Sunday, June 27, 2010

The Point, and how to miss it


He said: "You are the worst motherf*****s in the world, you agency guys," referring to advertising bosses in the audience.

He said: "I want to eat you, but I won't because I don't want to get HIV. Would you roast an HIV person? You'd roast them because they're expendable. Like the Jews. Hitler had a right, you know.

"You've all got f****** Aids, c****!"

The outburst has sparked outrage in New Zealand's Jewish community and among Aids health advocates

Members of New Zealand's blogging community seem less concerned. Says Mr Farrar, it was a roast! Says Throng, it is a beat up! Says Danyl Mc, it is all about being in character. Says Fairfacts Media, it is all about being on the Left.

The savants of the blogging community, you see, know all about the tradition of the Comedy Roast. These are men who watch Comedy Central, after all. Thus they deride the provincial know-nothings of the MSM for their ignorance of this fine comedic tradition. It was a roast! A roast is meant to be outrageous!

Well, yes. But, and it is a big but, is not the object of the outrageous comedy meant to be the guest of the roast? Is that not the point - that the comedians make jokes about their guest of honour, who takes it all in good humour and shows everyone that he is a mensch? Surely the point is not to make unfunny jokes about other people who could not be there on the night - the six million Jews who died in the Shoah and the thirty-three million people who live with HIV/AIDS? Surely there is enough humour that could be made from the advertising industry without having to bring innocent victims into the room?

Members of the Fascist Community think otherwise, of course. Members of the advertising community might have wondered why they bothered coming out on a winter night to be abused by an unknown celebrity drunk who clearly cannot do standup; they may have wondered how he could stand up (boom boom).

Members of the comedy community might be wondering what is going on in Mr Fane's id. To put it another way:

שלושה דברים אדם ניכר בכוסו בכיסו ובכעסו




6 comments:

Deborah said...

Oh yes. The old, "It was just a joke. Can't you take a joke" line. Funny how it's the WASP men trotting out that line.

Paul said...

Jews, can't take a joke... like, whenever did you hear a Jewish comedian?

Leigh Christina Russell said...

Hi Paul, I presume your comment is tongue in cheek. Jewish comedians are legion. Start with Woody Allen. By the way, your last link doesn't work and I wonder what the Hebrew(?) is?

Sarah said...

“In three things man is recognized: in his cup, in his pocket, and in his anger”, or in idiomatic English, “By three things a man is known: by his cup, by his pocket, and by his anger.” (i.e., by how he behaves when drunk, how generous he is with his possessions, and how he behaves when in a temper) - nicely quoted...

Boganette said...

Yep. Totally agree. Well said.

Aside from the pathetic 'It's just a joke' argument - the 'it was a roast' argument is ludicrous for all the reasons you've said AND: Roasts are supposed to be funny.

There was nothing funny about what that drunk moron said. They should have just chucked on a video of Bill Hicks - now that is some funny stand-up about ad execs.

But what do I know? They'd label me a humourless feminist heh!

Lyndon said...

I think Danyl's (where there is the Bill Hicks video) comment about 'in character' was:

Fane was maybe (I think quite possible, but it would be a performance thing) attributing the whole Shoah bit to a hypothetic evil ad exec. And hence, suggesting the sentiment was a bad one.

I don't see where there could be anything like that with the AIDS bit.

And, no, I don't think it really makes things better anyway.