I realized yesterday I left myself a note of sorts to write an entry about Louis C.K. Understandably, the title is a non sequitur to anyone but me. I shall explain.
There is a popular comedian named Louis C.K. who has the typical routine of making people out for stupid. Much of comedy is made at the expense of others. This is nothing new. One of my favorites, Lewis Black, is notorious for these bits. I’ve been a fan ever since his IHOP sketch. Whenever I watch Louis, though, I have an intrusive thought: I want to slap his head like a buzzer from Family Feud. It’s not to be critical of his work, rather it’s the first thought that enters my head. If only he made this noise, when I did.
Louis has a routine about how everything’s amazing and no one’s happy. He goes on to talk about how we take everything for granted. Of course, everyone in the crowd claps like a seal at Sea World. Comedy often comes in half-truths, otherwise the comedian/comedienne couldn’t bend the everyday observation to suit his or her needs. That’s what it really boils down to: taking an ordinary observation and tilting it on its side for laughs.
Part of this tirade is about flying, and how we should all be hooting and hollering about “being in a chair in the sky.” Why, yes, Louis. We should all throw a party every time a flight happens. Never mind the less than great TSA treatment, or dwindling perks (i.e. paying $25 for the first piece of checked luggage), or the outrageous food prices. No, none of that’s important, as we’re supposed to be happy little zombies shuffling this way and that. Do what you’re told. Take what you’re given. Stay in line. Consume and obey.
In practical terms, just how long do we need to keep a super-enthusiastic-oh-my-God-this-is-tremendous attitude about technology? I can agree satellite communications are still fairly recent, but flight?! That’s generations old! What about fire? Should we get hung up over every advancement like a bunch of rubes? Well, GO-O-O-LLLY, that sure is a mighty fine improvement you got thar with your heat source and all. Come on now. Maybe I should stare longingly at my toilet and write it a poem to, you know, show it my utmost gratitude?
Do you really want to know why people aren’t happy, Louis, even with this “mind-blowing” technology? It’s because people can’t treat each other well, Louis. It has been that way for a long time. In my lifetime, I might be able to fly to Asia in a blink of an eye. If I’m not treated well there, why should I be happy about it? It’s the intangible things, Louis, that have a grip on our attitudes. Maybe we should work on that first and then complain about the lack of appreciation later?
Corvidae in the Fields 
Excellent post! Firstly, it’s always fun to give it back to comedians (guys, you don’t have the answer to everything) and secondly, you have hit the nail so hard on the head it has come out the other side of the wood. Yes, we live in an age of technological marvels. The atomic bomb…ooooooooohhhh. So pretty. Let’s see what it does……
You’re exactly right. All these wondrous things aren’t enough to keep us all happy-go-lucky, it’s only other humans that can keep us like that. Sitting on a chair in the sky isn’t as fun if there’s no one with me that loves me enough to fall asleep and drool on my shoulder.
Thank you for your response! I know I’m part of the peanut gallery, but there are times to dissect the point being made behind the comedy. We can’t always be going, “ayup, ayup, ayup. So true.”
By the way, do you have people drool on your shoulder often? 😮
Haha only people that I love! What’s a little drool between friends, hey?
Ha, I suppose. They would have to be a good friend though. Anyone else owes me a Cinnabon. 🙂
I am now going to imagine slapping people and hearing a buzzer. And, if you knew how many people I wanted to slap today, you would understand that we would be into next week before I am done. And, Carnell is afraid to reply to you because he posted an unflattering picture of me on Google+ and I bawled him out about it.
It is hard to maintain a positive attitude in such a negative world. You have captured that beautifully.
I hear a slapping montage coming on!
And Michael is closer. He has good reason to worry about your wrath. 🙂
I am sure Carnell is very happy you call him ‘Michael.’ Almost no one does because of me. I can’t call him ‘Michael’ on the blog, though, because MTM’s name is ‘Michael.’ It would all get so confusing………..
I rarely call people by their last name. It reminds me of the school coach that’s disappointed he has to train me.
I sense that you’re still angry about that meal for which you paid. I myself would need thrice 22 oz beers to watch Lewis Black bc his voice grinds against me in a Gilbert Gottfriedy way. I try to like Louis CK bc I realize he is very trendy right now and I see him come up on stage to gather up all his comedy awards, but I can’t get past the ginger and the scruff. That said, I wouldn’t want to go back in time in my DeLorean if people were going to be mean to me when I get there. Or the future. But damn! It’s a time machine! Would that really ever grow old?
The family has settled down since Sunday. There has been one significant change though. I have the waitress split the bill. That’s the way it’s going to be, and I’m happier for it.
We all have different tastes in comedy. It’s part and parcel of being human. It’s not that all of Louis C.K.’s material is bad, but I’m not the type of person to laugh at everything someone says. That gets to be mindless. The time machine is awfully tempting, but I keep thinking of Back to the Future. How will I ever find Christopher Lloyd?!
I laugh so rarely that when I do, I have to give that comic props. Your post reminded me of Chris Rock saying, “They ain’t NEVAH gonna find a cure for AIDS. Ain’t no money in the cure. Money in he medicine.” That wasn’t as good as your Gomer Pyle, I admit, but that is 100% true, no? And I think in the future, you can have a seeing-eye-hoverboard that has Lloyd GPS. So you’ll head straight for him, or possibly wind up in an episode of “Taxi” with his former character, in some glitch.
I’ve heard professionals voice similar sentiments on the subject. If actions speak louder than words, they have a lot of catching up to do. I love doing my Pyle impression, although fewer and fewer people recognize it anymore.
I wouldn’t mind winding up on an episode of Taxi. It has been quite some time since I’ve seen the show.
“What does a yellow light mean?”
“Slow down.”
“OK. What… does… a… yellow… light… mean?”
🙂
Nice post. What’s funny one day leaves me unmoved the next. Or the shit that I once thought was funny is suddenly happening to me.
A friend and I had a similar moment after college. After a few drinks and a lull in the conversation, I turned to him and said “is Adam Sandler starting to suck at comedy, or did I just get older?”