Month: January 2014

Comedians in Cars

On By BrandonLeave a comment

So, I recently discovered Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. It is a series of 15 minute short videos on the web where Jerry Seinfeld takes a fellow comedian for a ride, a cup of coffee and a conversation. The ride is always in a different car, some classic and some modern, and the coffee is always at a local brew house. You would think by the title of the series (now in its third season) that this has the potential to be very boring. However, comedians have no off switch.

Of course, some say comedy is a subjective thing. I hold the view that the language of comedy is universal, people just have various laugh thresholds. The ABCs of comedy contain such names as Buster Keaton, W.C. Fields, The Three Stooges, Abbot and Costello, The Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, Mel Brooks, Steve Martin and even Jerry Seinfeld. I have left most of the alphabet unnamed due to space constraints but I think you get the idea.

Another falsehood regarding comedy is that if you don’t laugh it must not be funny. One time, after watching a classic Abbot and Costello movie, someone remarked that it had been awfully quiet during the film and they though it was supposed to be funny. It is against the laws of nature for Abbot and Costello to be not funny. You might as well ask the sun to stop shining or the moon to fall to the Earth. Although I may not have laughed out loud at the duo’s antics, I did have a wide grin across my face and certainly offered a hardy chuckle or two. One can appreciate comedy done well whether one laughs or not.

From my ramblings thus far, you probably think I fancy myself a comedian. I have been told I’m funny a time or two but I am far from anyone calling me a comedian. I respect the craft too much to call myself one. However, as a writer, I do spend a lot of my time with words, and I know how difficult it is to bend the language to your will for a specific outcome. I also can appreciate the play with words that comedians often tackle.

Anyway, check out Seinfeld’s series. Every time I view an episode I feel like a friend getting to tag along with a great comedian as he chats with his buddies that also happen to be funny. You might learn a thing or two about comedy. Maybe Seinfeld will have a chat and a cup of joe with Abbot and Costello one time. I wonder what they would talk about?

I hope this is contagious
I hope this is contagious

 

 

The Bookshelf

On By BrandonLeave a comment

I see no better way to start the new year off than with a new Bookshelf post. These have been a nice bit of filler for when I don’t have a review or news or anything and also provide a small window into my reading habits and inspirations. Perhaps you have been able to find a new favorite author through these as well. I believe that we will reach the end of my library in the near future and will valiantly try to post more about the various topics my meager mind happens to conjure up. I hope you enjoy.

 

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Monster Spotter’s Guide to North America by Scott Francis: I hesitate to include this here because it could be classified as non-fiction and I have not started posting such books yet. I segregate fiction and non-fiction in my personal library. However, because some of you are skeptical of the unseen, I place this volume here. The guide is a pleasant compendium of monsters and beasts that call North America home. The monsters are categorized geographically and by type. You will find information on such cryptids as The Dover Demon, Bigfoot, Wampus Cat, Hodag and Goatman. It is a small enough book that it fits in your backpack with ease. I recommend this guide to all those in search of and thrilled by the unknown.

 

Good Omens

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman: This is a wonderful book about the end of the world. The main characters are an angel and a demon that form an easy alliance to make certain that everything happens according to plan. However, they increasingly are not certain they want that plan to succeed. The book is filled to the brim with Pratchett’s fine English wit and Gaiman’s strange imagination. I guarantee this book will make you giggle out loud more than once.

 

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Stardust by Neil Gaiman:A slim but expansive novel about a boy with something to prove, a fallen star with a bit of a hobble and a race to become king. If you have seen the movie, you know what to expect, but the liberties the film version took are often times curious. You will find much enjoyment in the tale anyway. I wish I had the edition with the beautiful illustrations by Charles Vess.

 

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The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: This is Gaiman’s ode to The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. Substitute Mowgli with Bod, a boy abondened in a graveyard, and Bagheera with a mysterious vampire. Gaiman weaves the fantastic tale with his usual elegant prose and dark humor. This is a book classified for young readers but all ages will benefit from the reading.

 

Map of Time

The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma: Nothing is as it seems in this story of H. G. Wells and his investigation of a real time machine. It is also a story of adventure, love and ultimately deception. Palma is certainly an accomplished writer and I really did fall in love with the story being told. However, I find my self hesitant to read the sequel to the book. I can still highly recommend The Map of Time to those wanting to fall into a historical fantasy with no expectations but to be entertained. If you fall prey to Palma’s sleight of hand, remember that I warned you.