Pop Culture Time: My Favorite Sources of Comedy

For years I have always tried to have a great since of humor, mainly because I enjoy to make people laugh. It’s a fun experience to go through and it’s worth the time and effort. People always asked me who my influences were and I always kept it a secret… Until now.  I have found various things over the years that have influenced me in one way or another, and I would like to list them.  Here are my top five favorite sources of comedy:

1.Saturday Night Live

You kids may be thinking: “But man this show sucks,” and yes it does a little today, but back from 1975-1995 the show was amazing.  This was truly a first of its kind show, mainly due to the type of format involved. Sketch Comedy was an underground thing back in the old days, but it was not on TV much, this broke that exception.  This show made Sketch Comedy cool,  and was the first show that held nothing back, the writers and actors truly did not give a fuck. They attacked anyone they felt deserved it and mentioned stuff that no one ever imagined (ex:Drugs,Sex) which were not on prime time TV (8-11 PM) Then comes their name “The Not Ready For Primetime Players) which defined the first group from 1975-1980.   I have each of the early season's on dvd, and I can name every host from 1975-1980, kind of an odd accomplishment. 

                    (You have to Dig those 70's mustaches,  so badass but yet they would not fly now.)

Most shows usually die down when the main group but not this show, it reloaded.  In 1980 a young guy named Eddie Murphy came along, and saved the show from dying. Not an easy feat but he did it and gave four good years before going to Hollywood. Then came the 1986-1994 cast, which featured many of today’s comics like Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Mike Myers and the late but great Chris Farley. However this had to come to an end and NBC forced the guys out for Will Ferrell and his generation, which was more miss than hit. But the show’s still going and hopefully is due for another good period coming soon.

Best Feature: Comedy Sketches, Commercial Parodies

Worst Feature: Modern version of the show.

2.The Howard Stern Show

If SNL innovated the “IDGAF” altitude, then this guy took it too the moon.  This man single handedly made radio worth listing and not a chore with his show, which many consider stupid but I consider it a fine art. This show not only does parodies, but manages to make insult comedy and drama funny and intense at the same time. This show features a little something for everyone: Parodies, Insult Humor, Funny Interviews, Weird and Unique guests, and even childish humor. Plus the interviews on the show can be top notch.  Not only is the material funny, but the group Howard has assembled are not throw-a-ways, rather they own in their own ways. Despite all having tough lives they manage to make many people’s better, and are fun to listen to and watch.

Most kids now the show for its Porn Star guests and the Sybian Machine (Which is quite possibly the greatest gift to porn stars mankind has ever made,) but there is a whole wealth of material they are missing. It Can easily be found on You Tube, and it’s a great way to waste time if you have nothing to do. Plus Stern’s biography film is one of my all-time favorite films, but more on that some other day.

Best Feature: The Uniqueness of the Show

Worst Feature: The Modern Show. (It’s still good but they only go three days a week anymore unlike 5 in the old days.)

3.The Simpsons

Ah Yes, the really true nuclear family who first came into our homes at Christmas 1989, and has not left since, even if they refuse to die. It’s easy to say the show sucks now and needs to evolve a little (I personally wouldn’t mind a teenage Bart/Lisa) but if you was to catch it in it’s prime, boy was it something.  It was a great show and pioneered it’s own since of humor.  Not only did it parody stuff, but it introduced in a way “Smart-Ass” humor, which is still seen nowadays. Back when the show started Bart Simpson was the main character due to his smart-ass style phrases and altitude, which was popular among the kids. But now of course Homer’s the face of the show and has evolved it even further to a cash making machine. And it kind of it lost it's groove because of that.

                                        (Not the biggest Beatles guy but that was pretty cool)

For many people of my generation they watched the Simpsons first before anything else, and it helped to define the 1990’s.  The show was not only funny but smart and even sad in a few episodes. They managed to appeal to everyone’s sides and that helped to make it so popular. Not only was it funny in the traditional term, it stands alone as it’s own beast. Not bad for a show that’s 20+ years.

Beast Feature:  Smartass Humor, Creating it’s own form of Comedy

Worst Feature: It’s stayed past it’s welcome.

4.Robot Chicken

Easily the best show on Adult Swim, this is the king of pop culture references. Ever wondered what would happen if your favorite character had a personality beyond their usual self? Well this show not only shows that, but pays tribute and even mocks some stuff as well.  A lot of people compare this to “Family Guy” but it is not really comparable due to the type of show. FG is a traditional animated comedy while RC’s its own show, and is 15 min shorter.   The guy who created this show was Seth Green who plays Chris on Family Guy, and even manages to have the actors on some of his show.

                                        

 I heavily got into this show when I was 14, and it was quite a new thing. I was never into Family Guy much, and I was late getting the Internet, so I never even knew this type of thing exists. So it was really fun and exciting to watch the show and it’s tributes: (Star Wars, Superhero’s.) Another thing that makes this show unique is the use of Dolls/Action figures for the visual, instead of cartoons. This is something to my knowledge that has never been done before, and helps to make it unique. It has never managed to lose steam.

 Best Features: The Pop Culture References, The Dolls/Action Figures

Worst Feature: If anything it’s time as each episode is only 15 min.

5.Internet Reviewers

Last but not least is the internet comedy. I finally got my internet by April of 2008 and I have been in love ever since. For once I actually had a grip on life and it’s been fun since, and I have found many things. Most notably the ability to watch creative stuff.  In my opinion the most creative form of creativity on the Internet is the Internet Reviewers. Most notably: AVGN (Angry Video Game Nerd,) NC (The Nostalgia Critic) and the CS (The Cinema Snob).

All of these guys are accomplished filmmakers, and have experienced the same things I have gon threw in life: Anger/Frustration, as well as lack of fine things.  They very rarely find good stuff in anything, and it could drive you nuts. In this case, they took their filmmaking skills to the test and decided to make a series out of it.  AVGN’s the simpler of the three as he reviews video games, find their flaws, and then goes ape-shit. Every video has a theme and every video has an epic flip out or confrontation, but yet it’s wonderful to watch.  Not only does the AVGN (Real Name: James Rolfe) love games but he’s an accomplished movie maker and has a major and impressive collection of every movie imaginable. He’s the closest to me in views of stuff.

Then there’s the NC(Doug Walker)  and Cinema Snob (Doug Jones), who focus about films and TV.  The NC’s more into kiddy and general stuff, while The Snob’s into horror films and even porn.  Usually jokes are made off the movies especially the crap in them, but they make smart pop culture references. Not silly and random like Family Guy, but well done and placed.  These three makes those who are considered nerds feel cool and worthy of the passions, and manage to be entertaining as hell at the same time.

                                        (Notice how he's the only calm one out of the bunch)

They make reviewing stuff seem cool, and demonstrate how it’s not bad to be proud of your passions.

Best Feature: Make Reviewing stuff Cool, Forms of Comedy

Worst Feature: They review boring stuff sometimes.

It's amazing how geniuses further inspire more people over time who people consider would be worse off from watching their material.  Every thing I mentioned were laughed at and mocked at one time, but are now universal and still lasts. Isn't that nice?