It’s been many months since I wrote about a podcast, although I casually mention them when I write about comedy, which seems to happen weekly now, but I’ve been inspired lately by many, choosing to listen to interviews and discussion over music. I also seek it out, and as I’ve mentioned with music and fashion and other art-forms, I do the opposite. So clearly I’m wrangling on some sort of addiction here, but it feeds my soul so much and fills me with this strange hope and belief that I can foster whatever form of satire I’m pursuing into something worthwhile. The top of the list for me is What The Fuck (more notably, WTF) with long-time stand-up Marc Maron.
Marc is a comic’s comic. If you enjoy stand-up comedy and have followed the movement even loosely over the past couple decades then you should know who he is. I’d be willing to bet many of you don’t simply because you’re living normal lives, not obsessing over weird podcasts and the intricacies of humor. Leave that to geeks like me. The staple in choosing what to write about comes from an enthusiasm placed in my brain that I then want to share, ultimately to a public who doesn’t give a fuck. But my hope is those who are reading this do, and even if you don’t listen, you’re now aware of this existence, of this phenomenon that is podcasting and how much great content there is now via this medium.
Marc is in his late 40’s. He’s lived everywhere a comic should live, now settling in Southern California, still touring clubs like genetically motivated comedians do, and frequently now conducting interviews out of his garage, with some of the best comedic artists of our time, from many decades ago through today. Since I was a kid, watching old Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, and Richard Pryor films (there are many more you can fill in, Steve Martin, Dan Akroyd, etc.), I longed to get to know these people better, know them for who they really are. A far-fetched notion and dream, but I felt their stand-up, sketch performances or film/TV roles, coupled with interviews on Johnny Carson provided a glimmer into their psyche, into how they became who they were. Sometimes it was not a pretty picture, and for others, it proved to be very enlightening and encouraging. Nothing I’ve seen in the past has provided the depth of background into these human beings like WTF, and for that reason, I am addicted.
Marc’s stand-up has evolved into this self-effacing, abrasive, intelligent rant, daring you to dislike him as much as he dislikes himself. He seems to be a man of integrity, painfully honest regarding his mistakes and past and present forms of psychosis, and seems easily nonconformist, not adhering to cultural role-playing or our societal script. In the beginning of the WTF podcast, Marc takes us through his current metamorphosis and growth, either via the description of who he’s interviewing that day, how that person has affected him or merely his take on them as a comedic artist, and ultimately how certain psychological revelations has informed and manifested into his comedy and his interaction with others. Or he may simply be experiencing some personal challenge, whether it be a relationship, an encounter on the road, or just too much time alone. I resonate with how his mind seems to work. He’s constantly questioning, wondering, dissecting and exploring the inner workings of his and others’ minds. On top of his insight, he knows his shit. He comes from an important class of comedians, knows deeply the inner workings of comedy legends and the lesser known artists also involved during each era and therefore he’s a part of a very small cluster of human beings that can call themselves comics. Stand-up is his forte but Marc is aware and involved with comedic artists of varying genres and so the beautiful conversations that emerge are beyond informative, cut much deeper than entertaining and are a catalyst for epiphanies and growth as an artist and a human being.
This seemingly natural wordiness and inquisitive mind leads Marc to be an excellent conversationalist, beyond what we see as a smart interview or a top-notch journalist, Marc very casually and effortlessly takes his cohort on a ride through the depths of comedy, the why and how, exposing the truth and meat of every story. He typically starts at the beginning of their careers, taking a linear road trip with occasional stops to let what is clearly an interesting and very genuine moment unfold. We learn how artists, both well-known and practically unknown, became who they are at this moment, how familial, religious, political, geographical, psychological influences made a mark on how their journey transformed, how their careers evolved, grew or stifled, through peaks and valleys. Naturally, the most memorable episodes of WTF are not with well-known comics everyone already loves, although those provide insight and previously unknown information as well, but for me the interviews with artists I was either completely unaware of or only vaguely familiar were so pleasantly surprising and thought-provoking.
Marc has referred to himself as a farm-team comic, alluding to perhaps his perceived mid-level of success in the comedic world. Similar to some truly remarkable music, film, painting and other art out there, your level of value and success is often determined by your financial worth, your level of fame, the amount of twitter followers you’ve acquired or some other arbitrary measure of achievement. It should be obvious that despite this lack of millions, in dollars or followers, Marc and many other artists out there have been propelling some genius, unique work for a long time. And I believe it’s because he hasn’t risen to a Dane Cook level that he continues to progress and is now changing our world with such a special podcast. Sure there are certain “stars” he’s excited to interview or hopeful to get into his garage, but he knows more than anyone the depth of talent out there deserving of a conversation with him. The podcast has catapulted him to more fame, more followers, potentially more money, but he remains true to the club comic scene and to his objective as a podcaster.
The podcast has opened my eyes and delved me deeper into my comedy geek world, but it’s also affected my depth as a human being. I’m grateful to know more about so many artists I already respected and to have the exposure to dozens more I never knew. Recently, I’ve re-listened to episodes with those we’ve lost, Patrice O’Neal specifically. I cried, actual tears, upon not only hearing the news of Patrice’s stroke, but in particular hearing the sad news of his passing. These artists, and Patrice in particular, are as one of a kind as you can get. Him, Marc and others deserve more success than this difficult world has given them but they’ve retained their integrity and a painful level of honesty, disguising harsh truths in the most clever, wise jokes. They give me hope and courage. If I can be true to myself in my endeavors as a teacher, writer and human being, then I can feel less like a rat in the race and more of a success internally, and hopefully the external will show itself eventually.
I find it confusing and daunting to process just how important comedy is to me and the world. There are people I know fairly well, who I’d never wish any ill-will or negativity of course, but who’ve left for whatever reason and I felt sad for their loved ones and them personally, but held no sadness within myself. I’ve never met Patrice, Marc and many other comedians out there, but their impact on me has been nothing short of profound, and with the podcast, we not only get to know those we already love and respect even better, but we also remember them, honor them and have a format to share them with others. And that is a damn gift. It makes you ponder your own impact and inspires you to absorb more and to have the courage to influence in your own positive way. It is my dream to meet these artists and have my own conversations someday, and because of this incredible podcast, the bar is set high and I’m grateful to have learned and been affected by this.
This podcast has well over 200 episodes and is free, with many avenues to subscribe. There’s also an excellent app for iPhones and Droids. I’ll warn you, it’s addictive, but in the best way.
Do you have a sick sense of humor? Can you laugh at almost anything? Actually, take away the almost, can you laugh at anything? Are you able to suspend reality and your near and dear beliefs for a few seconds to laugh at what a clear mother of year winner Casey Anthony is? Can you do that 50-60 more times for about an hour? How about allowing a young comedian to look you square in the face while he methodically delivers joke after joke about suicide, rape, racism, family, friends, sex, abortion, religion, and any other typically taboo topics? If you said yes to all these questions, we should hang out. And you should be studying the likes of Mr. Anthony Jeselnik.
Now, I don’t have extensive knowledge on Anthony’s past, except that he’s from Pittsburg, he’s in his early 30’s, and when not bouncing from comedy club to festivals to colleges, he lives where many of the best comedians reside, New York City. Living up to my previously labeled “comedy nerd” status, I frequent the improv and open mic nights, I listen to mostly humor driven podcasts, and watch sitcoms, sketch shows and docu-comedies, and therefore I feel I’ve gleaned some insight into the minds and even hearts of my favorite humoredians (A Doug Benson word I love to rip off). While many geek out over Star Wars/Trek, comic books, indie films, indie music, fashion, and other bullshit, comedy is what gets me going, and stand-up requires the most amount of work and the largest set of balls. What I can tell about Anthony is he’s a surprisingly normal human being, with a twisted, brilliant sense of humor. And very big balls.
I came across his Comedy Central Presents initially, then found myself giggling with guilt over his performances on Jimmy Fallon (AJ worked for Late Night the first year and was the first stand-up to appear on his show), and other late night talk shows, but really fell in comedic love when I saw him roast Donald Trump in 2010. Donald’s balls are easy to bust. They’re rich, arrogant, with a ridiculous comb-over and high sensitivity to subjects pertaining their bank account. An interesting fact I learned while listening to Anthony on a recent podcast was Donald Trump’s only off-limits material, in which each comedian participating were forced to sign a contract and adhere to; no jokes about him having less money than he does. Really. Not his kids or his wives or godforbid some charity he’s involved in (there are none), but his fucking bank account. Don’t say I don’t have as much money as I do or I’ll cry and then take you to court for your measly stand-up earnings. Dick.
Anthony had the fortune of following a buffoon more embarrassing and more idiotic than Trump himself. Mike “the Situation” (what a god damn stupid nick name) Sorrentino. We all cringed with humiliation as this self-congratulating man, sure to have an IQ below 70, attempted to deliver jokes toward the roasters and the roasted, to the well-deserved reception of heckling and boos. Without taking the obvious route, Jeselnik followed with his usual cocky demeanor (utilized here ironically, there is a difference) to deliver the best performance of the night; taking measured, calculated jabs at the Situation, the panel and Trump himself, surprising many in the crowd and I bet even more at home, who were not yet privy to his genius, but who were now educated in the school of dark comedy.
During this same year Anthony’s stand-up album, Shakespeare, was named one of the best albums of the year by the Onion AV Club (I’ve been a loyal reader of the Onion for almost ten years, if you’re not aware of it, it’s similar to The Daily Show and the Colbert Report except the writers bust their balls for much less money to write incredibly smart, satirical articles on the current state of the world. Read it.) and Comedy Album of the Year by Punchline Magazine. If I had a child who was an aspiring comedian (and I hope I do someday, otherwise that kid’s being dropped off at a firehouse), I’d give him a short list of specials to study, and this would be one of them. If you have any comedic background, you’ll recognize the influences as he delivers these dry, acerbic, black as the night one-liners. I think of Stephen Wright (a legend as far as I’m concerned. Saw him open for Louie and he’s still got it), but darker, more sinister, and a bit more handsome; and Jack Handy, from Deep Thoughts on SNL. Deep Thoughts always left me laughing and then thinking about why I was laughing. Anthony’s stand-up is the same way; it inspires thought, makes you ask yourself why something’s funny, and then you congratulate yourself, feeling wicked clever having laughed at his jokes for the right reasons.
Below is an insightful take on Anthony’s view as an artist. It’s interesting to see when his jokes hit home and in particular when they do not.
He also utilizes Twitter in the right way, cherry picking eye-catching, jaw-dropping one-liners to inspire reaction and affect your day. No bullshit “I love New York in the fall” tweets. Check em out.
He goes after hard targets, feeding his irreverence with searing intelligence, delivering unpredictable jokes with impossibly perfect timing. He’s made me laugh embarrassingly loud at jokes about suicide and murder. That’s fricken impressive. In order to truly appreciate his genius you must check your ego and morality at the door. When watching any roasts, I observe the comics sheer appreciation of a well written joke, despite and in spite of the subject matter, if it’s clever and evokes a reaction, then it’s probably born out of some difficult truths; and those facts, the cruel darkness that surrounds our world, can be lightened, their power diminished, just in the ability to laugh at it. You’re laughing, sometimes cringing, sometimes explaining the joke to others, and almost always amazed at the creativity and skill used in writing and performing these jokes.
I’d like to digress for a moment, like I usually do, but this time it’s intentional. I casually mentioned above the attractiveness of Mr. Jeselnik, so I’ll come out and proclaim my crush on him. Most men I crush on are funny. They have to be, I lose my lady boner (sorry, Dad) if a man is dumb or lacking a sense of humor. You cannot possibly be even of average intelligence and have a quality sense of humor. One feeds the other. And because Anthony’s humor very much resonates with my own, and I like men with a bit of ironic bravado, I came in with a 5 out of 10 on the crush scale. When he performed on Conan, that scale was soon crushed, so to speak. It’s the cheeky smile. So yes, my loins are almost as involved as my head here, and I may have some gross puns inspired by his last name, but I stand by it and wholeheartedly would recommend this unique brand of comedy to anyone with very limited sensitivity and high brain activity. That could be you!
I know from my apparent addiction to podcasts and watching comedy centered documentaries that most comedians have trepidation and a lack of trust toward even semi-decent looking comics. They feel they must not have had the dark past or been quite jaded enough in their upbringing to foster the skills necessary in being a successful comedian. We’ve seen through many stories riddled with tragedy, comedy often stems from some seriously fucked up history. And often that history and a comic’s self-deprecating nature will be the fuel that perpetuates their comedic fire. For some; however, they simply see the world through the lens of comedy and yearn to bring a new voice to that small stage. It’s not an easy world to attempt, certainly when you’re attractive and white you’re set up quite easily for other things. But comedy is something in your blood and if you have the stomach and work-ethic, you’ll put in a good ten years before any real success comes your way. Anthony is approaching 9 years in. Knowing his fortune in being attractive, white and male already caused comedy audiences to prejudge him, assuming he was an asshole, he carved out a genius stage presence based on that very notion; a task not easily mastered and he’s executed it incomparably. He’s earned his current level of success and I believe, because of his very quick, very smart voice, he’ll continue to garner tremendous success in this weird business.
My hope is the world does not try to Dane Cook him. Granted, he’s about a billion times more brilliant (and provocative) than Dane’s material ever was (and I did used to enjoy him in high school, so please don’t waste your breath sticking up for that cocky sell-out); he’s in New York, with Louie and Chappelle, so he’s in good company; and he genuinely seems like a grounded comic, with his priorities straight. To build a following on the stand-up circuit and respect amongst the Roast community, you have to pay your dues, take your shit from other comedians (the most common insult involves his lack of notoriety, some roasters claiming he’ll be working in Radio Shack in a few years. I think not.), and you have to be exceedingly and uniquely funny.
I’m not sure of Anthony’s potential trajectory. I’m unsure if someone in the business would want to capitalize on his irreverent nature and inherent hotness by morphing him into some version of Daniel Tosh’s success, but something tells me that’s not for him. There’s wind of a Comedy Central show in the works. We shall see. As a geek and a fan, I just hope to continue to see him succeed and for more like-minded people to break into his world. It takes some big ass balls to head down this dark road, far away from light-hearted, broad comedy targeted at those enjoying the Blue Collar variety or the laugh-track sitcom sense of humor. There’s a strange irony in keeping your integrity in tact by telling the jokes the most are offended by because they don’t understand them, instead of softening your material to make more gain or acquire quicker, bigger results. Whatever additional success he earns will be from his hard work and with material he fine-tunes and develops to get the highest quality laughs.
I really enjoy dissecting someone’s approach to comedy, their timing and delivery, their personality on stage. There are two archetypes that I feel are the most successful and the two that resonate the most with me. I love me some creative genius weirdos like Tim Minchin and Reggie Watts, but typically the stand-up I remember and quote come out of regular folk telling jokes. There are brilliant self-effacing comics (Louie and Conan are two big examples), utilizing their very real, seemingly sincere insecurity that allows them to endear themselves to an audience which, in turn, buy into their story and brand of comedy. And then, perhaps the rarer of the two, there are those enforcing a persona of great bravado and inflated confidence; their act being so steeped in belief that we believe it too. It’s a harder sell, and therefore the work and talent required for success is admirable and extraordinary. Anthony is the latter.
While I can attest to his very natural funniness and quick wit off the cuff, the respect I have for joke-writing and ultimately performing catapults him to a short list of those I admire most. Many of my favorite comedians like Patrice O’Neal, Dave Attell, Dave Chappelle, and west coaster Marc Maron, seemingly walk on stage and just talk to the audience, tell stories, emote with their faces and bodies and make you feel like they’re not writing and telling jokes. They’re just observant, extraordinarily funny men reacting to their environment, even using the audience as triggers and bate. And while Anthony’s delivery is exceptional and perfected, you feel the work he put into it, pondering the method and steps taken in arriving at the punchline, and in doing so, you respect him even more. He’s imprinted you, like a mythological creature in novels for teens.
Now for a bit of nerdy bragging. I met him. And I didn’t wait in a long line, say hello, snap a photo and leave. I approached him in a bar like a stalker and made my move. I suppose I should provide context. I’m currently in Minneapolis visiting a great friend, pitching my own brand of weirdo comedy and writing, and for months I’ve had tickets to see Anthony here at the Acme Comedy club, a stand-up joint widely revered by comics, many of whom electing to skip my humor heavy town, Chicago, to spend a few days in the land of lakes and low temperatures. While my semi-serious, mostly humorous crush had been developing, I’d been joking with my brother and friends about seeing Jeselnik perform live and what a badass I thought he was, so leading up to September 24th, there was some mounting anticipation and excitement. I’ve had a great summer, but really it’s a fog of fun that created a cloudy journey to this weekend. And I’m so glad it’s here and it went down the way it did.
All the ass-kissing and promoting I did in the many words above were happily justified last night. Seeing him perform live was akin to seeing the Black Keys live last year. I’d been an avid fan for years, getting to know every nuance to each track, and when I finally saw them it was front row, in a small venue, and I was excited for each of my old favorites and thoroughly enjoyed the lesser known new records performed. With Anthony, this was no exception. I’ve gotten to know Shakespeare and his other material pretty damn well, so as he sharply set up his jokes, I smile and laugh early because I know the surprise ending that’s coming in the form of his punchline. He reminds me of Mitch Hedberg, which makes me happy and sad. His delivery and timing is unmatched and to deconstruct his material would be as daunting as dissecting a brain. You must be able to read and absorb and retain information to understand his jokes and laugh for the right reasons. He fed off the crowd, showing off his ability to be funny on the fly, delivered refreshing new material as funny as his classics, inducing loud laughter and applause breaks, and simultaneously made you laugh at his arrogant stage persona while also finding that same character charming and lovable.
He joked that he’d been selling his CD for $20 bucks and since it was the last show after many days here, he’d sold out. So now he’d welcome you to take photos or get an autograph, for that same 20 dollar bill. Sarcasm being my first and only language, I saddled up to him at the bar, telling him I only had $10, but I wasn’t interested in a picture or an autograph. He said sure, just give me the 10 and we’ll talk. We were off to a lovely start. My memory of our conversation is a bit convoluted, stemming from a 3 hour visit to Beer Fest earlier that evening, and also because of my excitement in meeting someone I respected and enjoyed. It was wonderfully bizarre from my end, but pleasantly normal from his. We talked about comedy of course, him giving a major debt of gratitude to Jack Handy and his Deep Thoughts, single handedly influencing a very effectual comedian in its own right. Suffice it to say we had a really nice, normal people conversation. I felt like I was talking to my husband, who is also super handsome with a cheeky smile, very likable and delicious, talented and confident, but salt of the earth. I don’t delude myself into thinking I made a mark on him, but I found his appreciation for his fans and his respect for comedy refreshing, and enjoyed getting to share in that enthusiasm.
I left that club elevated, for sure. I told Anthony I’m a travel/food/comedy writer and that he’d be on my show someday. He said he wanted to be a travel writer but it was too frustrating and there were too few jobs (no shit, he could have made that up), so he opted for the long-term slow death that is often comedy instead. Weird. And awesome. When an artist puts their stamp on me, I’m loyal for life. Barring sexual molestation or murder, I’m in this for the long-haul and I can only hope to watch his impending rise as I foster my own. I’ll bet our paths cross again someday and our peculiar careers will meet in an intersection of food and comedy, where I prefer to hover.
Go out there and support someone deserving like Anthony. And when you find yourself offended by a joke, ask yourself why. There’s a difference between a broad brush stroke and fine-tipped application of irony. Remember, ooohhh-ing is just laughter for pussies. Laugh. Out loud. You deserve it. And so do the comedians working for it. Comedy is art. Art is courage. Support the courageous and inhabit it yourself. Enjoy.
Laughgasms- this is pleasurable on many levels
He’s coming to the Chicago Improv November 17-20. His set is worth a lot more than the ticket price so take advantage!
7 Reasons you should be watching the Ellen show, as in Ellen Degeneres’s talk show.
1: It’s funny. Yeah, I said it. Groundbreaking information, I know! The decades long comedian is, in fact, funny. Like with most funny people and talk-show hosts, Ellen is at her best off the cuff, conversing with audience members or guests. She lets others shine, show-cases her funny staff, applauds her talented guests, and gives many members of the audience her spot-light on a daily basis.
2: It’s good for humanity. Without ever pushing an agenda down your throat, Ellen and her staff give thousands consistently to charity, promote good-will and kindness, and provide valuable information on how we can make a difference, with or without our wallets. She creates games, events, laughs and entertainment as an avenue for change. You can dunk Eva Longoria in filthy water and with one pitch (or ten depending on your skill level, I was an all-star as a child, so, yeah.) you’ve given $10,000 to Breast Cancer Research. She created her own healthy, natural pet-food company called Halo, gives her time, money and energy to causes like the Gentle Barn, campaigns peacefully for legislation like Prop 2 (providing factory farm animals with larger pens, cleaner, kinder conditions), and has gradually become a vegan and lightly given the world tips on approaching a kinder diet ourselves. She shares with humor her personal changes on acquiring an eco-friendly home and lifestyle, gives down on their luck, solid people new cars, money toward their needed repairs, medical bills or school loans, sends someone who needs a boost on a vacation, and provides us all with the greatest medicine and antidote to the state of the world right now, laughter.
3: Talent. Talent. Talent. There’s something for everyone here. I hate country music, loathe it, I’d rather hear babies crying to the sounds of kittens screaming while scratching their nails down sand-paper as the parents scrape sharpened forks on dinner plates. So it’s clear I do not enjoy country music? Ok, good. But, she has country favorites like Rascal Flats and Taylor Swift (those are the only 2 I know, otherwise I simply fast-forward, but there’s more), rappers like Lil Wayne, R&B stars like Bruno Mars, balladeers like Adele, rockers like Kings of Leon and so on. She has musical, theatrical, comedic, dance, culinary, and inventive artists of all ages, sizes, colors and backgrounds on her show and truly shares in the enthusiasm of their gifts and wants to share those gifts. Even better is Ellen and her staff scour the internet and other sources I’m sure to find undiscovered talent, in various genres, and give them a once in a lifetime chance to showcase their tightly honed skills in front of millions. So she’s generous in many ways and the ultimate supporter of the arts. She recognizes our greatest artists cannot be defined and probably haven’t been discovered yet. So regardless if you’re not into a particular artist or genre (like my allergy to honky tonk), you will no doubt be in the next segment or next episode. Just keep watching. And swimming.
4: Tolerance. She, just by being herself, is raising awareness and acceptance amongst many generations in America. She’s affecting generations, in particular the future of our country, and world, our youth. Children love her, they don’t care that she’s gay, that she’s not on camera with long hair, dresses, heels, and overall stereotypical girly behavior. They like her for who she is, because she is a beautiful person, inside and out. She promotes not only self-acceptance, but non-judgment and tolerance of others as well. Not since the most powerful woman in the world (and probably God if God exists) was an African-American woman by the name of Oprah did someone revolutionize television in such a remarkable way. She leads by example and is the greatest advocate for progress and love simply because she exudes that truth.
5: Dance, dance til you’re dead! I’m a huge fan, lover, admirer, enthusiast of dance, in all forms, modern, classic, ordinary and strange. I just fricken love it! And not club dancing either, I’ll dance with my girlfriends but paying money to go into a large warehouse-like building, with seizure inducing strobe lights, awful house music and the throngs of males thinking they can match their crotches with my precious back-end, simply because we’re both in the same place at the same time just puts me off. But dancing to a classic song like Boogy Shoes with Ellen and the audience brings a smile to my face I don’t even think my husband’s seen. Whether you’re “good” or “bad” is irrelevant, the message is to stop taking yourself so seriously, move your big beautiful butt and enjoy the ride. It simultaneously promotes health and bliss because dancing increases your heart rate and burns calories while also bringing you into the ever joyful present moment. She of course has dancers from various stages, young and old, famous or not, and let’s them perform and extract the enthusiasm right out of you.
6: The antithesis of gossip. Ellen, as previously mentioned, is a comedian. She’s observational and will make jokes and commentary on the current state of the world; however, this never includes gossip or rumors, beating up on someone who’s down, or giving anyone who doesn’t deserve it (ie: Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan) a platform or attention. She’s able to be funny and topical without needlessly stooping to the TMZ and entertainment show levels. So you can see and hear about your favorite artists, get updates on the state of the world and Hollywood, but never engage in negative high school-like rhetoric. I’m an admittedly somewhat cynical person at times, and I enjoy really crass and harsh comedians (Ricky Gervais, Daniel Tosh, Natasha Leggero), but they’re mostly ironic and cleverly pointing out atrocities and train wrecks we’re all talking about with our friends. That has it’s place. Entertainment news and tabloids are largely pointless, spreading lies and deliberately being negative without even a whiff of actual humor. With Ellen, it’s purely up-lifting and kind. She walks the walk.
7: It’s collaborative. The new documentary I Am, a fascinating exploration by Director Tom Shadyac of Ace Ventura and Bruce Almight fame, dares to claim humans are, in fact, naturally collaborative and not competitive, as we more often embody. He also shows how human beings, scientifically, biologically, emotionally, what have you, are all connected. These facts are somewhat contradictory to how we think, feel and behave in this technologically advanced, competition based society. Ellen, in my opinion, not only embodies these claims but provides evidence of this truth. Her show’s success and effect on the world shows what human beings collaborating for a common purpose can achieve. Watching the audience dance and laugh with joy, and observing their connection with complete strangers, makes those of us at home on our couches feel that same connection and bliss. By giving the audience information and inspiration on how to get more out of their own lives and how to make someone else’s life a little better, she’s gently promoting both collaboration and connection. Ultimately the show makes me forget about the humans who irritate and frustrate me, and leaves me thinking of those in my life who make me laugh, smile, and feel encouraged, feel connected.
mastic8onthis 