horror!!) of these guys, look them up. You can watch them on Youtube and other video hosting sites. If you can buy their DVDs, do that. I rely on the internet, because like I said, they are not really available in my part of the country.

Laugh and live, folks..