Stuff that makes me laugh lately: A Ramble

Dear Friend,
It is Friday night, I am pumped full of caffeine and a strong desire to write.  I cannot guarantee that what I am about to record will be entertaining or comprehensible.  If you choose to read this entry anyway I will consider you a true friend... or really bored, but either one is fine.

I have been practically devouring comedy lately.  It began with a whim to see some silent films. I chose to start off with Buster Keaton, and that was a success since I now adore the man.  It branched into a little Harold Lloyd, whom I had never heard about before researching silent films trying to find which of Buster's films I would probably like best.  I flatly refuse to watch Chaplin.  I cannot quite explain why. There is a strange quality about the man that I find off-putting and repulsive.  But Keaton and Lloyd films I will happily devour.  What I like best about these silent slapstick comedies is the physicality and stunts involved in the jokes.  I can't count how many times I've felt my jaw hanging open, making me look like an astonished fish when I see what these men were doing.  The best part is the lack of special effects involved in most of the stunts.  Honestly, I've grown tired of reading the rants of silent film fans who denounce the current method of using CGI to make most movie stunts these days, but they have a point.  What movie makers and actors did before computers (and frankly, insurance companies) took over is impressive.  But at the same time, it is incredible that these actors survived some of the shots they put themselves through.

Another great source of comedy for me lately is Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza on GSN.  (Red squiggly lines under the last third of that sentence, it's a shame they won't show when I publish...)   It is almost like a reunion of Whose Line is it Anyway, but not quite.  It still makes me laugh, to the point of tears sometimes.  It makes me so happy to see Ryan Stiles, Jeff Davis, Colin Mochrie, and Wayne Brady on TV again.  Drew has improved at improv since Whose Line, too.  (Aside note, I really, honestly like Drew Carey. He's the only reason I started watching the Price is Right again. I don't know why I like him so much... I don't think he's that great as a game show host, but he makes me laugh, and seems to enjoy himself doing it.) 

A friend of mine has been talking a lot about the Marx Brothers lately.  I love the Marx Brothers, myself, and hadn't seen any of their movies in a long time, so I put a couple in to watch this week.  It made me realize that my favorite Marx brother is Harpo.  He always has been, even when I was a kid.  I usually feel like Groucho gets all the attention, and he's definitely funny, but I'll always adore Harpo.

Also, somewhat related to my Marx brothers "epiphany," Wakko is my favorite of the three Warners in Animaniacs.  I thought Yakko was for the longest time, but it was always Wakko.  After all, all those years ago when I was a rather rude "hostess" when a friend was over and I insisted that she watch Animaniacs with me when she wanted to watch X-Men it was because it was a Wakko-heavy episode, not Yakko. 

Goodness, this has been a rambling and silly entry.  If you made it this far, consider yourself hugged.  I'll try to be more intellectual in my next letter.