Part 1 of 2, for real this time. Movies, mayhem, and fictional physics. And a break down of humor. What more could you ask for? Enjoy!
QUESTIONS:
What are the advantages/disadvantages of comedy over other types of story-telling? –Jas
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My wife grew up new both Milan and Andalusia Illinois. My-Lynn and And-a-lou-sia. And I heard Illi-noise ALL the time when I was growing up in Arkansas
You grew up in Arkansas? I feel like that explains something, but I’m not sure what it is..
I definitely had Hannah Gadsby in mind.
But was also thinking more generally about how narratives work. Hannah Gadsby makes this point about how comedy depends on building up an artificial tension that relies on humiliation, but I was thinking–isn’t the build up of tension and release of tension a general description of stories? So is it more that some stories can use tensions that wind up marginalizing and some can use tension in a way that connects us–some kind of tension about the human condition that we would all relate to?
Ok… I’m definitely going to have to think about this one…
I do think all storytelling relies upon tension, but not all storytelling relies upon conflict. Fiction, for example, seems to rely upon conflict while non-fiction is free to rely upon various kinds of tension.
I think there’s a misconception about comedy that it relies entirely upon conflict-oriented tension and “transgression”. Certainly some comedy can be like that. But I don’t think all comedy is like that. The comedy used in many magic acts, for example, often relies upon the tension that magic acts naturally create between curiosity and surprise.
That kind of comedy–the comedy of the trick–can be use in at least two ways that I think illustrate what I was saying about whether or not tension is used to connect or humiliate (or scapegoat). A trick can either show our connected human condition of being able to play with our reality and bring about change or to empower us, or it can be used to scapegoat in the sense of duping someone. Simple example–in a cartoon a trickster figure will be being chased by, ah, let’s say the hunter. The trickster paints a tunnel on a rock and runs through, while the hunter bangs his head. Or, slightly more sophisticated, in a Shakespearean comedy, the heroine disguises herself as a boy and is able to do all kinds of things she can’t do in her usual gender position and then is revealed to be a girl to bring about, voila, the happy ending. Whereas the same disguises and tricks are used to make the pompous ass character reveal who he really is to his detriment.
Excewent iwustwation, Wabbit!
https://goo.gl/images/ZJj97B
= D
That “ship” sailed a long time ago.
Audio levels: The opening is still much louder than the two of you but it’s not as bad as it’s been in previous episodes.
Tony’s new TV: It sounds much fancy, but I’m curious as to which one it is. In part because there are several documented cases of “Smart TVs” spying on their users.
Iowa State Fair: I keep thinking about going down to the fair. If you guys talk about it 3 months in advance next year (so I listen at the right time), maybe I’ll actually remember to try going. Also, Tony did you mean to say “people who are into the state fair should be committed?”
Deep-fried PB&J: Dang, that sounds good.
Freshly made root beer, made with cane sugar? That sounds even better but I’m not sure that much of a detour would make sense for us, given that we don’t have relatives out that way.
Ant Man & the Wasp: I liked having the Wasp, but found the first movie better. As for why the fake science is such a problem is the amount of time they spend on trying to fake explain their fake science. So when they get it obviously wrong; it sticks out that much more.
A Wrinkle in Time: Still not seen it, still thinking of watching it after reading the book again, but already way behind in my reading for this year, so not sure when that will happen.
James Gunn: Gunn did say bad things, but Disney definitely overreacted (especially since he’d already apologized for his comments). I will likely still watch GotG, but I’ll be grumpy about it.
Nanette: Watched it. It was brutal while still being funny (in parts). I don’t generally read non-fiction and haven’t been following her on social media, but her book Tony mentions sounds interesting.
The older I get the more comedic films seem to be either pointless or so ridiculously over the top that I just can’t take it.
Tony: Congrats on not breaking nuthin’!