In an effort to help me...and to get me to stop moochin' offa people...my buddy R Dub! asked that I make the following so he could share it on his blog.
Showing posts with label comedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comedy. Show all posts
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
book review: Burying Don Imus
Thanks to the University of Minnesota Press for providing a copy of "Burying Don Imus: Anatomy of a Scapegoat".
The author, Michael Awkward, is a professor in the Department of English Language and Literature, at the University of Michigan.
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When I became aware of this book, I was excited to review it. I've been in radio broadcasting since 1979, and somewhat of a fan of Imus.
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In the covering paper jacket of the hardback book, is written: "...Awkward privides the first balanced, critical analysis of Imus's comments..."
OK...we'll see...
In the preface: "This book explores why so many...felt that Imus's symbolic burial was utterly necessary.."
In the first chapter is a nice two paragraph setup of the career and caricature (if you will) of Imus. It's probably good that Awkward did that, because some who have attacked Imus didn't understand what he has done, and what he does: the style of his programs which have been very consistent...and acceptable in the past (until being fired from MSNBC).
Throughout the chapter, Awkward does a great job of explaining the tone of the program before Imus was fired. If you don't know where Imus came from, you probably don't understand how he got to where he was/is.
Something arose early in the book that annoyed me. (And I expected it would for the rest of the book.) I believe the fault belongs to the publisher. To access a footnote: I had to go to the rear of the book, locate the "Notes" section, and find the note that relates to the chapter...c'mon! Put footnotes, that relate to the chapter I'm reading, at the end of the chapter they are in.
Awkward states that he does not agree with the explanation Imus gave about why the Rutgers womens basketball team should not be made fun of. I won't try to speak for Awkward...I think it's best that it be read from his book so you can find if you understand, and agree, with his position. Due to my personal morals, I will say that I can somewhat agree with Awkward on this.
I almost want to close my review here. With Awkward stating that the basketball team is "fair game", I think that alone should be enough for a lot of people to want to read the book.
Towards the end of the first chapter, he states: "My intention in the following pages is to continue what Imus...started: to consider his skit in terms of the broad 'conext [of] what happens on this program'...the responses to it...the art of comedy...I hope to demonstrate that the conclusions at which people arrived about the nature of the nappy-headed hos skit reflect a failure to consider the comedic context..."
And that is VERY important. In my professional, and personal, life...many things have not been considered in proper and reasonable context. To attempt to defend against misunderstandings and misinterpretations, effort intensive and time consuming framing has been needed to keep material clearly defined. Which, after doing so, depreciates the worth of the attempt at comedy and/or "the joke". Bad jokes happen. Get over it.
In chapter six, "The Appeal of Imus in the Morning", Awkward states he was never aware of Imus until the show was on MSNBC. (I've known about, and tried to study, Imus since I began my radio career.) Because of what I've read in the chapter, I can say that Awkward "gets it".
Awkward mentions his memoirs, "Scenes of Instruction"...which I believe helped him to be open to understanding the program and those of us who like it. (I haven't read "Scenes of Instruction", but I suspect that when I write my memoirs they'll have a similar tone.)
At the end of the book, some post-MSNBC incidents are noted: a comment Imus made about Adam "Pac Man" Jones, a joke by Bernie Mac (that the audience at a fund-raiser for Barak Obama did not appreciate), and D.L. Hughley agreeing with Imus (about the appearance of the basketball team).
Good book. If you were of the opinion that Imus was evil, is evil, should have been fired, and should not have a stage...this book could cause you to consider how attempts at comedy can be viewed, and what can be considered acceptable behavior and attitudes in certain environments by some.
Friday, December 4, 2009
I am a curmudgeon
Due to some recent feedback I've received about what I sometimes say, and how I say it, and where and when I do...I guess I gotta explain this for some people.
I kinda enjoy being a curmudgeon sometimes. Most of my (professional) life I've griped, bitched, moaned, and whined for fun. When possible, turning the "joke" on the safest target: me. I try not to be one when in an environment that it would be, or is, inappropriate. But, sometimes my timing has been off...
I've tried to make it obvious that the curmudgeon-like characteristics of my persona and character is along the lines of Archie Bunker and Fred Sanford...if you take a deep look at them, they're not just rude or obnoxious for the sake of behaving that way: they are who they are because of what/where they have come from, and known...and what they currently know, and don't understand...they can be quick to judge and act based on portions of what makes them who they are. It doesn't make them bad people; right or wrong, they are just the type of people that they are.
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(After the following stories that relate to what I said previously about Bunker and Sanford, I shall return to my curmudgeonly considerations below...)
When I was in high school in West Germany, 1978-1979, I lived in a dormitory. I played American-style football on the school team. There was only one person I'm aware of who would allow some of us...who were black to stay with her on the weekends. I remember being prepared by some of my teamates as I walked to meet her for the first time: "...Now...you need to understand...she's an old white woman...kind of set in her ways...she don't mean no harm...Mrs. Case is just the way she is..."
Mrs. Case, a white woman, would feed us and make sure we were OK and safe. I don't know what her past is, but Mrs. Case described us as (her) "colored boys": "...my boys will be over this weekend...you know, my colored boys that stay with me." If you ever took the time to get to know Mrs. Case, you would realized that...this is the only way she ever knew and understood as to how refer to our ethnicity. For whatever reason, she didn't use "black" on "negro". In her defense (in which I will always be), maybe because (to her) those terms were demeaning/derogatory/antagonistic. Who knows why, and it doesn't matter why. I expect something in her past led her to use the terminology the way she did. We could tell by her actions that her use of the term "colored" was intended and meant to be used with much love and affection, and we accepted her support. We listened to her heart, and not her words...
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For a little while I lived in Rantoul, Illinois and became very active with the local citizen band (CB) radio community. One day some of us went to help someone erect a tower at their home. We were a mixed bunch of different kind of folk: male, female, young, old, black, white, etcetera. Later, the owner invited me to dinner.
After dinner, he said he needed to be honest with me, and we went to his bedroom so he could show me what was in his closet: his KKK robes. He asked if I were afraid. I said that I was not afraid of the robes.
Over more beer, we talked about why he was a member: it was his belief that there should be no mixing of heritages. I have never wanted to tell anyone what they can, and cannot, believe. And that was that. We remained as friendly as we could, and...because he continued to have me over for beer and meals...he was kicked-out of the KKK.
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I've met some people in my professional life who I found to be privately, and when around me, greatly bigoted. It was VERY weird: the person was cordial, polite, and personable to those they had a business relationship with...but when Caucasians were not around, they let their true feelings show! "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"...
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(curmudgeon /on)
There have been times that some of the crap I've said when "on stage" was taken much more seriously than it was ever meant. It's happened so much I've asked family members and friends to not listen to my radio shows and comedy routines. I've always tried to make sure that it was very clear that I meant no intentional offense...because, if I ever did, I want it to be very clear that I mean to offend in the most harshest way possible.
There are very few I can openly joke with that know and understand I'm not "taking a swing" at anyone, and I'm just riffing...
Stern, Greaseman, Imus...we've all crossed that line with no malicious intentions, just collateral damage. Lenny Bruce...Don Rickles...Richard Pryor...Crosby, Stills, and Nash...The Dixie Chicks...Michael Richards...Peter Griffin...being creative involves errors in judgement and material in an attempt to try to get it to be what it should for the audience it is intended for. You don't know you've gone too far...until you have.
Having said all of that, I also remind everyone:
you chose to stay for the rest of the show (you could have left, but you chose to stay)...
"There are controls on your radio/television..."
and, you can continue to read the material, or stop reading it and move on to something else.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
"Beer in Hell" book is worth reading/owning
I received a copy of the book I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell from the assistant to Tucker Max. (Thanks, Ian...)
Tucker Tibor Max put together a bunch of short stories about his life. (Due to the success of the book, a movie of the same title was made.) This isn't just any old regular boring biography...created in 2002, his website sets the stage for the stories he tells:
"My name is Tucker Max, and I am an asshole.
"I get excessively drunk at inappropriate times, disregard social norms, indulge every whim, ignore the consequences of my actions, mock idiots and posers, sleep with more women than is safe or reasonable, and just generally act like a raging dickhead.
"But, I do contribute to humanity in one very important way. I share my adventures with the world..."
I already like this guy...you know what you're gonna get before you get it. Now, it's up to you to walk away...or deal with it.
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According to posts on Max's website:
I like his attitude. (As a child) I stopped trying to convince people to believe that I was telling the truth: it was a lot of effort for people who just weren't worth it. When you tell the truth, and are not believed...what else do you have to work with? You loose. And how important is it that a particular person believes you, anyway?
Some people will frown upon the actions of this asshole...but not me: the people that allowed him to behave they way he has can be just as guilty for feeding the animal. (A very long time ago I seemed to have lost my ability to be shocked and horrified: I know of too many things people have done that are very much not "normal" and against conservative morals. And, trying to be very liberal regarding some lifestyle choices and activities, I just try to "live and let live".)
For many years I've been looking forward to writing books about my personal and professional lives. Some won't believe the stories, and other will be appalled to know of some things I have been aware of, done and participated in. But, as this book is, I'm sure it'll be good reading...
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I read the first story in the book, "The Famous Sushi Pants Story", and decided to not read the entire book and then post a review. Because these are short stories, and I expect the rest of the stories to be formatted as "Sushi Pants" was, you should be able to read a story when you need to kill some time...and then put down the book and do something else. Buy the book, and keep it handy for those types of times during a day.
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In 2003, he posted an account of his relationship with 1999's "Miss Vermont". She filed a lawsuit stating that her privacy had been invaded, and a judge ordered Max to not write about her. Later, the former "Miss Vermont" dismissed the lawsuit. (Again, I say: at various times, someone fed the "monster"...)
A page on his website I love is the "Date Application": he's up-front about his likes, dislikes, and expectations that hopefully will save him...and other women...a lot of wasted time from having to do what I call the "date dance" (where we spend a lot of unnecessary time with eachother to later find that it really wasn't worth it).
I don't "date"...never have. I've spent time with women...doing "something", and doing "nothing"...but that's it. When I've taken a woman to a movie, it's because one or both of us wanted to see it. When I've taken a woman out to eat it's because one or both of us were hungry, or wanted to try the food at the joint. To feel as if I needed to create an event and spend money to spend time with someone has always been the first sign that I need to reconsider what kind of relationship I should be having with that person. I think this is where Max and I kinda think alike. (You can imagine my attitude towards "Valentine's Day"...and Christmas...I'm more lenient when it comes to birthdays, unless you EXPECT me to get a present.)
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Max founded Rudius Media, an internet-based publishing outlet and management firm. It has closed. Too bad...I would have been VERY interested to see what projects might have come from them...
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I haven't had a chance to see the movie based on the book...the website for the movie is http://www.ihopetheyservebeerinhell.com
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His Twitter account is http://twitter.com/tuckermax, and his MySpace account is http://www.myspace.com/TuckerMax
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Before IHTSBiH (I'm too damn lazy to type the entire title, and even copy and past...yet still write enough verbage that takes up more space than doing the former would) he wrote two other books. The Definitive Book of Pick-Up Lines, and Belligerence and Debauchery: The Tucker Max Stories. He explains: "They are out of print, on purpose. I took B&D out of print because it was nothing more than reprints of stories already on my site. I took The Definitive Book of Pick-Up Lines out of print because it was fairly amateurish, and I didn't want my name on it without substantially improving it. I think you can get these used in some places, but I would NOT recommend buying either. B&D is all on my site, and the pick-up line book is kinda crappy..."
There might be a sequel to I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, titled Assholes Finish First. I'm looking forward to it, and I've only read one story of IHTSBiH! Get IHTSBiH now and you won't need to try to catch-up when his new book is available.
Friday, June 1, 2007
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