Comedy 101...

[Guest]

Ok, so I'm holding a summer camp class to introduce kids to classic comedy. It's a wealthy treasure chest from which to pluck, and I'm canvassing for your favorite gems.

Y'know, stuff like:
Warner Bros. "Feed the Kitty". Gene Hackman lighting the Creature's thumb afire. Anything by Stan Freberg. Curly in "Disorder in the Court". "Why is there a watermelon there?" Chico and Harpo cutting the sleeping man's mustache. The wall falling around Buster... etcetera etcetera, Mrs. Anna.

Those're all well and good, but in this age of modern marvels {hey, where's my flyin' friggin' car, anyway?!} I figure there's a good deal more variety from all manner of nations available over the internet.

It has to be clean material, but I'd be interested in anyone's suggestions for stuff-kids-should-see-to-provide-a-comic-foundation.

Thanks in advance!

Chris

[Stephon]

Off the top of my head

Not sure if by "classic" you mean more than 20 years old, but:

Danny Kaye, Danny Kaye, Danny Kaye; the "often/orphan" bit from "Pirates of Penzance"; "Who's on first?"; "How do you know she's a witch?"; Mr. Bean; Princess Bride; Roberto Begnini; Wallace & Gromit; Bambi Meets Godzilla; Dick van Dyke hypnotism episode, Keaton's "Sherlock Jr."; John Byner; Flip Wilson; "The Villian"--a lousy movie, but does live action versions of many Coyote/Roadrunner gags

I'm sure I'll think of more.

Lemme know what you come up with as a final list.

[Doctor Eric]

fuck danny kaye, classics are classics for a reason. Listen to EVERYTHING by Don Rickles. Then, question the validity of your own existence.

[Patrick Kelly]

I think Danny Kaye would have liked that.

[Stephon]

Ah, Eric, you're the thinking man's Jester.

Please qualify "fuck danny kaye"

[Guest]

Thanks for the comments that help...

Good one's all, Steph...oh right, the Gypsy drinking song from Inspector General by Kaye as well, and the vessel w/the pestle bit...

[Doctor Eric]

Originally posted by Stephon
Please qualify "fuck danny kaye"

Ha! Check the timestamp on that post, and know that I passed out about 45 seconds after I hit the submit button.

I'm sure I had some sort of logical argument at the time. Something that I felt very passionate about. But now, my head just hurts.

I think I was planning on mentioning Spike Jones, esp. the Spike Jones and the City Slickers TV series, then had some rant coming about teaching children the word "Fuck" at a young age.

[Stephon]

Does it mean there's something wrong with me that my first reaction to your reply, Eric, was disappointment?

I was expecting some sort of attack on my artistic aesthetics, cognative abilities and personal hygiene.

This is how people end up paying to get peed on, isn't it?

[Doctor Eric]

I guess it is, but you're lucky enough to have all the abuse you want, free of charge, if you start another thread, I'm sure someone will oblige

[scot]

I'll pee on you to see how much your turban absorbs while pleasing the bigots and the muslims.

bill cosby. It doesn't matter, you show the kids anything old and they'll either think it's funny because they've never seen it before or they'll think it's old and stupid because they've seen it a million times in pixar movies.

either way, you're trying to show kids stuff that isn't funny. If I wanted kids to get as excited about magic as I was, I wouldn't teach them a magic history class, I'd show them some amazing tricks.

I watch chaplin, keaton and old carlin. I watch looney toons and shandling. It's not because it's funny, but because it's part of the stuff I like (comedy). I wouldn't like it if I hadn't seen eddie murphy and michael richards and simpsons.

When I was in school - and a class clown, I had a teacher say "You need to see some classic comedy" He lent me tapes of Red Skelton. Watched 'em. I thought he was an idiot.

bring 'em in on the ground level and you can bring them all along.

[le pire]

funny you should mention

spike jones-- the joke is the song

vs

victor borge -- the music is the straight man and Victor is the joke.

both are valid but two entirely different approaches.


I laugh at both, but Victor makes me laugh harder and stays with me longer. Just me, perhaps, but I can never hear Mozart in the same way after Victor Borge...


etienne

[Doctor Eric]

Etienne, WATCH spike jones sometime, then read what you just wrote again. Spike Jones never had to sell his shit in an infomercial. And he was a talented musician. Victor Borge is funny enough, for a few minutes, but doesn't really compare.

[Peter Voice]

Of course it doesn't compare.

"Victor Borge is funny enough, for a few minutes but doesn't really compare"

Oooooohhhhhh, what you said Eric.

Victor was a consumate clown, the music was merely his unique form of costume (including changes), an almost unnecessary prop to his presence. How many comics/humorists use a music skill as a prop. In Al Yankovic's case, it is the end result.


Then again this is "Comedy 101" so I expect at least 500 words from each reader comparing the work of all the afore-mentioned comic geniuses, complete with quotes, references and an apple (preferably the latest model laptop), delivered to my desk by 4pm this Fri.

I think you all should include the work of Grock, Bob Denver, the Goons, Roy Rean, Graham Kennedy and George the Shrub in your studies for upcoming essays.

[Guest]

Ok, ok...Jeebus youse guys!

Alls I wanted was suggestions from fellow performers (many comedic) of what they groove on that could/should be introduced to kids to provide a basic comedy vocabulary.

If you want to harsh on individual suggestions, let's start Comedy 102, for those that want to hold a pissing contest.

Lots of good names being bandied about, so thanks for that, but be dicks about each other's suggestions in somebody else's thread, huh?

[Peter Voice]

Sorry Ren Man,
but Victor was good and my other suggestions (excluding George) were genuine.

Kids love rythmn, bodily functions and food.