Monday, January 25, 2010

Black and blue

It's NOT that I don't appreciate comics who "work blue." I shamelessly watch Chris Rock's "specials", and I laugh heartily at Lewis Black even though he assaults my ears with all sorts of swearing just picked from thin air. I have seen some comics on TV -- The Comedy Channel -- who can't get past bowel movements and other seamy subjects that have lost their allure for me.

What I do miss are some of the very clever renderings of old comedians like Jack Benny. In fact, I wish there could be a radio network that at least once a week would carry a full schedule of NEW comedians working clean but clever and adult-like; and they could throw in a good radio mystery, too. Modern technology ought to be able to render some fantastic sound effects.

Anyone agree with me?

6 comments:

Irish Mike said...

I am not a big fan of blue comedy. After a while it's all the same. I do like your idea of a radio show with the old time comedians. Some of their stuff is timeless.

Bud said...

Thanks, Mike, I agree, and I also think that there are lots of new comedians who could put together some great modern comedy routines that are fit for public radio, and still very funny.

Sparty said...

XM radio has a "clean" comedy channel - or at least they did when Gigi and I last drove to NC

Alice said...

You know I agree with you. I do like to watch Stewart and Colbert even though they are tough to filter sometimes. I saw a comedian named Rickey Smiley recently on comedy central and he was cleverly funny without the usual smut. I thought at the time that he was truly talented and didn't have to rely on the garbage.
I saw some old Carl Reiner/Sid Ceasar clips this morning that were great! It would be neat if there was a channel devoted to the great parts of the oldies.

Doug said...

I was raised before TV and all my entertainment memories growing up were radio on which were the likes of Jack Benny, Edgar Bergen, Amos and Andy, and even Baby Snooks (Fanny Brice). Now and then you can find CD's of some of those radio show classics. But of course there were even soap operas daily.

Bud said...

Thanks for the comments. I liked so many of the old comedians and their shows, even on TV, but what I'm thinking is this: With a society as changing and complicated as ours is, with the on-rushing technological revolution, some new comedians on radio programs could do what the old ones did in their time, and have so much to work with.