So, as I was saying, no, I did not hate The Virginity Hit, a regional indie teen sex comedy that’s gotten major distribution and odd hype, partially due to Will Ferrell attaching his name to it. And my lack of hatred for the film has only a very little to do with the presence in it of the delightful, effervescent adult film star Sunny Leone. That would be her above, with the fellow who plays, you’d never guess, the slightly nerdy teen who’s the last in his group of pals to be divested of what is still sometimes known as a, um, “cherry.” A full explanation of my higher-than-I-expected regard for the film can be found in my review of it, at MSN Movies.
Incidentally, this is not the first time that the image of the insouciant Ms. Leone has graced this blog. I wonder if anyone can recall her first appearance here. I’d offer a prize. But that would feel dirty.
I see that in the comments thread for my pensees on Lena Dunham’s Tiny Furniture, a bit of a debate has been stirring concerning the value of certain comedy series carried by the pay cable outfit HBO. This coming on the heels of news that Tiny Furniture writer/director/star Lena Dunham will be working with comedy burgermeister Judd Apatow on a pilot for a series. Commenter Craig D. used the info as a pretext to observe that HBO is the home of “lazy niche humor that doesn’t make you laugh,” which has elicited objections from some fans of Eastbound and Down and Flight of the Conchords.
But hell, don’t look at me. I don’t watch much television, comedy or no, but I do recall getting a hearty chuckle out of the few Conchords bits I’ve seen, while then again being a little confused by the Eastbound-tie-in K‑Swiss sneaker ads I’ve been seeing in the subway lately. Really, the last television comedy that really got me to notice it was The Mighty Boosh, due to some weird empathy/dread thing brought up by the “Old Gregg” episode. As Kevin Smith once said to me, “Humor is so fucking subjective.” True, that. In the spirit of charity that I’ve been trying to cultivate, I viewed the news of a Dunham/Apatow collab in a positive light; maybe the more seasoned Judd can give her some pointers on being more, you know, disciplined. And I don’t know why Dunham-haters are so agitated by this; she’s actually the sort of figure who will become easier to ignore as she gains more mainstream credibility, if you follow me. “What’s the world coming to?” a very angry friend e‑mailed me; I could only respond, “I dunno; maybe if I was jonesing to do an HBO series I’d be upset. And anyway, good for her, maybe now she can get her own goddamn apartment.” I mean, it’s only a pilot, people.
Good lord, I’m getting so Zen. I barely recognize myself these days.
It was the post called “Blu” Movies.
Wait, you’re calling Apatow “disciplined”? Or am I missing the joke?
@ Stephen: Relative to Dunham, and in certain particular respects—more as a producer than as a writer/director—yes, I am. But I grant that “disciplined” may not be the mot juste for the burgermeister of the too-long and too loose-limbed commercially successful comedy. It’s been a long day…
It’s all relative.
Discipline can be overrated in comedy, or at least beside the point (certain Marx Bros. and W. C. Fields films, for instance). Haven’t seen Dunham’s film, but if Apatow is on board, I’ll at least sample her series.
I also like “Eastbound and Down,” and since Will Ferrell’s attachment to “The Foot Fist Way” led eventually to that show, I’ll keep an eye out for “The Virginity Hit” as well.
Glenn, I only “know” you via the internet, but I would think you’d really like Louis C.K.‘s FX series “Louie.” He’s a true auteur (writes, directs, produces, stars, even edits the show), his influences include Rohmer and many of the foreign-language greats, and you can certainly see Woody Allen and Ricky Gervais in there, too (the latter onscreen occasionally as Louis’ insensitive doctor). Narratively, it’s quite interesting, structured anecdotally rather like a stand-up act, except when it’s not. The show is pretty stunning visually, too, certainly by comedy series standards (I think it’s shot on the Red), and the music is wonderful. Anyway, highly recommended.
It really is discipline that’s lacking in so much comedy these days. Saw THE OTHER GUYS a few days ago, and there’s a great deal of solid, smart, and at times very imaginative humor in it (that whispered fight scene!), but the second half just absolutely unravels. It’s almost shockingly sloppy, considering the logistical firepower that must’ve gone into all those elaborate action sequences. A particular problem for Adam McKay (and generally Will Ferrell): he never seems to know how to structure his second halfs. There’s no follow-thru. Apatow at least has some vision for where he wants to go, project to project. And he’s not ashamed to say something.
I must second any naysayers of EASTBOUND. Ugh. Putting “stupid” and “offensive” in quotes doesn’t make it not stupid and not offensive. Was reminded of it during few parts of THE OTHER GUYS; in particular, when the lead character’s car gets made fun of for being…can’t quite remember…some joke about tampons. The bald misogyny seemed to be a joke in and of itself–ha! Tampons! Ha! No…try harder, even when you’re playing to the cheap seats.
Eastbound and Down is genius. The trick is to keep watching it; one episode doesn’t give you the right flavour. Once you realize it’s actually one continuous six-episode story arc, it all makes sense. Trust me.
Yeah, it’s hard to “Get” East Bound and Down until you see what’s happening in the penultimate episode. Observe and Report is the same way, but even more cynical, too much so.
LOUIE is an amazing show, one of the best I’ve ever seen. CK is the one stand-up comic who can reliably make me lose my shit completely, and his show is just…remarkable. You just have to watch it, if you haven’t (and, of course, the timing is great, as the season just ended last Tuesday).
Much as I love EASTBOUND AND DOWN, LOUIE outdoes anything on HBO, but still: if LOUIE goes on to unseat any other comedy show from the last ten years, it won’t be EASTBOUND AND DOWN, or anything like that, but rather DARTH MARENGHI’S DARKPLACE. For sheer joy and entertainment value, that one is the modern-day king, as far as I’m concerned.
LOOK THOSE FUCKING TITS
YEP YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP
BONER
Sigh. Oh well. I suppose I can’t really complain, having posted the image in the first place, and named the post that it illustrates “Hits,” and so on. Still. Mongo confused. He was under the impression that the entity who goes by variations of “Lex” wasn’t on board with augmentation in the chestal area, which Ms. Leone clearly…has. I mean, I’m not such a big fan of it myself, but I forgive Ms. Leone, because, well, let’s say I tend to be indulgent of adult film performers named “Sunny.” Not buying that? What can I tell you. Anyway. Maybe I shouldn’t even bring it up, as I’m not too keen on having the thread go “that way.” But I’m on my way into a courtesy screening of the new “Resident Evil” picture, which I’ll pontificate on forthwith, once it’s over. Everybody behave!
And here I was hoping that I was finally going to be able to steer conversation towards GARTH MARENGHI’S DARKPLACE. Oh well. One day my dream will come true.
darkplace is a one-joke show, but the joke happens to be more successful than that of any comedy series i’ve seen since fawlty towers. i’m a tremendous fan of xavier: renegade angel on college-stoner network adult swim, but it’s quite a task defending it.
It may be one joke at its base, but the possible variations on it are endless.
LOUIE always makes me laugh out loud and then afterward feel real depressed. CK is amazing!
DARKPLACE became one of my favorite shows immediately after I finished the series. You can tell that they spent a lot of time making sure the quality seems poor. One of my favorite examples is, I believe, in the first episode. There is a cart being pushed in the background and you can hear the wheels move from the right speaker to left (this is a lot clearer when you are wearing headphones). The guy pushing the cart stops because it is not actually a hallway; they just want to make it seem like it is. But the sound of the wheels continues on after the cart stops, as if the cart had continued down the nonexistent hallway. Little touches like that make me love that show.
Also, Matthew Holness has one of the most memorable scenes as the IT guy in The Office, a series full of memorable scenes.
Yes, Holness nails down that particular type of geek in his OFFICE episode.
DARKPLACE was better at being intentionally poor than anybody else who’s ever tried it, but there’s a layer of phony arrogance to the whole thing that is also very appealing. Richard Ayoade’s performance as Dean Learner is a masterpiece.
I see that LOUIE’s full season is available on Hulu. For those of us without cable, this is exciting news.
bill: “I know writers who use subtext, and they’re COWARDS.” Darkplace is one of the funniest shows EVER.
“Do you believe in the Cloven-Footed One?”
“Oh, no, please, that’s ridiculous. [Long pause] Wait, do you mean the Horned One? You know, I rather think I do.”
That’s badly paraphrased, and I think it’s from the DVD extras, but still, it never fails to bust me up.
Actually, Apatow is far more disciplined than his characters – you can’t get to a successful formula without a certain measure of self-control. Or, so I’ve heard.
As for HBO comedies, generally a pox on most of them. EASTBOUND is truly weak/wack, CONCHORDS awfully comfortable bordering-on-smug about its laugh deficiency, and BORED TO DEATH…what’s the opposite of “growing on you”? In remission? I rather wish HBO’s comedies rose to the level of their dramas. Or, at the very least, to the level of John C. Reilly’s career-best CHECK IT OUT! w/ DR. STEVE BRULE – what’s happening with that? Maybe, to be thoroughly polemical, I’ll throw CIO/Brule enablers Tim and Eric into the mix and see how those accomplished provocateurs divide the room…
The only worthwhile thing Tim and Eric have ever done is sometimes hire people who are funnier than they are.
Oooo! I strongly disagree, Bill, but that is a pretty astute dis. At least we agree on “sometimes” – I do honestly think they’re funnier than Peter Stormare (“Hhaow do you like yor Ceen-co boyee?”), if not “Weird” Al. NEVER “Weird” Al…
On the advice here, I checked out the first few “Louie“s on Hulu. Thanks, everyone. The dramatic sketches are pretty great, but even better are his stand-up bits. How have I never watched this guy until now? He reminds me of a passage from Amis’ The Information: “He was an artist when he saw society: it never crossed his mind that society had to be like this, had any right, had any business being like this. A car in the street. Why? Why cars? This is what an artist has to be: harassed to the point of insanity or stupefaction by first principles.” ”
@James – I stopped watching the show, but that was my very basic reaction to Tim and Eric. If they were on screen, I cringed, and never laughed, and quietly hated them. If somebody else was on, like Andy Daly, or Reilly (who’s brilliant as Steve Brule) or Zach Galifianakis (who has one of the funniest bits I’ve seen on that show, and one of the flat-out darkest jokes I’ve come across), then the odds greatly improved.
@Joel – Really glad you like it, and that Amis quote is very astute, both in general and regarding CK. I really should read that one again. I was too young the first time around.
Finally, just because I’m in a DARKPLACE-quoting mood:
“Greetings, traveler. Who am I? Perhaps you have met me twixt sleep and wake in the penumbra of uncertainty you call unconsciousness. Or perhaps you met me at a book signing.”
I’ve never seen Eastbound and Down, but I did see Observe and Report and The Foot Fist Way and thoroughly disliked both of them. It’s quite possible I didn’t ‘get’ them but I can’t imagine what there was to get…?
Louis C.K. directed “Pootie Tang” and that makes him all right in my book.
It’s kind of an odd book.
I read all of this and I’m starting to think that maybe … just maybe … humor is sorta subjective?
Most TV humor is so smug or willfully surreal, i.e., not funny.
that’s a fair point, christian, but maybe it’s the smugness in humor that attracts me. there are so few movies that i find genuinely funny – i think the last film that had me near doubled-over was, more of a horror film really, observe and report. give me the four hour opus of matt maiellaro’s 12 oz mouse, the inland empire of cartoons, over the family values nonsense of knocked up any day. it might make me an asshole, but i’m an asshole.
Apropos of HBO comedies, smugness and nothing else in the thread: just recently rewatched the complete Mr. Show, and the best parts of it (about 75 to 80% of the total, by my estimation) still absolutely kill. Sad to say that enjoyment led me to the mild disappointment of the lame 5‑years-later “reunion” feature on the last disc. And then, even while ignoring the gut feeling that I shouldn’t, taking the drop into the depths that is David Cross’s “I Drink For a Reason,” (audiobook version) Gawd…like the absolute worst parts of Mr. Show and Cross himself on the show. Smug to an appalling degree, pinched, and so relentlessly unfunny it was truly sad.
David Cross is, in many ways, appalling. But when the mood strikes him, he’s a hell of a performer, and MR. SHOW was pretty brilliant (Grant, your 75–80% estimation is a bit conservative, in my view). I dislike Cross enough to know I’ll never bother with his book, or any more of his stand-up CDs, but MR. SHOW is immortal.
I read some of I Drink For A Reason in the store, When Cross got to the story of why he hates Jim Belushi… wow, does that story seem like complete bullshit or what, Grant?
He tells that story a lot (at every opportunity), and I’ve always thought it sounded hinky.
Agreed, and it exemplifies a tendency I didn’t fully describe above…one of those virulent self-pity/self-absorbtion/grudge-nursing combinations that have been the ruin of many lesser beings. Agreed also on his performing skills…within a three-minute sketch format he and Odenkirk were able to bring a great deal to a wide variety of characters, even if they were purely cartoons and/or strawmen.