Between the lines of the stories told in “Oops I Did It Again: True Tales of Transgression,” a program of short comedic monologues that followed the Kol Nidre Yom Kippur service at City Winery on September 28, was a universal behavior pattern we’ve probably all experienced.
That’s the feeling of knowing you’re going down the wrong, obsessive path, but being unable to stop yourself even as you’re doing it. Monologist Carl Kissin revealed this in his story of love gone wrong, describing how “I knew I’d gone too far when I was calling her analyst to try to get them to broker a truce between us.”
Comedian and monologist Ophira Eisenberg confessed to multiple calls to an ex, recounting her chirpy “Hi, David!” excitement on the phone then his sigh in response before even talking, and repeating that he still is with another girlfriend now. It still wasn’t enough for her though, she went on to say, adding how she went to a Haitian witch who gave her instructions for how to cast a spell to bring him back. “Because that’ll work,” Eisenberg said, in a knowing tone that only time can bring.
Just to be clear, self-flagellation wasn’t the only topic of the monologues that night. Rob Gorden delivered a vivid tale of craziness at a friend’s wedding ceremony; Mindy Raf peppered her atonement-themed song with Tiny Tim-like vocal flourishes and off-kilter lyrics, proving very entertaining; and Steve Zimmer had the most high concept atonement story about a transgression cheating on a science fair project in grade school, then finding unlikely forgiveness for this long-ago sin years later.
But really, as someone who does their atonement, or at least browbeating, all the time and has trouble summoning the desire to focus on Yom Kippur, the universal truth in this comedy show might have been enough.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Taking Woodstock
When I posted online that I was seeing “Taking ..Woodstock..,” a few people were asking me how it was, and so ... I thought about this originally as a blog item, but it really turned out to be a full fledged review. Will add to www.jesterjournal.com later.
“Taking ..Woodstock..,” seen Aug. 26 in its early release in New York, is an entertaining, light take on the true story of Elliot Tiber, the proprietor of the upstate New York hotel who arranged for the legendary rock festival to come to his town after being run out of a few neighboring towns afraid of a “hippie invasion.” The movie falls a little short of being considered a four-star classic, but is a fun diversion nonetheless.
Dramatically, “Taking Woodstock” could have put a little more real conflict into Tiber’s struggles, as played by Demetri Martin, with trying to help his parents and figuring out his closeted homosexual life back in ....New York City..... The filmmakers and studio deserve credit for not wiping this aspect out of the movie entirely, although the marketing omits that, pitching the movie straight down the line as ....Woodstock.... 40th anniversary nostalgia.
Comedically, the movie sometimes turns to cartoonish slapstick in the form of Elliot’s parents, especially his mom, played by Imelda Staunton, who runs the dilapidated hotel aggressively, pinching pennies at every turn – and gets a lot of laughs in going after a couple of mobsters who attempt a shakedown when they see all the business the hotel is getting because of the festival.
Most other times, the movie’s humor comes out of little line readings here and there, and the characters’ reactions to each other. Liev Schreiber is a fun surprise as Vilma, the imposing transsexual who shows up to provide security, at the ready with a baseball bat to chase off townspeople who are angry with the Tibers for bringing the festival there.
The movie’s best scene, comedically or dramatically (maybe both), comes when Elliot’s dad, played by Henry Goodman as a weary, quiet man, tells him to go off and enjoy a little bit of the festival when it’s underway. It’s probably the one poignant, touching moment in a movie that could have had a couple more.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Montreal Comedy Festival, wrapping up
The Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Conference had a wealth of panels and discussions of interest to comedy fans, and before closing the book on all Jester's coverage, I'd like to get just two more little pieces out there:
In a panel discussion on the history and activities of the Upright Citizens Brigade, co-founder Ian Roberts pointed to the key selling point for the theatre’s now-vast training program. “We’re not just trying to make money with endless levels of classes,” he said. “The levels that we offer are there because that’s what we have to teach.”
With so many students, not everyone can be a star, even as UCB as a training ground is spawning more and more performers who are making the leap to TV and movies, or at least producing creative web comedy. The UCB training program has even gotten some criticism of “favoritism” or “cliquishness,” Roberts said. “C’mon, why would I be out to get someone? I want the people who are good on our stage. If you’re good, you’ll be up there.”
Also in the conference, Todd Phillips director of the mega-hit "The Hangover," generously gave of his time for a one-hour conversation including a Q&A with conference participants. … A pressing question, at least for this blogger, was how such seemingly different performing styles of the three leads -- Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Bradley Cooper all coalesced. Simply a lot of hanging out before shooting, Phillips explained:
“We would all just constantly hang out together all the time, before production,” he said. “… and figure each other out so they could see where their roles fit with the others. … That’s a crucial part of directing when you’re making an ensemble film.”
In a panel discussion on the history and activities of the Upright Citizens Brigade, co-founder Ian Roberts pointed to the key selling point for the theatre’s now-vast training program. “We’re not just trying to make money with endless levels of classes,” he said. “The levels that we offer are there because that’s what we have to teach.”
With so many students, not everyone can be a star, even as UCB as a training ground is spawning more and more performers who are making the leap to TV and movies, or at least producing creative web comedy. The UCB training program has even gotten some criticism of “favoritism” or “cliquishness,” Roberts said. “C’mon, why would I be out to get someone? I want the people who are good on our stage. If you’re good, you’ll be up there.”
Also in the conference, Todd Phillips director of the mega-hit "The Hangover," generously gave of his time for a one-hour conversation including a Q&A with conference participants. … A pressing question, at least for this blogger, was how such seemingly different performing styles of the three leads -- Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Bradley Cooper all coalesced. Simply a lot of hanging out before shooting, Phillips explained:
“We would all just constantly hang out together all the time, before production,” he said. “… and figure each other out so they could see where their roles fit with the others. … That’s a crucial part of directing when you’re making an ensemble film.”
Friday, July 24, 2009
Hijacked Panel
At this morning's panel in the Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Conference, on "Adult Animation Grows Up," Dino Stamatopoulos, creator and writer of the obscure show "Moral Orel," deftly hijacked the entire panel from the start (which included Dave Willis, co-creator of 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force'), snoring audibly into his microphone as the helpless moderator, Athena Gerogaklis, a Canadian TV animation production manager posed her first question on how all the animation show creators first pitched their ideas.
Stamatopoulos then proceeded to stroll off into the audience with his mike, rambling about a car accident and some other oddities, before getting around to his answer, without failing to note that before pitching, he had been drunk around the pool of the trendy L.A. hotel, the Standard. For all his unkempt appearance, Stamatopoulos did grasp inherently how panel discussions can get dull and sought to shake this one up. He didn't always quite succeed but at least got one laugh with the comment, "That's how DaVinci sold his 'Mona Lisa' show."
Stamatopoulos then proceeded to stroll off into the audience with his mike, rambling about a car accident and some other oddities, before getting around to his answer, without failing to note that before pitching, he had been drunk around the pool of the trendy L.A. hotel, the Standard. For all his unkempt appearance, Stamatopoulos did grasp inherently how panel discussions can get dull and sought to shake this one up. He didn't always quite succeed but at least got one laugh with the comment, "That's how DaVinci sold his 'Mona Lisa' show."
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Montreal Comedy Festival report
I thought at first I would break these all up into separate blog entries, but it may just end up being multiple stream-of-consciousness entries -- when it comes to covering the non-public business-side events and panels billed as the Just For Laughs Comedy Conference here in Montreal this week, that complement all the evening performances for the industry's participants.
In the first panel today, concerning comedy writing and how changing economics and distribution, especially through the Internet, are affecting how comedy writers do their work, I heard a word used I normally only hear in my other life as a financial industry trade publication journalist, and that is "fragmentation." The industry professionals on this panel, including the writer of "Tropic Thunder" and "Madagascar 2," a producer for the "Sarah Silverman Program," and Tami Sahger, a writer for "30 Rock" and respected improv performer, expressed and explored concerns about "audience fragmentation," as a result of the seemingly infinite choices of cable channels and the Web for comedic entertaiment.
The panelists debated the depth of comedy on video as a result of having to capture and cater to ever shorter attention spans. But they did have kind words for the technological advances' affect on comedy for making it easier for performers to gain exposure by shooting material on their own and on the cheap, just to get it out there.
Running out of steam a little right now, but will likely follow up on this entry with a look at the second panel heard today, which delved further into the Internet's potential as a new frontier for comedy.
In the first panel today, concerning comedy writing and how changing economics and distribution, especially through the Internet, are affecting how comedy writers do their work, I heard a word used I normally only hear in my other life as a financial industry trade publication journalist, and that is "fragmentation." The industry professionals on this panel, including the writer of "Tropic Thunder" and "Madagascar 2," a producer for the "Sarah Silverman Program," and Tami Sahger, a writer for "30 Rock" and respected improv performer, expressed and explored concerns about "audience fragmentation," as a result of the seemingly infinite choices of cable channels and the Web for comedic entertaiment.
The panelists debated the depth of comedy on video as a result of having to capture and cater to ever shorter attention spans. But they did have kind words for the technological advances' affect on comedy for making it easier for performers to gain exposure by shooting material on their own and on the cheap, just to get it out there.
Running out of steam a little right now, but will likely follow up on this entry with a look at the second panel heard today, which delved further into the Internet's potential as a new frontier for comedy.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
H-B-lame-O
Occasionally, passing by all the bills posted on scaffolding around the city, something sinks in as worth checking out. In the past couple weeks, I saw all these intriguing posters touting "ComedyFetish.com." Thinking this was a new comedy site, along the lines of Funny or Die, or SuperDeluxe, I finally got around to checking it out, and was disappointed.
ComedyFetish.com is just a collection of clips from various HBO comedy series, grouped by themes such as "Huge Misunderstandings," "Tantalizing Truths" and "Foreign Exposure." The whole thing is basically just one big promo for HBO series on DVDs, done under the very dishonest bait-and-switch of setting the whole thing up to look like it's new original content. Thumbs down, or 'boo,' or nominate them for Keith Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World" award, or however you want to pan the site.
ComedyFetish.com is just a collection of clips from various HBO comedy series, grouped by themes such as "Huge Misunderstandings," "Tantalizing Truths" and "Foreign Exposure." The whole thing is basically just one big promo for HBO series on DVDs, done under the very dishonest bait-and-switch of setting the whole thing up to look like it's new original content. Thumbs down, or 'boo,' or nominate them for Keith Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World" award, or however you want to pan the site.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Whatever Works
I can't really put this up as a full review because it's already been out a couple weeks, but I do want to give a quick take on "Whatever Works," the Woody Allen movie starring Larry David, momentous for being a meeting of comedic minds.
I enjoyed a lot of the film, but I have to say, that especially for those who are more fans of David, it really loses steam after the first half, when David's character gets sidelined for awhile as Allen's script gets more into the machinations involving the other characters. This is after David, with his trademark dark comic bile, has thoroughly energized and sparked the movie, especially with a few long rants delivered directly into the camera, speaking purposefully to the audience with a knowing wink.
What could have been a four or five-star movie starts to fall a bit short of that, and closer to the category of being a more minor Woody Allen work, as the focus strays away from David. It turns out to be more of an entertaining experiment and less momentous as a movie than "Vicky Christina Barcelona" or "Match Point," out of Allen's recent films.
I enjoyed a lot of the film, but I have to say, that especially for those who are more fans of David, it really loses steam after the first half, when David's character gets sidelined for awhile as Allen's script gets more into the machinations involving the other characters. This is after David, with his trademark dark comic bile, has thoroughly energized and sparked the movie, especially with a few long rants delivered directly into the camera, speaking purposefully to the audience with a knowing wink.
What could have been a four or five-star movie starts to fall a bit short of that, and closer to the category of being a more minor Woody Allen work, as the focus strays away from David. It turns out to be more of an entertaining experiment and less momentous as a movie than "Vicky Christina Barcelona" or "Match Point," out of Allen's recent films.
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