The Sarah Silverman Program

[Dan B]

Yeah, that was pretty great.

[Laurie]

If by "great," you mean "awful," then I agree. It was pretty great.

[Dan B]

If by "great," you mean "awful," then I agree. It was pretty great.

Wait, why?

[Omar]

If by "great," you mean "awful," then I agree. It was pretty great.

I have decided to boycott this program and terminate my association with Ms. Silverman.  I was into her like 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 11 years ago, but she hasn't advanced her game in a long, long time.  Her bit in The Aristocrats (a horrific film) is one of the most overrated bits of "comedy" ever, and the best moment in Jesus Is Magic is when Bob Odenkirk argues that the best part of a strawberry is its green top.

I think it all started to go really downhill when she started talking about Jimmy Kimmel's scrotum.  That is simply disgusting.  Good day, madam Silverman.  I've heard your jokes already. 

[Eric]

That's too bad. I was hoping it would be the first good show on Comedy Central in awhile. I never did see "Jesus is Magic" so I wasn't really sure if she could be good on her own. I might still have to check this out just to make sure it's not worth keeping an eye on.

I completely forgot she was married to Kimmel. He was a pretty big part of Comedy Central's lame side with that abysmally terrible show, "Crank Yankers" and "The Man Show". I guess their getting together was a bad omen.

[Emily]

But she's so cute! and sexy.

i thought the show was funny. i laughed a few times. out loud. though it could have been because i identified with the character, which is probably something i shouldn't admit to. but whatever, ill watch it again.

[John Junk]

If by "great," you mean "awful," then I agree. It was pretty great.

I have decided to boycott this program and terminate my association with Ms. Silverman.  I was into her like 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 11 years ago, but she hasn't advanced her game in a long, long time.  Her bit in The Aristocrats (a horrific film) is one of the most overrated bits of "comedy" ever, and the best moment in Jesus Is Magic is when Bob Odenkirk argues that the best part of a strawberry is its green top.

I think it all started to go really downhill when she started talking about Jimmy Kimmel's scrotum.  That is simply disgusting.  Good day, madam Silverman.  I've heard your jokes already. 

Omar, I couldn't have said it better myself.  Out of all that you've mentioned, I've only seen The Aristocrats, and I had the distinct sense that she was basically doing the same shtick as everyone else, but because she wasn't a coke addled forty seven year old dude wth a mullet or some such she had a license to get A+'s for C+ work.  For shame.

[Sarah]

I've heard your jokes already.

I'm sorry.

[Omar]

If by "great," you mean "awful," then I agree. It was pretty great.

I have decided to boycott this program and terminate my association with Ms. Silverman.  I was into her like 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 11 years ago, but she hasn't advanced her game in a long, long time.  Her bit in The Aristocrats (a horrific film) is one of the most overrated bits of "comedy" ever, and the best moment in Jesus Is Magic is when Bob Odenkirk argues that the best part of a strawberry is its green top.

I think it all started to go really downhill when she started talking about Jimmy Kimmel's scrotum.  That is simply disgusting.  Good day, madam Silverman.  I've heard your jokes already. 

Omar, I couldn't have said it better myself.  Out of all that you've mentioned, I've only seen The Aristocrats, and I had the distinct sense that she was basically doing the same shtick as everyone else, but because she wasn't a coke addled forty seven year old dude wth a mullet or some such she had a license to get A+'s for C+ work.  For shame.

Good stuff, Mr. Junk.  Feel free to click the below World Wide Web link for some additional thoughts on The Aristocrats:

http://www.recidivism.org/2006/09/in_a_land_before_time.html

[Emerson]

I'm on the fence about Silverman. She's cracked me up many times. I haven't seen her show and probably won't for awhile, as I don't get cable and it doesn't seem worth a pilgrimage to a friend's house in the dead of the Chicago winter. I love her sister's work on Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist. I think her husband is a genuinely funny, pranksterish, self-aware guy who takes a lot of embarassing gigs, and I'm willing to sit back and let Bill Hicks sort those people out in hell.

My main beef with Silverman's defenders is their tendency to claim that anti-PC humor works *only* for Silverman, that she's not just a hip, attractive young lady, but some sort of genius who can get away with anything, and that she has a full monopoly on spiteful, selfish comedy. Once she *says what everyone's really thinking,* you're supposed to laugh, forget about it, and get righteously indignant when you hear that same sort of *material* coming from Michael Richards, or some veteran in a North Georgia Denny's.

People aren't funny because they were born that way. They're funny because they grab someting that's inside your own psyche. Own it, son.

~EmD

[Eric]

I love her sister's work on Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist.

One of my favorite characters ever. She had some great moments as Brendon's stepmom in "Home Movies" too.

Good stuff, Mr. Junk.  Feel free to click the below World Wide Web link for some additional thoughts on The Aristocrats:

http://www.recidivism.org/2006/09/in_a_land_before_time.html

"Comedian" sounds pretty cool. I never did get around to seeing it (whereas I squirmed through "The Aristocrats" in theaters). It's now on my "must see" list.

[John Junk]

Wow Omar, I'm so on the boat with you about "Comedian".  I saw it a few years before the Aristocrats.  I think it's an underrated movie.  Or maybe The Artistocrats is just so overrated that they tipped the scales.  But anyway, I was also pretty impressed by Jerry Seinfeld's inability to make people laugh on demand.  He's actually pretty good with hecklers.  And even Colin Quinn had me thinking he had the propensity to be funny, but then he like made the bad, cheap t.v. version of what he did on "Comedian" into "Tough Crowd" and that killed that.  How 'bout the obscure Canadian comedian trying to give Orny Adams some advice on how to acheive some sort of longevity in the comedy game while the ambition-crazed dude just moves his eyes shiftily around the room and immediately starts shit talking the second the guy walks away?  Good stuff.

[buffcoat]

TOM (to "The Madman"): Let me guess - YOU'RE the guy who says what other people just THINK."

MADMAN:  "Yeah."

[Dan B]

I should say that I didn't like Jesus is Magic or Aristocrats.  The show made me laugh out loud a lot.  Even if you don't like her, I'd say give it a chance.

[Emily]

My main beef with Silverman's defenders is their tendency to claim that anti-PC humor works *only* for Silverman, that she's not just a hip, attractive young lady, but some sort of genius who can get away with anything, and that she has a full monopoly on spiteful, selfish comedy. Once she *says what everyone's really thinking,* you're supposed to laugh, forget about it, and get righteously indignant when you hear that same sort of *material* coming from Michael Richards, or some veteran in a North Georgia Denny's.

I think intent matters. I sort of see Silverman’s humor as satirical, while I see Richards’ episode as unchecked anger and ignorance. Which is why I find Silverman funny, and Richards just mean. Though their appearance could also have something to do with it. Richards was yelling, which is scary, while Silverman is cute, which is nice.

I don’t think Silverman has a monopoly on satire. But I think a reason her humor is popular, or at least why it’s on Comedy Central, is because of how it’s packaged: she’s attractive and direct, and she also makes good potty jokes. Maybe I'm wrong, but I see her material more as satire than just having shock value.

p.s.: jokes about balls are funny. Have you see Sacha Baron Cohen’s golden globe acceptance speech?