I haven’t posted in a while, mainly because of this thesis I am co-authoring at the moment. We’re really in our last weeks of writing and it takes most of my time. It’s gonna be le-gen-da-ry.
However, I’m also in need of entertainment during those weeks and I try to generate relief by exploring new artists or rediscovering known ones through stuff they’ve done that is yet unknown to me. If you have a look at my YouTube favourites you see what I’ve been consuming lately but for the less alert followers (and for historical and probably sentimal purposes) I like to compile a list once in a while. This is my recently discovered or re-discovered comedy list:
Cover of Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais
In Germany he’s really not that present because… well, he doesn’t speak german. But for those not impaired by the language barrier: He’s a british fellow best known over there for his tv shows The Office (which a popular German show called “Stromberg” was derived from) and Extras. He also made some movies which you might know. I very much liked “The invention of lying” () though again, watching it in it’s original language is imperative imho. He also makes a very popular Podcast with friends Steven Merchant and Karl Pilkington, which was made into an animated tv show.
I recently watched some of his Stand-Up comedy shows and his very dark british humour totally hits my nerve. Obviously his character is a total asshole and full of cynicism. Great fun!
From the show “Science”
Politics (Hitler interprets Nietzsche)
Cover of Tim Minchin
Tim Minchin
This is kind of a new discovery to me. He’s an australian multi-talent (lives in London), playing gorgeous songs on piano and (kinda like Ben Folds but in a very different fashionn) also writes impressive words that go with it. He’s a rock star, kind of geeky and his songs are often about religion (he#s an atheist), scepticism and himself. His lyrics are of poetic quality but also of scietific precision. He has a very theatrical look with wild hair and iconic eye makeup and always goes on stage with bare feet. I don’t think he’ll get to Germany anytime soon (again, no English for ze Germans, surprise me otherwise) but he’s so, so worth checking out that I would almost pay you to do so (if I had any money).
If I didn’t have you
Some Stand-Up
And just to throw another one in, I think this is probably the definitive geek hymn if there has ever been one. “This is my brain / and it’s fine / it’s where I spend the vast majority of my time / it’s not perfect but it’s mine.”
<a href="http://youtu.be/dg3PberzvXo"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/dg3PberzvXo/0.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="344" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>
Image via Wikipedia
Bill Maher
I think I wrote about him before, probably because of his documentary “Religilous” which did make it here but still managed to get past me. He has a current weekly tv show called “Realtime” on HBO where he wittily discusses news topics with a panel of top notch experts and showbiz people. He cleverly but drastically questions beliefs, political views and common sense of his fellow americans and he doesn’t hide his own opinions. He probably don’t get’s the loudest laughs but his clever work with language really appeals to me and he sure makes opinions happen which makes you wonder how you came up with yours. Which btw is always a worthy question to ask yourself.
On Religion
<a href="http://youtu.be/RlP09x2kxrU"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/RlP09x2kxrU/0.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="344" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>Some shorts from “Religulous”
<a href="http://youtu.be/8uqiv3tCghA"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/8uqiv3tCghA/0.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="344" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>
Cover of Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Included here because of the fact that we had towel day last week and I totally forgot. Which bothered me even more since I have those nice new towels I could have taken out. However, if you don’t know Adams, go read this. Then get all of his books and read them, too. Really. He’s that funny.
You might realize all these comedians (in the broadest sense) bring a very different kind of funny to the table. From the dark satire and biting black humour over musical, geeky and clever comedy to seriously funny and informative. Douglas Adams probably combines them all to a degree.
This is a video from his last big talk called “Parrots the Universe and Everything” which -- to be fair -- is 90 minutes long, but since I’m sure you can’t possibly have something better to do, have a go.
<a href="http://youtu.be/_ZG8HBuDjgc"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/_ZG8HBuDjgc/0.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="344" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>George Carlin
Thanks to @TheFred for reminding me. George Carlin is probably an inspiration to many of the blokes on this list, as he has made way for Stand-Up-Comedy as we know it today. I already wrote about Carlin shortly after he died. So have a look there for more information or look below this text to find three of my favourite Carlin pieces.
<a href="http://youtu.be/gPOfurmrjxo"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/gPOfurmrjxo/0.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="344" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a> <a href="http://youtu.be/YzEs2nj7iZM"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/YzEs2nj7iZM/0.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="344" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a> <a href="http://youtu.be/3_Nrp7cj_tM"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/3_Nrp7cj_tM/0.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="344" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>Bonus -- sunscreen
I recently remembered this song.. poem… speach… whatever and for I have never found anything of equal proportions containing more wisdom I guess I can pass it on once more.
<a href="http://youtu.be/xfq_A8nXMsQ"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/xfq_A8nXMsQ/0.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="344" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>If you read up to (or rather down to) this point and have not laughed you may inquire a refund for the money you paid here. Oh, right, you didn’t pay anything. Get lost! No german translation for this post btw.
