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Misery
Loves Comedy is a clever title, it turns out, because in this revue of
comedians’ entry into that world—what came before—and what has happened since
does reveal some of the highlights—successes and failures—that drew them like
moths to a fire. Sometimes it was
that they suddenly realized they could be funny and that they enjoyed the
limelight. The other side is the
experience of absolute failure (dead silence in the audience) and feelings of
utter worthlessness. Parents’
reactions to their acts had a profound impact on them; e.g., “You can always go
back to Conan, right?” or simply
“Your jeans fit nice.” Rather than deterring them, such comments made the comics
more determined to pursue their dreams.
For some, joking is a way of coping. Cannavale tells about getting beat up
at school, and when he tells his family and they don’t have much of a response,
he makes a joke, and then they laugh.
Jermaine Clement says he was always laughing at his family; he loved his
uncles’ jokes. Jim Norton realized
that no one—even football players—bothered you if you were funny because they
were afraid you might mock them.
He finds making people laugh a “power thing.” Nick Swardson found that comedy took over and did for him
what drugs were doing so he couldl dispense with them. After constantly failing at sports,
Apatow in desperation to be socially acceptable made people laugh by pretending
to be a slot machine. He’d put
rocks up his nose and have people pull his arm down, whereupon the rocks would
fall out of his nose.
Other times, the comedians were simply
playful. Guest discovered
ventriloquism, which he would do in class. The teacher didn’t know where the sound was coming from,
inaccurately guessed, and made the wrong person leave the room. Apatow would take a huge recorder and
wangle his way into studios to interview stars like Jerry Seinfeld.
But the comedians also talk about their
craft—how important timing is, how they can predict with their “laugh ears”
when a laugh is going to erupt, and how they have been inspired by those who
came before (especially Lenny Bruce Richard Prior, and George Carlin). Several talk as well about the bond
among comedians, how they’re drawn toward each other at gatherings and talk
shop.
The film ends with a brief discussion about whether
one has to be miserable to be funny.
Altogether, this is an informative and interesting film that is
successful in getting behind what makes us laugh at comedy—and comedians. Lovers of comedy will likely be
especially drawn to this interesting and entertaining documentary.
What makes a comedian?
Grade B- By Donna R. Copeland
