Thoughts on the Comedian as a Social Scientist, Teacher, Artist

Good stand-up comedians are doing performance art. Key word being good comedians. Maybe good isn't the right word. I'll elaborate..... comedians whose stand-up routine includes insights into the human condition, are doing great performance art. Important work. I am being totally serious.

It has occurred to me recently (and many times before) that some of the biggest influences on my way of thinking have been comedians (more specifically their stand-up routines, which, like a work of art, are often developed and polished over a period of time.) People like; Bill Cosby, Bill Hicks, Bill Burr, Bobcat Goldthwait, Whoopi Goldberg, Roseanne Barr, Andy Kauffman, Lenny Bruce, Sarah Silverman, (and many more).

“Folks, it's time to evolve. That's why we're troubled. You know why our institutions are failing us, the church, the state, everything's failing? It's because, um – they're no longer relevant. We're supposed to keep evolving. Evolution did not end with us growing opposable thumbs. You do know that, right?”  ― Bill Hicks

It's amazing to me how artists like these manage to tackle subjects including: social commentary, political commentary, satire, philosophy, truth to power, and more; with deep insights into these subjects, and sell it to the audience. Things that are hard to talk about maybe in daily conversation, things you don't see on traditional media like television, film, and newspaper. Sometimes things that you are not going to learn in any classroom. So this is just a little tribute to the stand-up comedian/world philosopher role that is very important in my opinion, to modern culture.

I want to mention Andy Kaufman specifically, who didn't do stand up as much as he did actual performance art. Check out the documentary A Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman (1995). Or any other of the many different  media forms out there that talk about him. Andy's art (I call it performance art more than comedy) was misunderstood by a lot of people I think.

"What's real? What's not? That's what I do in my act, test how other people deal with reality." - Andy Kaufman

To me his work was about how much of a reaction he could get out of people, by manipulating their basic emotions with his antics, for his own twisted gratification (which is kind of awesome). Or on the opposite end of the spectrum, using simple things in a moment of poetic whimsy, like a jazz artist might. Example - Kaufman's "Mighty Mouse Theme" skit. If you judge Kaufman's work sheerly as comedy maybe some of the critics have a point. But in my opinion his work crosses over into social commentary and really great performance art. Like a lot of good art, it transcends any label you might try to put on it. I am one of those hoping that his pre-mature death was his last great bit of work, and he is still out there somewhere, sweeping up the floor of a deli, quietly enjoying life.

Bill Hicks on Smoking

I can't help it, Bill Hicks always makes me laugh. One of the few comedians that can get me to laugh out loud on a regular basis. Well he's gone now of course, but at least we have some of his work that he left behind. Yes his 'comedy' wasn't politically correct but it was honest. I'll take honest expression over any kind of contrived BS any day of the week, and that's what Bill Hicks was all about, honesty. If you can't stand to hear the truth put forth in a brutally honest way, that don't go and listen to his material.

"The worst kind of non-smokers are the ones that come up to you and cough. That's pretty fucking cruel isn't it? Do you go up to cripples and dance too?”

-Bill Hicks

In the city I live in smoking is banned in public places. I don't smoke, (well maybe a cigar once in a while), but I am against this only because I think it could lead to the curtailment of other rights as well. Sometimes when a rock like that gets rolling, it can turn into a civil-rights crushing boulder awful quick. Ultimately I think as long as honest education about the effects is widely distributed, it should be up to the individual to do what they want or don't want to do. Well there is that question of the waiters, bartenders, and waitresses for example that work in the public places like bars where smoking is banned. That is definitely a strong position supporting the public smoking ban, so I guess I can see it both ways.

Thinking on Abstract Thought

For me truly great art comes from unique perspective. An original idea from someone who cannot paint well for example, still goes further than an artist who paints a bowl of fruit in seemingly perfect but uninspired replication. Take this quote from Michelangelo for example:

“A man paints with his brains and not with his hands.”

-Michelangelo

This idea extends well beyond just painting of course. That is why I consider almost anything art. Look around you right now, every object you see that is man or machine made started as an idea in someone's head. This quote from comedian Stephen Wright is funny yes, but there is some truth in it:

“I've been doing a lot of abstract painting lately, extremely abstract. No brush, no paint, no canvas, I just think about it.”

-Stephen Wright

Or take the paintings of Mark Rothko for example, who didn't care about the color and design relationships of objects, but rather the emotional response from the viewers to his 'color field' paintings. (And if you've never seen a Rothko original in person than you've never seen a Rothko).

A lot of people are completely anti-abstract-art or indifferent to it. I say to you - of course there are some lame money-grubbing artists in the world who paint cheesy, decorative, uninspired, artwork that they might call 'modern'. When I talk of modern art I am not speaking about those artists. Real art comes from the soul and is not about making money or impressing critics or galleries. Real modern art is an unrestrained method of expression, where one is free to define or not define the principles and application of ideas on a multitude if not infinite set of levels.

Appreciating Bill Hicks' Sense of Humor

I cannot help but laugh out loud when I read the following quote:

“A lot of Christians wear crosses around their necks. You think when Jesus comes back he ever wants to see a fucking cross? It's like going up to Jackie Onassis wearing a rifle pendant.”

-Bill Hicks

Bill Hicks had a truly remarkable perspective, and was truly one of the funniest people of the 20th century. One of the reasons I like his preceding statement, is that it draws a comparison to John F. Kennedy, (not a revered religious icon, but a popular leader representing change) and Jesus. What would Jesus be like in today's world? A Jewish carpenter perhaps? A presidential candidate? Anyways, Mr. Hicks was a comic who really saw everything has it truly is, and was able to get away with telling everybody else about it. The world is a richer and more informed place becuause of the work of this man. At first glance one might not think so, but if you listen closely, or loosely even, he has a lot of wisdom to share.