More About Chattering

This is not a critique of a film I haven't seen, but it is about a film I haven't seen.

If not for my profound respect for intellectual property rights and if I consorted with criminals, I might just wait for the bootleg of Team America. I've seen the reviews. A. O. Scott of the NYT writes, "Much as it may pretend otherwise, the movie has an argument, but if you try to argue back, the joke's on you." Well, I'm rubber and you're glue.

It looks like Team America would just be a few good laughs (because it's fun to see flames and stuff, there's no denying). I'm thinking, hmm, smart asses strike it rich in show biz, then bitch about other richer show biz people, then get mad when people criticize them. Do I want to pay ten bucks for that? It reminds me of when Eminem tried to hit Triumph, The Insult Dog.

It bugs me because I grew up in the midwest with people like the South Park guys, then went to college with people like them. And later I was in comedy groups with them. It's all about their pleasure. Heaven help anyone who distracts them from that, be you Pope or pinko. Pleasure is Patriotic. The highest treason is not to criticize military actions or moral leaders. The truly un-American speech is a threat to some "normal" person's comfort and carefree entertainment.

I remember a close friend of mine in high school who complained about the annoying (yes, they were annoying) progressive friends with their many buttons and causes. "What are they complaining about? It doesn't effect us. We're all white and live in the suburbs." "Uh, no we're not. You are." "Oh, I forgot." Yeah, I'm still bitter. No, the South Park guys weren't there, but they could have been.

Shock does not equal subversion. It can just as easily be reactionary. Most of the time it reinforces the status quo.

Of all expression, humor and satire are the slipperiest, like the soap they warn you not to drop. It's meaning zigs and zags. It's product is as fragile as a bubble. Sometimes, the good it does you only lasts as long as that fresh clean feeling. Sometimes, it doesn't do anything but sting your eyes.

It's true that great satire poses questions rather than preaching answers. It's foolish to respond to it the way you would respond to other discourse. But if a joke meant something to you and it pisses you off, then you're human, not necessarily an over-sensitive ass. If you don't laugh, it doesn't mean you don't get it.

So listen up, comedy dickheads of the world. If you want people to laugh at you, don't get all pissy when other people disagree with you. That's the price you pay for being heard. And don't get all flattered either. You're not so big.

Nobody better say anything bad about this post!