"The Rebellion"..."This Shift"

"Perhaps more than anyone else in the business, Zach Galifianakis embodies the rebellion against the outmoded Comedy Club circuit -- the exposed brick, the two-drink minimum, the indifferent audience, the 'regular guy with an attitude' routine -- which has come to be labeled the 'indie comedy' movement. 'Zach is so conceptual,' Sarah Silverman, who has known and worked with Galifianakis since the mid-'90s, told me. 'He's definitely part of the excitement of this shift, this idea of comedy as art. Whether he's at his piano, offering deadpan one-liners, or trying out some brand-new conceptual piece -- like the ways he uses musicians, or flip-board messages, or the first thing that comes into his head -- he is so totally original and thrilling to watch." -- from Jon Wray's 5.28 profile of in the N.Y. Times.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 2, 2009 at 4:06 AM

comment #1

LexG Author Profile Page says ...

Oh, PLEASE.

Nothing against Zack, but that whole Silverman, Cho, Griffin, Paul F. Thompkins, David Cross, Greg Behrendt, Scott Thompson, Largo, Luna Park anti-comedy comedy thing is *1997 AS HELL*. I should know, I did open mikes on the very fringes of that scene since '96, at coffee shops, laundromats and sushi restaurants around town that trafficked in that tiresome brand of masturbatory irony. Everyone going up on stage with their NOTES and COMMENTING on their act as they did their act.

M Bar? Buzz? Amagi? BrewCo? I've done 'em all, in addition to the more mainstream Store, Factory and Ha Ha. And you know what? Give me the hackdom of a real comedy club any day over the snide above-it-all bullshit.

And as MANY have pointed out, all those ANTICOMEDY pricks have sold out harder than ANYONE. Paul Thompkins doing VH1 bullshit, Odenkirk doing beer ads, and that unpleasant, hateful prick Cross don't get to say JACK or SHIT about Dane Cook, who's at least an honest artist who respects his audience.

Posted by LexG Author Profile Page at June 2, 2009 4:27 AM

comment #2

btwnproductions Author Profile Page says ...

Steve Martin did all this 30 years ago. And funnier.

Posted by btwnproductions Author Profile Page at June 2, 2009 5:33 AM

comment #3

OtownRog Author Profile Page says ...

Dear Sarah;
Bullshit.

Posted by OtownRog Author Profile Page at June 2, 2009 5:37 AM

comment #4

Tom Brazelton Author Profile Page says ...

Sounds to me like LexG has a personal axe to grind...

Posted by Tom Brazelton Author Profile Page at June 2, 2009 6:26 AM

comment #5

Admiral82 Author Profile Page says ...

Dane Cook sucks mang, he's 'zany' and thats his whole schtick.

All his fans are 16-18 year old girls...

Posted by Admiral82 Author Profile Page at June 2, 2009 7:22 AM

comment #6

Admiral82 Author Profile Page says ...

Artist? That's just classic comedy.

Posted by Admiral82 Author Profile Page at June 2, 2009 7:23 AM

comment #7

maxfm Author Profile Page says ...

Dane Cook? Please. (Though I actually kind of liked his performance in Mr. Brooks.)

I've been on the Zach bandwagon since his brilliant VH1 talk show. It's about time he hits the mainstream. But I bet people will react to him like Will Ferrell -- you either get it or you don't...and if you don't, you loathe the guy.

Posted by maxfm Author Profile Page at June 2, 2009 8:01 AM

comment #8

BurmaShave Author Profile Page says ...

Zach is a singular talent, as is Patton Oswalt, whose greatness is so indisputable I noticed Lex didn't even include him in his bitchy rant.

Posted by BurmaShave Author Profile Page at June 2, 2009 8:54 PM

comment #9

Hallick Author Profile Page says ...

Patton Oswalt's soul belongs in a comedian's Valhalla just for his Stella D'Oro breakfast treats bit alone. And if he didn't have that one, he'd still have the Black Angus gravy hose, KFC Famous Bowls ("Jesus, move my jaw for me..."), Tom Carvel, Robert Evans, Dr. Pepper at the Toronto Open Mic Night, etc.

Posted by Hallick Author Profile Page at June 2, 2009 9:48 PM

comment #10

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