Which Comedian is like Fingers on a Chalkboard for you?

[knitwit45]

Ah, Steve, you and I are on the same wave length. W&W drive me to the kitchen, at least, and the Ritz Brothers can run me out of the house!
Any one who can be funny without resorting to bathroom humor, foul language or insults is incredibly funny to me.

[bettyjoan]

Jerry Lewis, Robin Williams, Jonathan Winters, Danny Kaye, Whoopie Goldberg (What can you say about someone named after a cushion?), Milton Berle, late Lucille Ball, Martha Raye, JoAnne Worley, Shelley Berman, Alan King, Ellen DeGenerate, RoseAnne, Rosie O'Donnell, Jack Lemon when he got on a 'comic' manic spree, Betty Hutton - and more.

[ken123]

Jerry Lewis

[bettyjoan]

It's obvious to everyone that Jerry Lewis made a career early on out of the sheer mimickry of disabled people. The point is arguable to the degree that humankind has always laughed at it's misfits, and in many ways this is healthy - not as the politically correct folks would have us believe.

Older societies had a way of mocking the physically or mentally wayward, but there were societal sorts of 'safety nets' too. Lunatics, those 'children of Luna', the moon, were perceived as mostly bizarre and unaccountable, but also gifted with a shrewd instintual intuition of sorts. So, like the well-fed beeves of India, they were fed and sheltered - and quite often sought out for advice.

What peeves me about Mr. Lewis is what irks me about most comedians (or even circus clowns - and just plain actors/actresses for that matter) that exhibit that manic kind of "Look at me Mom!" at all costs attitude. There's a sort of neurotic greed and demand for attention.

I used to be a singer in nightclubs on occasion and the egregious self-demeaning gymnastics of comedians was a sweat to sit through between sets.

[moira finnie]

Welcome to the site, Bettyjoan. Your thoughtful comments about clowns, comedians and that sad yet annoying "Look at me, look at me, look at me" drive behind some performers nailed something that I've often felt but have never been able to put into words. When I see a comedian or any personality whose desperate air of neediness pervades their alleged humor, turning away seems best for me (and them), but I often think to myself, "boy, if this is how you are in public, what can you possibly be like in private?"

Maybe there's more of a disconnect between the performing and civilian life than I suspect, but I certainly appreciate your remarks about this phenomenon. Thanks.

[bettyjoan]

Hi Moirafinnie:

Thanks for your remarks. I had plenty of years performing and used to be able to afford going to plays, et cetera. (Creative artists of all sorts are having a struggle like everyone else these days. - The worst people seem to get funding.)

Anyway, I won't ever forget going to see a production of a British spoof that I had once starred in. The cast featured many talented actors; mostly unknown but quite professional, as happens in many repertory companies. - Their 'Guest Star' was Mickey Rooney. (This was about 1980.) It was the end of the Second Act and the much younger male lead was rendering a finely-honed characterization, adding subtle touches of personal artistry to a role that was well-written to begin with. The audience, me included, was warmly receptive and responsive.

Mr. Rooney, also on stage, apparently thought this wouldn't do and became obviously restless, pulling out his probably ancient bag of tricks. He just HAD to upstage the young gentleman. After the usual round of boffo interuptions, ad-libs, and clownish improvised assides to the appalled audience, which he needlessly followed with a series of hip shimmies and winks, the other actors on stage just stopped and stared. - They watched him quietly . The whole house became quiet.

In a moment of awful triumph Mickey Rooney decided to stoop even lower. - He quickly reached for his fly and giddily began whipping the costume's zipper up and down.

Do I think that this behavior was somehow distinct from the actor's core personality? Nope. - What do you think?

Finally, I do think that I should mention that the 'action' in this play took place in a vicarage. This was supposed to be a light, witty comedic exchange between men of the cloth. The actors were playing priests.

[moira finnie]

Do I think that this behavior was somehow distinct from the actor's core personality? Nope. - What do you think?

I think Mickey was having an "off" night, to put it mildly. I admire Rooney a great deal, but often wonder if this and similar stories about others in the biz might be a reflection of beginning a career so young? Though there are notable exceptions, it does seem that show biz kids never get a chance to develop their equilibrium as "whole people", making them more likely to have a bit less sense of proportion. It's pretty sad actually. I'm sure that there are other posters here with more experience in seeing these kind of embarrassing moments who may have some valid opinions too. Hope that they'll express them.

In reflecting a bit about what I wrote yesterday here about the "look at me" mentality, I was wondering if the sheer courage it must take to perform in public might also warp an individual's personality to some extent? Despite the fact that I don't care for this sort of "performance art", I do see it as a brave, if pathetic thing at times. Anyone else have an opinion?

Thanks for the response, Bettyjoan.

[myrnaloyisdope]

I can't stand Robin Williams' attempts to be funny. I actually like him in dramatic roles, but man he is probably the most unfunny person alive. If I could stab a movie it would be Mrs. Doubtfire.

Eddie Bracken annoys the hell out of me too. He does his best to kill Miracle of Morgan's Creek, and comes very close to succeeding.

Mel Brooks is another person I really don't find funny. I like Blazing Saddles, but nothing can really make up for the abomination that is Spaceballs.

[jdb1]

Do I think that this behavior was somehow distinct from the actor's core personality? Nope. - What do you think?

I think Mickey was having an "off" night, to put it mildly. I admire Rooney a great deal, but often wonder if this and similar stories about others in the biz might be a reflection of beginning a career so young? Though there are notable exceptions, it does seem that show biz kids never get a chance to develop their equilibrium as "whole people", making them more likely to have a bit less sense of proportion. It's pretty sad actually. I'm sure that there are other posters here with more experience in seeing these kind of embarrassing moments who may have some valid opinions too. Hope that they'll express them.

In reflecting a bit about what I wrote yesterday here about the "look at me" mentality, I was wondering if the sheer courage it must take to perform in public might also warp an individual's personality to some extent? Despite the fact that I don't care for this sort of "performance art", I do see it as a brave, if pathetic thing at times. Anyone else have an opinion?

Thanks for the response, Bettyjoan.

Moira, I think you have something there. The child performer learns early on that he is only as valuable as the attention he can get and the money that attention brings in, so getting attention at all costs becomes an imperative.

I'm remembering Rooney's appearance on some talk show years ago (I have the impression it was Vicki Lawrence's daytime show). There were several actresses sitting in a semi-circle on stools (I think one was Gloria DeHaven), and Rooney was brought out. Within five minutes, he had dragged his stool in front of the semi-circle, and began talking directly to the audience about his glorious past, forcing the camera to focus on him. Maybe the audience liked it, but I found it a bit much, and rather rude, to boot.

[Hollis]

Good morning,

Let's go with any of the hacks that find their way onto VH1's "I Love the 70's, 80's, 90's..." but most notably Mo Rocca. follow that up with Gilbert Gottfried and Bobcat Goldthwaite. Bring up the rear (literally) with Gallagher. If you can find less funny comedians, please add them to the list!

As always,

Hollis

p.s. Stephen Wright, when he's on, is brilliant, When he's not...

[movieman1957]

p.s. Stephen Wright, when he's on, is brilliant, When he's not...

Two of my favorite Stephen Wright jokes are -

I was born by a c-section. Now every time I leave the house I go out the window.

I took a taxi to a drive-in movie. It cost me $300.

[melwalton]

I'll vote with the crowd Jerry Lewis, EMPHATICALLY!
The Stooges were even worse ( is that possible ) when they worked with Ted Healy, one of the most obnoxious people in show business history.
Other than that, I can't think of any who annoyed me although I could name dozens that I didn't like and dozens that I did.
For me, Eddie Cantor wasn't funny but his movies always had a couple of enjoyable songs and lots of chorus girls. On radio, he had the best time slot, Sunday night, 8 PM.
I think the really funny radio shows ( Fred Allen, Jack Benny ) depended more on their supporting cast than star.
Red Skelton got a lot of help from Buster Keaton
Danny Kaye from Sylvia Fine.
Good topic, Chris .... mel

[mrsl]

Most of you know I'm not real big on comedy, mainly because it's not very funny anymore. One thing I learned a long time ago was that although I liked a lot of comedians in the movies, I hated their stand-up routines, and I realized that was because in the movies the used someone elses' words and phrases instead of their own. However, that was back in the days of Pryor, and a few others like him. At first Eddie Murphy was hilarious in Beverly Hills Cop I, but by the time II came around, the language and other 'things' had been accepted.

As for Johnny Carson, he made jokes about everything from politics to family, to actors and school kids. He appealed to everyone.

As in all things now, all comedy is directed toward teenagers, and lower 20's who haven't yet grown up.

Robin Williams is too California based in his comedy, if you don't live in CA, you are not sure what he's talking about and he freely admits it.

I never cared much for Jim Carrey, but after his little stunt on the Oscars show, he gagged all respect I might ever had for him out of me.

Anne

[CoffeeDan]

To be honest, threads like this one are like fingernails on a chalkboard to me, mainly because they bring out the worst in certain people. I'd rather hear about what they like rather than what they don't like. Too many dislikes strung together are depressing, and after a while, it seems that everybody is trying to out-class or out-clique each other.

(I also think certain people here are too serious to really appreciate comedy -- they just can't leave their minds alone long enough to enjoy it. But maybe that's a subject for another thread.)

I think the title of this thread is slightly off. If I had started it, the title would be "What comedies are like fingernails on a chalkboard?" After many, many years of watching movies and writing about them professionally and semi-professionally, I find it more productive to judge individual films rather than performers, because anyone can have a bad day (or a good one, for that matter). I've also learned that the writers and directors control the quality of a film, and I will praise or blame them before I start on the actors.

That said, I actually like many of the comedians discussed here, with certain qualifications. I tend to pass on Jerry Lewis, but I do like him in THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, THE KING OF COMEDY, and THE GEISHA BOY, even though the last is a little sticky. On the average, I like every other comedy he made with Dean Martin.

And some of my favorite comedies star Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey. I agree that their earliest films are somewhat ponderous, but once they hit their stride around 1931, their movies are delightfully tuneful and silly, especially HIPS HIPS HOORAY and COCKEYED CAVALIERS, their two best pre-code comedies. The second coming of the Hays Code took some wind out of their sails, but they could still rise to the occasion in post-code goodies like THE NITWITS and ON AGAIN -- OFF AGAIN.

I love the Marx Brothers, but I can understand why some people don't like them. Much of the humor in their films is topical, and you really have to know the history and popular culture of the time to get a lot of the jokes. The only non-topical comedy they made was DUCK SOUP, which has a loopy internal logic that becomes more apparent -- and appealing -- with repeated viewings.

Now that I'm older, I probably appreciate W. C. Fields more than when I was a teenager. His is the comedy of a man resigned to the fact that the world is a crazy place and there's nothing he can do about it. But he also realizes that the world will eventually turn in his favor, and that is sometimes all that keeps him going. (No wonder he played Mr. Micawber so well.) Others praise his films IT'S A GIFT and THE BANK DICK -- and I do, too -- but I think YOU'RE TELLING ME and THE MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE illustrate the Fieldsian principles better than any of them.

Jim Carrey is a terrific comedian and a gifted mimic, but I think he is better in sketch comedy than in movies. He tends to "give" too much on the big screen, but Peter Weir got a great performance out of him in THE TRUMAN SHOW. And, though the writing dragged in its second half, THE MASK was a fine showcase for his talent.