Standing Up For Comedy
Some thoughts on the submerging of the value of Comedy, and my defense of it, I suppose, because it been my BFF.
I feel lucky to have been born (should I put a period here? Because that’s already a complete and accurate sentence. I’ll start again).
I feel lucky to have been born with some inherent understanding of Comedy, made more keen through the years having been raised Irish Catholic, and being emo before emo emerged as a genre. (I dropped the E). Although a dark and delicate little thing, I remember deeply embracing the value of a good belly laugh. The kind where you lose your breath. Your tummy would ACHE LIKE SIN (as Mom would say) from the inability to stop! OUT OF CONTROL GIGGLES!!! My favorite! LORD I have had my share of them! I would be inside-out from watching Laurel And Hardy. From there it went on to my personal G.O.A.T., Carol Burnett and so on. Comedy was my salvation! Because of course, with the lion’s share of Comedy…lives tragedy. Sweet tragedy. And don’t we all know it. Too well of late. Comedy afforded me a place to exist in this world. That statement is not hyperbole.
So, here is why I am writing this post in the first place. I CAN NOT LET GO of my frustration after seeing Hulu’s series The Bear, YET AGAIN, be up for multiple Emmy Comedy awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series. My HEAD spins. Do they think we won’t notice? That they’ve just called The Bear (a FANTASTIC drama series. LOVED it) with ALSO some funny lines and scenes…a COMEDY?? If we are talking tone, it is clearly drama. I highly doubt Jamie Curtis was channeling her strong comedy chops when portraying so beautifully the role of the Mother. She dug deep into her dramatic, emotional well for this one. TONE, people. Tone and intention.
I would like to turn now to the wiki definition of Comedy:
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium.
The word that sticks out for me here in this context is INTENDED!!! I don’t believe that The Bear’s INTENTION in making the show was for the PURPOSE of laughter. . Ted Lasso! Also up for Outstanding Comedy Series. While it had lovely, serious scenes, it clearly was serving up intentional Comedy. These two don’t even compare, category-wise, in my opine.
What irks me, and drags me into the anger pit is this; it would never go the other way. Comedy, on some levels, has never been taken seriously. And it should be. It is fucking hard. (My first profanity word. Welcome to my authentic self). It feels like it is just another way to shove the funny out of the way to make room for the more serious stuff. Shows that I feel the industry considers more legitimate work/art. Why does Comedy have to just keep rolling over and taking it? There is a double standard here, as I highly doubt a comedy could be submitted for a drama series. Is it too late for me to submit myself as my Mad TV character, Lorraine Swanson for best dramatic actress? Because although funny, there were some serious lines, and real emotions in there. Or Joan Callamezzo from NBC’s Parks and Rec., a classic tragic figure. Pure drama, just ask her!!
Give Comedy its own category! Stop this subversion!! To make TRUE comedy is ROUGH! To see that the waves of laughter consistently ebb and flow for 30 minutes? For an hour? That has its own skillset. THAT deserves its own accolades.
I would really like to see a new category emerge through the Emmy’s, (and any other awards). We all know it as Dramedy. THAT is where The Bear can live. THAT is where you can pit all these wonderful hybrid shows against one another, and create a genuine competition. Let’s have a true round of WHAT and WHO belongs in that Comedy ring. WHAT/WHO makes you piss your pants laughing. Truly LOL. OUT of control giggles!! Belly laughs. That is something I would like to see. Not only that, I’m pretty sure it is something we all need more of these days.
I will sit down now. Thank you for indulging.
Love this!
Here here! Well said, Mo!