WHAT'S SO FUNNY?

Hello again – I’m back online after our cross country migration.  More about that later!!

I wish I liked movies.  Our friends gather frequently at the theater and I’d love to go along – except for the part where we sit in the dark, watching people slaughter one another or writhe in naked ecstasy.  I am “high strung” so all those amazing special effects leave me agitated.  And most of the people who are exchanging torrid looks and stroking …nevermind…I just do not want to share the love. 

So I don’t see a lot of movies; well… except for Boomer Humor.  Nothing  entertains like a bunch of geezers seasoned actors in a comedy.  Loved “Bucket  List”.  Howled at “It’s Complicated”.  Give me a clever line and I’m yours forever.  Nicholson had me at “Somewhere, some lucky son-of-a-bitch is having a heart attack.”  Articulate, wry, not overstated and (thank you!) not banal.

Which brings us to stand-up comedy, which is ideal for my short attention span.  In a movie, I’m committed to believing the nonsense for hours and, even worse, caring in order to appreciate the humor. Whereas a comic routine allows me to hear, react and move on…I’m not stuck forever in a fraternity house of horrors.  Even better, good comedians play with their audiences – adapting and interacting so each performance is a conversation – a really funny conversation. 

One of my favorite theater experiences is “Late Night Catechism”.  Tears ran down my face!  The sharp, intelligent humor caught me completely off-guard.  And it was real.  I know, I know – she’s not really a nun…but the premise is simple: an evening catechism class for adults.  No aliens, no billionaires, no collection of beautifully painted mannequins pretending to be waitresses and soccer moms.  No special effects and no canned laughter.  Just a really funny idea and a great performance.  I not only sat still for the whole thing…I went twice! 

I know this is beginning to sound like I’m fixated on receding hairlines and double chins – but that’s not true.  I just want entertainment for grown-ups.  Why should I shell out a bunch of $$$ for amusements that were written to appeal to sixth graders?  Or, even worse, jokes so predictable that you see them coming for as soon as the first line is spoken.   

Or maybe it is just me.