First encounter With Dark Comedy

Top Gun, whether I like it or not, had a significant impact in my early childhood.

Being his favorite movie, my dad watched Top Gun all the time. One of his favorite Sunday night activities was sipping on some beer and watch Maverick and Goose take the skies and shoot down some bad guys. As a 5-6 year old, I could only grasp elementary movie plots, and only understood little, but I finally decide to watch Top Gun with my father.

Like the curious little 6 year old I was, I constantly asked questions regarding the movie, "Who is he? What is he doing? Why did he do that?" My father's tension and impatience was beginning to be palpable to even me, I was ruining his Sunday night ritual.

After much questioning and nagging, we finally get to the part where Goose dies in an accident.

"...Is he...is he dead?"
"Yes he is son, yes he is."

Overwhelming amounts of emotion clouded over me immediately. Being somewhat guarded by my mother in regards to movies, this was the first time I saw somebody in a movie die in a tragic way. Tears began launching themselves out of my eyes, my face turned red, and I cried uncontrollably.

My dad took solace in the fact that my day was ruined that a fictional character died. Who was I to ruin his Sunday night gameplan? He plotted his revenge.

After he settled me down, he made a personal point to make terrible jokes regarding Goose's death.

"You know where Goose is now? Sleeping with the fishes!!"
"Remember when Goose played the piano? He doesn't anymore, hes loooooonnng goooooooooone!"

He laughed out loud to himself obnoxiously as he repeatedly tortured me with these dark jokes. At first I was taken aback, I didnt understand how someone can look at death in such a light mood. I began to think negative things about my dad. Death, for all I know, is terrible and people should be scared about it! You simply do not joke about dying, it's not right.

After time, however, I began to appreciate it. My dad lectured to me about how themes of death happen in movies all the time, and that death itself will happen no matter what, so sometimes it is ok to laugh at it. I slowly began to understand that it was kinda funny.

I'm definitely a fan now of dark comedy, but I will never forget the time my innocent childhood was wildy disrupted by a mere death-- in Top Gun.

Thank You For Smoking

"Tobacco takes care of its own."

I really loved the repetition of this in the novel. The Captain says it numerous times throughout, and the ambigious use of it is what really made it great. On one hand, you can intepret it somewhat literally how the Captain uses it: "If you stick with the tobacoo industry and do hard work for us, we will reward you handsomely."

We can see this in some parts. The Captain raises Nick's salary twice during the book after he accomplishes some great tasks. You can also argue that if you smoke ciggarettes: the nicotine buzz (or whatever else there is for a reason to smoke) is indeed enjoyable, implying that ciggarettes will "take care of you" if you decide to indulge. But the other way you could interpret the quote is why the quote fits so well in the story...

Tobacco takes care of its own? Sure does, in a bad way. It kills thousands of people that use it (despite what Nick preaches) obviously, but let's look at some examples from the book. The Captain uses the quote when he explains why he's giving The Tumbleweed Man 500 thousand dollars, but besides this, The Tumbleweed Man needs oxygen and has cancer. The tobacco industry almost destroys Nick's seemingly indomitable personality and life, as well as his relationship with his friends.

The ambivalence of the quote just seems so appropriate for the book's theme. I for one don't think the book necessarily tries to preach, and the ambivalence of this quote is one main reason for that. It kind of says, "If you want to smoke, please do, and enjoy it. But be prepared pay the consequences, because you damn well know what your getting yourself into."

The tobacco industry wants to show the upside of the quote, and the government wants to show the downside. From this results a war between personal freedom and public safety, and both sides adopt each area respectively. But do they really believe in it? No. The politicians are pushing for smoking bans to get votes and ultimately get elected. The tobacco industry doesn't care about personal liberties or the right to smoke, they care about profit.

Paper Idea

I mentioned the first day of class I loved Thank You For Smoking (movie.) I was excited we had the chance to read the book as well, and after already gotten a head start on the book, I want to do a compare/contrast paper on the movie and novel.

I think the bases of the paper would include topics such as comparing the effectiveness of each satirical voice of each work, how the dark comedy works in both works, and discussing the differences of the two in regards to both dark comedy and satire (how one is better than the other in one area, or perhaps both movie and book work.)
Basically a compare/contrast of satire and dark comedy discussing both book and film.


I was tossing around some other ideas for the paper, but the discussion Monday really helped me make my decision (as well as relieve me a bit in regards to sources.) I realize it's a bit typical, but it is hands down the most workable of any other idea I've toyed with.

The Onion: "No One Cares About Your Girlfriend Back Home"

In my opinion, some of the best satire originates from the countless stereotypes on a college campus. Loud, obnoxious fratboys, ditzy sorority sisters, drinking oneself into oblivion; the concept has been around for years. I myself have been apart of one or more of these stereotypes, including the subject of this Onion article.

This article is a hilarious exaggeration of the dude that is trying the dreaded "long-distance relationship." All of the traits of this guy are hit dead-on in the article: sustaining to "be faithful" to his girlfriend when presented with an oppurtunity to hook-up with another girl, bitching about her being at parties, glorifying all of her good traits, etc. All of these traits are further satirized in a hilarious fashion here:

The girl isn't even "that hot."
Dorm safety procedures are more interesting than the topic of the girl.
His buddies ignore and abandon them knowing him when socializing with other people.
The final bang, the girl is cheating on him with other guys at home.

The article states that college is a new chapter in somebody's life, and that a long distance relationship is inhibiting him from realizing this new life to its full potential. This notion has some legitimacy, how can you get a gist of a new experience when your still grounded on your previous one?

A girlfriend isn't the only thing that can anchor you down, other things can to, but the article does have an argument that this is a big one. College is a time for new beginnings, to find yourself and who you are, and meet new people. The satire is so great because of the underlying message of it: college is a great thing, realize it to its full potential.

I did try a long distance relationship, and it worked out for a while, but I suppose I can laugh at myself knowing I was apart of this stereotype being satirized. In no way am I saying it's a bad thing to try, I'm just analyzing the satire and its effectiveness.

College satire is funny because there are so many different angles and things to satirize. The article puts this into a light manner and says: "Hey, let loose in college, and enjoy the ride."

Colored Museum

I really enjoyed the "Symbiosis" exhibit in Colored Museum. Wolfe does a great job not only satirizing African-American culture, but also instills a underlying theme of pain, sacrifice, and lack of acceptance that African-Americans went through in the past and present.

As a man throws away many items of his past, his inner self of the past (personified by the child) tries to stop him from doing so. The man argues to maintain his successful business job, he cannot afford to be associated with these things.

These things are staples of African-American culture, such as Afro-combs, pomade, and numerous albums of extremely successful African-American entertainers. Wolfe does a great job satirizing the culture, with lines such as "It's living proof Michael had a black nose" or "My Girl is the jam to end all jams."

I found myself rooting for the child, saying to myself, "there's no way he can throw away all these classic albums."

In the end, the man cannot seem to abandon his past and culture, as we see the child come back and grab him.

Wolfe is making a message here. People should not abandon who they are just so they can maintain a job. People's ways should be accepted, and "being black" on the weekends only isn't acceptable. It's good to see the end does imply that the man will not so easily give up his past or culture just to keep his job, he fights it, and that makes all the difference. The metaphorical perseverence of the man fighting for his past and culture (through the child) was very good way to end the exhibit.

It's s shame that African-American's actually had to go through with this type of shit, but it's also nice to see the society has changed where this doesn't happen as much anymore.

"Symbiosis" stays with the overall theme in "Colored Museum," that of lost identity, struggle for acceptance, and peseverence. The the thing makes it shine over the others, to me, is the perfect satirization mixed with the optimistic feeling of personal triumph at the end.

Favorite Sedaris Writing

I read several of the Sedaris' essays, but one particularly held sentiment to me when I read it. This was the "What I Learned" post, that dealt Sedaris going to college and not knowing what to do after that, as well as themes of parental pressure.

The writing has to do with what Sedaris went through when he went to an ivy league school. Obviously, people had tremedous expectations of him, especially his parents. He compared this pressure to pressure of religion, more specifically in regards to a "pass-fail system," either do what your expected to do in an ivy league school such as Princeton, or fail miserbly, hence "die" in a sense.

Sedaris went on to say he really didn't know what to do with himself after graduation. Here he is, graduated from an ivy schoool. Everyone expects him to go into a career that is ultimately promising, profitable, and "happy." This is what everyone expected of him, and he had a major problem with it. He didn't have a career, didn't know exactly where to go, and had only this great expectation to be succesful under the general public's eye.

But he did not go down this common trodden-down path. He went somewhere else. This is where I believe Sedaris gets his comparison with Twain. Twain seeemed to have criticized and scrutinize the general public. Who is the general public to tell me exactly what I should do and where I should go? Sedaris obviously took his own path, writing satire about his family; not a common result of going to a "prestigious" school. He in fact went in a direction that deviated from this expected result, that ultimately resulted in happiness and a successful career.

He writes his parents were dissapointed, to the point where they "boarding up the door and disguising themselves" in response to where Sedaris was going.

His parents expected him to go into a great career that everyone else defines as "great." Since he deviated from this, they were dissapointed. Why? Twain asks this same question in many of his stories. Just because a general consensus maintains that a person should go to a great school and do great things, doesn't mean that someone can do something different to achieve success and happiness. Sedaris found something he loved and enjoyed, and that is the true benchmark of happiness and success.

It's funny that David's father preached him to keep an "open mind" when selecting a good career. In his father's head, his "open mindedness" advocated basically conforming to everyone elses opinion of success.

This is why this appeals so much to me. Sedaris went down a path that ultimately resulted in happiness, but far from what everyone else sees as success. To me, a person who still is in the dark on where to go in my life, this story is a great encouragement in regards to finding what you yourself makes you happy, and following that dream. Don't go down a "cliche" path that eveyone else would expect you to go down, do what you enjoy doing, finding out what you really love through your experiences.

What did Sedaris learn? Not exactly what everyone expected him to learn by going to such a great school such as Princeton. He learned to ignore society's results, and stay true to what he enjoyed, and that has made the difference.

Simpsons Episode

I really couldn't put a finger on "my fav simpsons episode," but EIEIDoh (Tomacco episode) was always one of my favorites to watch.

Lets start with the obvious. The beginning of the show can be interpreted as a satire of the influence of movies in American culture. Homer displays this when he mocks word for word the Zorro movie he saw in the theater, when his "honor was insulted" then subsequently demands for satisfaction. The Glove Slap song is an obvious parody of Love Shack, and the montage that plays during the song is hilarious (Slapping the toll-guard for a mere fifty cents.)

Another obvious satire in the episode is the prominence of American's indulging in whims, namely tobacco or other addictive substances. The series of events as certain characters become immediately addicted to the tomacco is great. (Chief Wiggum and son "It tastes like Grandma! Holy Moses it DOES taste like grandma! I WANT MORE. Yeah me too, just give me the whole bucket.)

I wish they would have had a little more of this satire in the episode. They could have expanded on the tobacco industry, as well as American's inclination to become addicted. It seems like the last five minutes of the episode they tried to cram as much in as possible, more time should have been allotted to attacking these.

Other good items in the show:

The southern man who accepted Homer's "Duel" challenge. Great comedy of manners regarding a stereotypical southern man (who talked like Foghorn Leghorn and had a suspiciously-Yosemite-Sam-like sticker on his car).

Advertising in movies using violence. (Soldier brutally piercing another just to take a soda out and adveritise it)

Homer constantly getting smashed by the tractor in absurd ways.

My favorites one liners of the episode:

Marge: Looks like you were saved by a Christmas tree!
Homer (mockingly): And somebody wanted to get rid of it in April.

Lenny: Plutonium! Homer don't you think thats kinda risky?..... Naaah I guess your right, it's not.

Wiggum: Go ahead Ralphie, the stranger is offering you a treat! (Fantastic satire of the incompetent parent)

Some good dark comedy:
Homer: I guess I'll go hang myself in the barn...
Marge: Homer No!
Bart: Let him go Mom...
Lisa: Wait Dad you don't have to kill yourself!
Homer: This better be good!

Lisa: (After Homer is shot) Dad this might be one of those things you should go to the hospital for...
Homer (quickly retorting): After pie.


Like I said, my favorite? No. But still damn good. Like I said, I wish they had more content regarding addiction and maybe some more shots at the tobacco industry.

On second thought, I suppose Homer's invention and exploitation of Tomacco is a huge metaphor comparing the tobacco industry. Homer doesn't care he is selling Tomacco even though others getting addicted and is unhealthy, he is selling just to make money, exactly parallel to the view on the tobacco industry.

Sedaris' Genius

It's a shame that this class introduced to me David Sedaris.

His unique style and blatent criticisms about himself and his family are hilarious. I love how he is so open when he writes about himself, it truly results in a real genuine, funny product. The tape we listened to on Wednesday was a perfect example. He talked about how hard it was to take his clothes off even when he was inside his own trailer, and he even touched on his sexual excitements (tingling in his penis), and it was funny. His Letterman gig was similar in that he was talking about pissing while talking to people. And it all comes off so funny because you can think to yourself: "I would be thinking and saying the same shit he is in these situations.) His genuinity in his content as he writes about these awkward situations, and the fact that it comes out hilarious, and perhaps even relatable, is where his genius shines.

I thought "Rooster" was a great example of how Sedaris' genuinity comes out of his stories. Sedaris certaintly played up Rooster's raw and vulgar mannerisims in the story, and while funny, made me think of Rooster as rather unpleasant in the beginning of the story. But then Sedaris told us about his "fuck it" attitude . Sedaris spoke of The Rooster as resilient, and it seems like he could deal with a heavy load of adversity. The very end was appealing to me, when Rooster pats his Dad's back and tells him that he'll get through it. At the end of the story Rooster was incredibly admirable to me and it felt like I actually knew The Rooster, which is very hard to do in such a small story.


That is Sedaris's genius, his relatable and genuine style of his writing.

Twain's Short Story Post

Upon skimming through Twain's story list in the collection, one story jumped out at me. The short story was called "Science vs Luck." I have had many arguments between friends about this exact notion, of certain gambling games boasting nothing but an element of luck, and that any man can win as long as he is lucky. (I am on the other side, vouching that games do in fact have elements of skill.) Perhaps Twain's story pertained to this idea?

I quickly read through the story and I was right. The story was a classic example of these gambling games to be not games of luck, but games of certain skill.

In a nutshell, some kids are put in trail for playing a game of "old sledge," a game considered at the time in Kentucky law a game of luck, and hence illegal. In the end, the kid's lawyer argues it is a game a science, calls for a jury panel of 12, 6 casual players vs 6 expert veteran players of the exact game. What happens? The 6 veteran sledge players on the jury take the other 6 casual gamer's money, proving the validity of sledge being a game of science or skill, and furthermore proving the kid's innocence.

I can only speculate Twain wrote this story as a justification that many gambling games do indeed have an element of skill. Notice how when the lawyer Sturgis proclaimed old sledge was a game of science, the entire crowd and judge immediately dismissed his claim as ridiculous, absurd. Twain made the public out to be ignorant and typically one-sided on the matter. I speculate Twain may have played many of these games, and this story was his outlet of rebutal to all of these people (the general public). This story is a testament to the validity of the argument that many gambling games involve a certain aspect of skill, not just luck.

Twain was probably sick and tired of hearing people heckling him about playing in these games, hearing the same old same old "Ahhh the game is all luck, why do you even play it?" As a fellow player of some of these games (poker would be the number one example), it was nice to read Twain's "justification" to the general public's view about "games of luck."